of an Orchid Hunter. 69 



camp, and in this my two guides proved how well they 

 were accustomed to this kind of life. The forest to 

 these primitive architects supplies everything. While 

 the elder one was cutting some stout poles, the younger 

 one disappeared and as quickly reappeared with an 

 armful of fine creepers, with which the poles were 

 lashed together, first placing my macintosh on the 

 top, and then a thick covering of large palm-leaves, so 

 that in less than an hour they had finished the con- 

 struction of a commodious shed. Not having been 

 occupied in building operations, I had meanwhile 

 made a fire and prepared the grouse for cooking. 

 These, well boiled with some of the cassava roots, 

 made us an excellent supper, being doubly acceptable, 

 for the long march since the mid-day meal had given 

 us almost wolfish appetites. After supper we prepared 

 each one a small calabash of steaming coffee, boiled in 

 the lard-tin and sweetened with raw sugar. After 

 this each one was content to light his roll of tobacco, 

 and so pass the night by the camp fire. 



Before daybreak next morning we were astir, and, 

 raking together the smouldering embers of last night's 

 fire, prepared our black coffee and roasted some 

 bananas. This temperate repast quickly and uncere- 

 moniously despatched, each one shouldered his load 

 .and again we plunged into the dense forest. 



We had not gone far before a stream of consider- 



