FOREST WARFARE. 225 



being trackless, it may perhaps be desirable to 

 mention, that pretty well all known forests are inhab- 

 ited by scattered bands of natives, who inhabit their 

 inmost recesses, and who can, if so disposed, almost 

 always conduct strangers through any part of them, by 

 means of local paths used by the jungle people, and 

 known only to them. * 



The celebrated Red Indian warrior tribes, who 

 used to inhabit the immense forests of North America, 

 furnish a well-known and admirable instance in point 

 but nowhere perhaps can w r e, at the present time, find 

 people possessing larger or more varied experience in 

 such matters, than among British officers in the Indian 

 service. There, there is a regular, organized forest 

 service, for the inspection and conservancy of the great 

 tropical forests, that cover large areas in our Indian 

 empire and we believe that these remarks convey in 

 brief, what has been the general practical result of their 

 experience. 



This is a matter which, from a military point of 

 view, has frequently assumed an aspect of extreme 

 importance in the history of British colonization; 

 for the difficulty of effectually dealing with these 

 wild tribes has frequently proved to be very great. This 

 fact has been clearly pointed out, in a recent work, 

 by a well-known American writer, in connection 

 with the settlement of his own country, for he 

 says 



" Much has been written and sung of the advantages pos- 

 sessed by the mountaineer, when striving for his home against 

 invaders from the plains; but these advantages are as nothing 



* See, Hints on Mountain and Jungle Warfare, by Lieut.-Colonel 

 J. (_. Gawler, 1873. 



VOL. I. 15 



