MALARIOUS JUNGLES. 2^1 



Much of the land along this coast is pestilential swamp. 



Other exceedingly malarious jungles are found stretch- 

 ing forth along the base of mountain chains, running 

 through tropical countries; of which the Indian "Terai" 

 forms a good example. Although malaria always exists 

 in hot climates, wherever there are fertile tracts, and 

 a humid soil, it finds its stronghold in the jungle 

 rather than in the forest. This may be partly due to 

 the fact that in the heavy forests the ground is pro- 

 tected in a great measure from the heat of the sun, 

 and also that in many places the innumerable armies 

 of ants, and other forms of insect life, quickly consume 

 the fallen leaves and timber, which thus are not suf- 

 fered to remain on the ground to rot. 



Moreover, the heavy forest rarely does well in the 

 worst districts, where the land is soft and swampy; 

 such localities being generally occupied by reeds, and 

 other jungle growths. Therefore along the bases of 

 mountain chains, the jungle usually flourishes in the most 

 unhealthy spots, such as the bottoms of ravines and 

 valleys, while the great trees are mostly found along 

 the drier hill slopes, where it has frequently been 

 remarked that the finest timber grows in the most 

 inaccessible places probably because their very inac- 

 cessibility has guarded the trees against the assaults 

 of wood-cutters and other jungle people. The deadly 

 character of the Indian Terai, which skirts the south- 

 ern base of the Himalayas, has been already adverted 

 to. * Along the foothills of the Andes similar sickly 

 districts are found in many places, notably where the 

 bush region of Peru runs up the gorges, from its 



* A description of the Terai will be found in our chapter on " Great 

 Mountain Ranges." 



