TREES OF THE TROPICAL FOREST. 139 



or so, and making of tliem little troughs for holding 

 water. As you know, of course, the bamboo is round 

 and hard, the stem being hollow, divided by partitions 

 or joints, and the outside covered with a siliceous coat- 

 ing. I split the stems longitudinally for troughs and 

 gutters, but cut them across at the joints for other 

 uses, especially for flower-pots, when later I started a 

 nursery and became a gardener and horticulturist. 



They cost nothing but the labor, served the pur- 

 pose better than any other kind, and were so abun- 

 dant as to be inexhaustible. Bamboo Bank became 

 my favorite resort ; with a book, or with some light 

 labor to perform, I always sought this shady spot with 

 its circlet of leaf-carpeted earth. The slightest breath 

 of wind set the leaves to dancing, and when the 

 strong breezes blew the great spears rattled and 

 clashed together, like the lances of a barbarian host. 



I confess to being partial to the palms and the 

 bamboos, though this feeling may have been due to the 

 fact that they were not only very beautiful in them- 

 selves, but were the nearest things of beauty in my 

 daily life, and closely identified with my first camp. 

 The bay, the beach, the rippling stream, the savanna, 

 uniting the bright strand with the gloomy forest — all 

 these were dear to me, and none of them appealed 

 more strongly to me than the bananas and plantains 

 that lined the stream above. Indeed, as I reflect 

 upon it, I think my lot was most fortunate ; my heart 

 swelled with gladness whenever I thought upon my 

 blessings; I looked upon my surroundings as the 

 most delightful that man could desire. 



