42 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. in. 



are found here, and alligators of enormous size are 

 reported as frequenting the rivers further inland. 



After dinner we made up a large fire outside the hut, 

 dragging all the fallen trunks in the vicinity to it, for we 

 scarcely relished the idea of a "man-eater" lurking in 

 the neighbourhood, who might wish to vary his diet. 

 These burned brightly all through the night, although at 

 times it rained heavily, and served for cooking purposes 

 in the morning. We descended about eight o'clock, 

 staying here and there to collect plants and flowers on 

 the way. We reached the " Falls " about 10 o'clock, 

 and I looked around for plants, while my friend bathed, 

 and the men rested themselves awhile. "Shall you not 

 bathe?" he asked me. " I replied, "I'll just wash my 

 face and hands presently, and let that suffice until we 

 reach All Tong." We were just about to return to the 

 path when a pretty fern I had not before observed 

 attracted my attention, growing on a bit of jutting rock 

 overhanging the Falls. I borrowed a chopper from one 

 of the men, and clambered up the rocks, but to reach it I 

 had to stride across the stream just where it falls over the 

 boulders. I had secured my prize and was turning to 

 leap back when slip ! bump ! splash ! I went, plants, 

 chopper, and all, into the water-worn basin below. When 

 I regained the surface I was washed down again like a 

 cork by the weight of water pouring down from above, 

 but the next time I struck out for the side and crawled 

 out like a half-drowned rat. My friend and our Mala}-s 

 had a hearty laugh over my misadventure, and I was for- 

 tunately not injured in any way. I took off my clothes 

 and wrung them as near dry as possible and then put 

 them on again, and it is astonishing what an excellent 

 substitute wet clothes so treated are when dry ones are 

 not procurable, especially if they can be dipped in sea 



