JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 65 



branches of a bamboo the three "condemned hos- 

 pital-looking stretchers, made of the same material, 

 and held together by a net -work of coarse coir rope 

 and the two crazy chairs with one seat between them. 



A couple of hours industriously spent, however, 

 furnish it with a very materially improved appear- 

 ance, the nakedness of the stretchers being hidden 

 by the mattrasses that we have brought with us, and 

 these drawn close to the table on either side make 

 a luxurious imitation of ottomans, whilst a gun-case, 

 laid across the two seatless chairs, is pressed into 

 doing the extra duty of a form or a side-table. 



But whilst we are driving our wits to the very fur- 

 thest verge of their inventive extension, a new visitor 

 makes his appearance amongst us, a personage of no 

 little consequence to us in our anticipated excursions. 



He is the Genius of the place, the only human 

 dweller in all that vast and glorious wilderness, and 

 well does his appearance harmonise with the roman- 

 tic character of the scene. 



His long hair, perfectly white from age, is tied up 

 in a knot at the back of his head ; whilst, in front, a 

 snowy beard undulates half way down his breast. 

 His only covering is a white linen girdle round the 

 loins, and his only defence against all the wild beasts 

 that surround him, is the peeled willow wand that 

 he carries in his hand. 



In that old jungle-patriarch, reader, you see our 

 " Elephant-finder." 



