298 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



rising one above another to some 4,000 feet, and fading 

 away in the blue distance. The ground was still covered 

 with the luxuriant carpet of rain vegetation, weeds and 

 plants and shrubs of many curious kinds, senna being a 

 common bush about 2 feet high, and rose briars and 

 yellow-flowering Cassia fistula abundant. Lovely feathery 

 mimosas and acacias formed the lesser groves by the river, 

 and occasional tall, straight sal and saj trees towered on 

 the hillsides above the numerous trees of the forest. One 

 of our camps was near a village not far from the railway- 

 station, where we had to wait for some necessary equip- 

 ment. It is fatal to pitch camp after the rains near a 

 village, where the ground is soiled by cattle and villagers, 

 no matter how beautiful and fresh the open fields may 

 appear. The germs of fever are surely about, much more 

 so than in the jungle. Here we were delayed by severe 

 attacks of jungle fever, which affected natives and all 

 alike. They would come shivering and off their heads in 

 delirium, and throw themselves at the tent-door, raving 

 and praying for dawai (medicine). Quinine, luckily, was 

 plentiful. 



The train from Bombay came by daily about breakfast- 

 time, with its freight of healthy-looking arrivals from 

 Europe, officials rejoining, and smartly-dressed young 

 people, all full of hopes and excitement at the novelty of 

 a strange country. Other trains went westward, freighted 

 with the most depressing crowd of half -broken-down, 

 sallow, carelessly clad, and weary-looking men, women, and 

 children, to whom the wonders of the gorgeous East were 

 a burden, and perhaps a terrible reminder of death and 

 careers prematurely blighted. In the refreshment room 

 we met friends of both categories, several quite unex- 

 pectedly; but were truly delighted to clear out on the 

 earliest possible date from that camp, and move upwards 



