KATOOTERO AND HIS HONEYBIRD 



portance. They were natural forest protectors and it was 

 their great concern that the forest had already been in- 

 vaded by neighbouring tribes and whole areas cut down 

 and burnt. I was anxious, if possible, to prevent this de- 

 struction, and my forest friends were only too willing, 

 on their part, to co-operate with me. Without their assist- 

 ance it would have been impossible to have started many 

 of the forest nurseries or to have raised the trees with 

 which to plant abandoned farms. Their voluntary service 

 was of particular value at the time because my depart- 

 ment was sadly under-staflfed and the demand for forest 

 seeds was far beyond the supply available. 



When the time came for me to leave their forests, I 

 parted from them with real regret, a feeling which evi- 

 dently was reciprocated by them as, for the first time 

 in their lives, a number of them accompanied me on my 

 way, leaving the shelter of their forest homes to bid me 

 farewell. 



Looking back upon the time spent with these children 

 of nature, and having with deep interest entered into 

 their joys and sorrows, I am convinced that in spite 

 of their precarious existence in the jungle, they have 

 managed to arrive at and retain many of the joys which 

 we hold dear. For there in the heart of the forest they 

 live their care-free lives and enjoy each other's comrade- 

 ship, with sufficient food and shelter, even though their 

 home may be but a primitive bower of leaves and 

 branches. 



75 



