ROADS THROUGH THE FOREST 15 



up from the whole length of the valley beneath the base 

 of the hill. Opposite rose a dark and densely wooded 

 mountain from the depths of the intervening valley, 

 towering to meet the sky several thousand feet from the 

 stream below. Its sharp outline cut black against the 

 aU-pervading faint light of the star-speckled vault of 

 heaven. The bristling tree-tops on the sky-line could be 

 discerned, and imagination wandered amongst the weird 

 shapes of the spurs and ridges where the great chir pines 

 tossed their umbrella-like heads aloft on pillar-Uke stems. 

 There is a strange spell about the still night in such a spot, 

 its murmurs broken only by occasional unknown sounds 

 of nocturnal birds and animals in the neighbouring forest, 

 sometimes near and sometimes in the far distance. The 

 embers are dying out on the fire, all the natives in their 

 extemporized huts have ceased to move, rolled up in 

 their black blankets ; the horses only are still awake, 

 chewing their forage and stamping at times. A chill 

 creeps over the relaxed limbs ; it is time to turn in, to 

 close the double flies of the thick, well-lined tent, to 

 retire to the pleasant warmth of one's well blanketed 

 camp bed, to lay one's head on the smooth cool pillow. 



The awakening in a camp in the forest when refreshed 

 by a good night's sleep, on a bright morning of the cold 

 season, must be experienced to be thoroughly appreciated. 

 The early gleams of the sun just rising over the eastern 

 hilltops strike the white tent almost as soon as daylight 

 comes, and soon dissipate the hght mists which have 

 fallen on every bush and herb. The dew-covered webs 

 of many spiders glisten in the light, soon to lose their 

 whiteness under the warmth of the sun's rays. The 

 natives are early astir, and a blue curl of smoke rises as 

 the fires are set a-buming. The chota haziri (or small roll- 

 call) is the necessary first meal, which comes as a matter 



