l6 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



chiefly fituated near their top : belides, this 

 part of the forefl: was deftitute of (hrubs. We 

 had in vain fought for fome great trunks exca- 

 vated by fire ; but thefe are to be met with only 

 in the places frequented by the natives : we had 

 fcen a great number of them by the fea-lide, 

 and had remarked feveral paths made by them ; 

 nothing, on the contrary, indicated to us that 

 they had come into the middle of thefe thick 

 foreR-s. 



The air was extremely calm. I awoke about 

 midnight ; and, feeing myfelf infulated amidft 

 thefe filent forefts, of the majefty of which the 

 feeble light of the ftars flill afforded me a 

 glimpfe, I felt myfelf penetrated with a fenti- 

 rnent of admiration at the inexprefTibie grandeur 

 of Nature. 



On the 2d, at day-break, we followed the 

 fame direction as on the preceding day. The 

 difficulties increafed more and more: frequently 

 the trunks of trees, thrown down one upon the 

 other, formed a barrier almoft impenetrable, 

 and fubjcoled us to the neceflity of climbing on 

 the moft lofty, and of walking thus from tree 

 to tree, at the rifk of falling from a great height; 

 for feveral being covered with a fungous bark, 

 foaked by the conftant humidity which reigns 

 in thefe thick forefts, afforded us but an ex- 

 tremely flippery and difficult paffage. 



I ' The 



