2 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



the sun had set, I took a stroll round the garden. The 

 garden extended to the river, and descended to near 

 the water's edge in a succession of terraces. The 

 garden had originally been a pretty one, and well 

 stocked with flowers, but for many years it had been 

 sadly neglected. In England a neglected garden 

 becomes a wilderness ; in India, where all cultivation 

 depends on irrigation, it assumes much the aspect of 

 a desert. This garden had done so. There were a 

 few magnificent trees, several more of smaller size, 

 some flowering shrubs, and here and there a rose- 

 bush ; but generally the surface displayed only one 

 monotonous expanse of bare brown earth. In places, 

 however, there were clumps of pampas grass, forming 

 quite little jungles, and among them were crops of the 

 hardiest of weeds. The appearance of the lower 

 terraces was rather more cheerful, for they were still 

 partly cultivated, though only with native vegetables 

 of the commonest kinds. 



It was uncertain how long I should remain at the 

 station. I did not, therefore, think it worth while to 

 put the garden in order ; I amused myself instead by 

 studying its living inhabitants — the insects and other 

 small animals, for all these it contained in great 

 abundance. I directed my attention at first to the 

 ants. My acquaintance with them thus commenced : I 

 was strolling through the garden, as before, soon after 

 sunset, when I noticed on the rough surface of the 

 ground a broad, smooth track ; it was much the sort 

 of mark that the trunk of a tree or a beam of timber 

 would leave, if dragged along. 



