30 AFTEK THE ADJUTANTS. 



limestone rocks beyond the village of Ngabeemah. Far to 

 the north and west I could see the Gyne and Salween with 

 their forest and mountains standing clearly out in the rays of 

 the western sun, while behind me the unbroken jungle 

 stretched away till lost in the meeting of earth and sky ; and 

 more to the left, as I turned round, appeared range upon range 

 of these wondrous limestone rocks, giving a glimpse over 

 their crests, and between them, of the ci meeting of the waters" 

 of the Zamee and Winyeo streams (called, after their junction, 

 the Attaran), and the jagged crest of the mightiest range of 

 all the limestone hills — the Atlantea on the Winyeo River. 



And now as the sun was sinking rapidly, I had to think 

 about getting down. So stowing three eggs in my pockets 

 and four in my handkerchief, 1 gave the Karen my gun, 

 which by the way I found useless, the Adjutants wheeling about 

 but keeping out of killing range ; however I managed to 

 identify them as Leptoptilus argala, all of the larger kind, 

 and began the descent. But if the ascent was ticklish, this was 

 simply diabolical. Several times I barked my ellows and knees, 

 and twice or thrice stopped to see whether the eggs were not 

 broken. Never was way so long, but down I got at last, and 

 miraculously the eggs were safe. How thankful I was I need 

 not say, for I was rather exhausted. 



I found that K. had his basket nearly full, and was ready to 

 start back, so off we went making tracks, like one o'clock, for 

 the u shades of night were falling last." En route, I shot a 

 grand specimen of Myiophoneus eugenei. Arrived at camp, a 

 bath, a good dinner, and a pipe, sent me to bed a happy and 

 contented man. 



Poor K., who had been expecting an attack of fever, he had 

 been suffering from jungle fever, quite cock-a-hoop that he had 

 escaped it for that night, retired about 9 p.m. Alas ! for his 

 triumph, it came on about 12 o'clock, when hearing him 

 moving about I roused myself, lit a candle aEd went over to his 

 tent. I found the poor fellow seated outside on a log, and 

 he told me he had had his cold fit, and was now feeling burning 

 hot. After some persuasion I got him to turn in again, and 

 after a little while retired to my own bed, when I lay awake 

 for a long time listening to the "voices of the night." If the 

 moonlight nights are calmly and peacefully beautiful, how sub- 

 limely grand the dark nights are, when in the depths of the forest 

 surrounded by mighty trees, one realizes that darkness which 

 can be felt, and a weird and awful calm enhanced by the 

 unfrequent cry of some night bird, or prowling beast. 



Slowly hushed by the murmur of the passing waters in the 

 river 1 fell asleep, and only awoke when light was dawning 



