ch. v.] A Dreary Night. 105 



a large tree, and putting down our burdens, we resolved 

 to pass the night here. To mend matters, it commenced 

 to rain heavily about seven o'clock, and I am afraid we 

 were not so happy as the mere possession of health and 

 strength ought to have made us. We had no food 

 except a couple of wet biscuits and about half a glass of 

 brandy in a flask. These we shared, and perhaps they 

 were sweeter than the choicest viands would have tasted 

 had we been in dress clothes and in comfortable quarters. 

 Then Mr. Veitch had a great find in his bag — a couple 

 of cigars and a box of matches. Sitting in the smoking- 

 room of a comfortable club, or in the billiard-room at 

 home, one may smile at such a discovery ; but, situated 

 as we were, cold and wet, a cigar added much to our 

 comfort. Our two followers tried to make a little shelter 

 from the rain for themselves, but failed miserably. 



About ten o'clock the rain ceased, and we then tried 

 to improve our position ; for hitherto all we] could do 

 was to walk about around a large tree — a distance of a 

 few yards only ; for in the darkness we knew not what 

 ugly falls might not await us if we strayed from our 

 wretched camping-ground, which was wet and spongy 

 under foot ; and the leeches crawled up our legs and bled 

 us to their hearts' content. We noticed luminous fungi 

 on the rotten sticks at our feet glowing quite brightly, 

 and the effect was weird and ghostly in the extreme. 

 My " boy," quite by accident, had placed a couple of dry 

 flannel shirts, a pair of trowsers, and a blanket, in the 

 other man's basket, and so, after the rain ceased, I was 

 able to put on a dry warm shirt and trowsers, a luxury I 

 had not expected, and also to give Mr. Veitch a dry 

 shirt and a share of my rug. We now sat down on some 

 brushwood, and leaning back against the tree, fell asleep, 

 and we did not wake until near sunrise. Thus ended 



