AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



protests, and when we had quite settled down, they 

 returned as near as they dared. 



One very hot afternoon I lay on my canvas cot 

 in the open staring straight upward into the over- 

 arching greenery of the trees. This is a very pleasant 

 thing to do. The beautiful upspreading, outreach- 

 ing of the tree branches and twigs intrigue the eye; 

 the leaves make fascinating hypnotically waving 

 patterns against a very blue sky; and in the chambers 

 and galleries of the upper world the birds and in- 

 sects carry on varied businesses of their own. After 

 a time the corner of my eye caught a quick move- 

 ment far to the left and in a shadow. At once I 

 turned my attention that way. After minute 

 scrutiny I at length made out a monkey. Evidently 

 considering himself quite unobserved, he was slowly 

 and with great care stalking our camp. Inch by 

 inch he moved, taking skilful advantage of every bit 

 of cover, flattening himself along the limbs, hunching 

 himself up behind bunches of leaves, until he had 

 gained a big limb directly overhead. There he 

 stretched flat, staring down at the scene that had 

 so strongly aroused his curiosity. I lay there for 

 over two hours reading and dozing. My friend 

 aloft never stirred. When dusk fell he was still 

 there. Some time after dark he must have regained 

 his band, for in the morning the limb was vacant. 



222 



