308 TiMEHRI. 



valleys of such bewitching loveliness that even the 

 Indians, otherwise little susceptible to the beauties of 

 nature, stood in speechless admiration. The discovery 

 of more of these little paradises used to form the greatest 

 treats in my botanical excursions. I shall never forget 

 the magic surprise which I had one day while botanising 

 at the wood clad foot of the Erematuri, when I found 

 myself unexpefledly at the mouth of a narrow ravine 

 down which a small mountain brook hastened to the 

 Kukenaam, forming a hundred cascades in its mad course. 

 In the river beds as well as on either side of the preci- 

 pices bordering the valley, huge strata of a deep red 

 sandstone stood out, now forming perpendicular walls 

 now terrace-like landings filled with high reeds, luxuri- 

 ous groups of bamboo and tree-ferns, with innumerable 

 slender palms raising their lofty crowns above them or 

 drooping over the roaring waters. The single holders 

 which rose above the river's bed were thickly overgrown 

 with mosses, small delicate ferns and jungermannias, while 

 from the walls of the reeky heights, treelike ferns 

 (Dicksonia, Cyathea and Alsophila) overhung the ravine 

 in all possible kinds of angles, forming the most exquisite 

 roof of foliage which fancy could create. Through the 

 mysterious darkness-^for the rays of the sun tried in 

 vain to penetrate this luxurious vegetation and to refleft 

 in the cool brook— the crystalline waters were sparkling, 

 roaring and splashing with bewitching voices, until, 

 having reached the valley of the Kukenaam they still 

 and speechless met their doom. Gigantic trees crowned 

 the summit of the ravine with their tall, smooth and 

 stately crested stems. On entering this lovely place, I 

 was seized with the same awe and calm repose which 



