THE FORESr 203 



brings it to my ears, or when it roars loudl\ in 

 a calm night after a storm. 



Even in the absence of beasts or birds, the view 

 from my cot in the lean-to is most satisfying: — 

 the brown forest floor, the clustering tree trunks, 

 the green canopy above and all around dotted here 

 and there with glimpses of sky — a very pleasant 

 and well arranged bed chamber. In front of the 

 lean-to, the ground slopes rapidly down, and here 

 is left a space with trees on either side. Throu;jh 

 this vista I used to be able to look out on the 

 broad marshes and winding creeks, the wooded 

 islands and the distant pine-covered hills, (irad- 

 ually the tree growth narrowed the view and, al- 

 though I lopped oif branches from time to time, 

 the jungle conquered in the end and now my 

 view, even in this direction, is bounded by waving 

 foliage. 



Partly to avoid disturbing the beasts and birds 

 and partly for the sake of the mild adventure, 

 I take no light at night to guide me to the lean-to. 

 The forest path is a sinuous one, some seventy 

 paces long, and winds about among the trees. 

 On moonlight nights the way is clear, but there 



