A HUT ON THE TREE-TOP 



strong enough to bear us, about eight feet by eight in size 

 and twenty feet from the ground. 



The substructure being completed, we now turned our 

 attention to the roofing, which, in comparison with the 

 other, we found quite an easy job. For the foliage over- 

 head was already almost thick enough to protect us from 

 the dew, and a little rearrangement and the addition of 

 some grass, etc., made it quite impervious. 



The "house" being now ready for occupation, we 

 unloaded the elephants and sent them back to camp, 

 instructing their mahouts to return for us on the third 

 day from that date thus cutting ourselves off from all 

 communication with the world, for should anything prevent 

 the elephants returning we would be as completely stranded 

 as if in mid ocean on a rock ! 



But such a possible calamity, so far from troubling us, 

 merely added to the charm of the situation as, perched on 

 our airy shelter, we sat listening to the animals, crashing 

 through the jungle homeward bound. 



Meanwhile the indefatigable Dhundhos was busily 

 employed preparing a shelter for himself, on the other side 

 of the tree, where he could eat, and enjoy what little sleep 

 he was likely to obtain. It was a curious structure when 

 completed, and, as a place to sleep in, looked perilously 

 insecure, but the old man, accustomed to passing his nights 

 on tree-tops, seemed perfectly content. 



His next job was the " kitchen," which he made on the 

 same principle as our platform, but considerably smaller ; 

 then going down to the pool he prepared a mass of mud 

 and water, with which he smeared the surface to make it 

 fireproof and, placing the oil-stove in it, set to work upon 

 our dinner. We had decided to dine early, being hungry 

 after our long journey, besides we were anxious to avoid 

 using artificial light, fearing it might scare away the tiger, 

 or any other beast, coming to the pool to drink. 



Accordingly, as soon as the meal was over, we com- 

 menced our preparations for the night by piling up a heap 

 of grass on each side of the platform ; on these we spread 

 our blankets, while Dhundhos, who had thoughtfully 

 brought two pillow slips, filled these tightly with leaves. 



In the meantime, what little light we had throughout 



63 



