A VISIT TO THE PRINCE 253 



beside firs whose highest branches seemed to touch 

 the sky. So deep was this glen that the mountain 

 peaks of the chain, visible up to now, were lost to sight, 

 and all we saw was the interlacing splendour of rampant 

 vegetation. The undergrowth was as thick and 

 wanton and beautiful as the bush in Canada. Rasp- 

 berries grew in tangled riot ; the triumphant hop 

 wound its choking tendrils round the tree stems ; a 

 small red plum gleamed amid the green, and every- 

 where a low-growing, sweet-tasting yellow berry 

 flourished. Ali told us afterwards it was " phaisant- 

 chik," or the autumnal larder of the pheasants. 



It was a wonder world. So quiet ! So silent ! 

 No sound but the soft squelch of our horses' hoofs on 

 the damp moss carpet, or the little thuds of chestnuts 

 dropping to earth. Now and again the peremptory 

 tap-tap-tapping of the woodpecker echoed through the 

 dim aisles. Ah, there he is, the red-crested beauty ! 



Metallic-coated jays screamed in the pine-tops, a 

 peacock butterfly flaunted his glories across our path, 

 and on a heap of russet leaves a hedgehog lay for dead. 

 I wanted to investigate the prickly atom, but when I 

 essayed to dismount the badly girthed-up saddle 

 slipped its moorings, and in the general excitement 

 and the interest of listening to Karbardan "cuss 

 words ' ' for the first time, I forgot all about my 

 hedgehog friend. 



Amid the glow of maize and corn, ripe for the sickle, 

 in a little clearing vve came upon two or three small 

 huts made of rough pine stems. I thought they must 

 be the residences of the Prince's keepers, but I found 



