192 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. ix. 



half-an-hour before sundown when we returned to the 

 boat and pulled to the ship for dinner. I was very tired, 

 but altogether pleased at having secured at least one new 

 species of orchid as well as two or three birds that I had 

 never seen before. After dinner I occupied myself in 

 sketching my new pink orchid and in helping my "boy" 

 skin the birds I wished to preserve. 



I was happy in the labour, and no description could 

 possibly convey any idea of that delight which fills one 

 when new and beautiful objects of natural history are 

 discovered for the first time. 



