MEN OF THE TREES 



risk their poisoned arrows. Just as the honey preserves 

 are defined, so in the jungle each dweller has his own 

 territory. To the white man the origin and observance 

 of this law are inexplicable except as the survival of the 

 past, but to its power is due the preservation of many of 

 the existing virgin forests. 



These then are my friends the forest dwellers, and as 

 I came to know them better they began to render me 

 valuable assistance in forestry work; for a bond between 

 us had been established and with a very little training I 

 was able to use them as forest scouts. They entered en- 

 thusiastically into the work of collecting tree seeds, or 

 any other useful work which I might suggest. 



It is true that these primitive folk were not conscious 

 at the time of the far reaching results of their work, but 

 were merely doing what I asked in order to please me. 

 To them it seemed just a whim of mine which, however, 

 they were delighted to gratify. They could see no more 

 profit for themselves in collecting seeds than in climb- 

 ing a tree for a botanical specimen; but nevertheless in 

 time they became some of the most enthusiastic Men of 

 the Trees. By reason of their close association with nature 

 they were well adapted to render me valuable assistance. 

 They had an intimate knowledge of the forest and I was 

 able to reach even the most inaccessible parts under their 

 guidance and thus to carry out valuable survey work. 

 This was not all, I was able through them to obtain many 

 botanical specimens which were of considerable value, 

 being used for identifying timbers of economic im- 



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