A TROPICAL JUNGLE. 95 



Our way next morning led for some time 

 through this lovely but damp jungle. Then we 

 angled up the side of a hill to emerge into the 

 comparatively open country atop what we West- 

 erners would call a " hog's back " a long nar- 

 row spurlike ridge mounting slowly to the gen- 

 eral elevation of the main hills. Here were high 

 green bushes, with little free open passages 

 between them, and occasionally meadow-like 

 openings running down the slopes on one side 

 or the other. Before us, some miles distant, 

 were the rounded blue hills. 



We climbed steadily. It was still very early 

 morning, but already the day was hot. Pretty 

 soon we saw over the jungle to the gleaming 

 waters of the inlet, and then to the sea. Our 

 " hog's back " led us past a ridge of the hills, 

 and before we knew it we had been deposited in 

 a shallow valley three or four miles wide between 

 parallel ridges ; the said valley being at a con- 

 siderable elevation, and itself diversified with 

 rolling hills, ravines, meadow land, and wide 

 flats. On many of the ridges were scattered 

 cocoanut palms, and occasional mango groves, 

 while many smokes attested the presence of 

 natives. 



These we found in shambas or groups of little 



