RECEPTION AT KOBONSARI. &5 



not see a single quadruped, nor do I recollect any 

 birds, certainly there were none remarkable either 

 for beauty of plumage or sound of voice. The 

 animal creation seemed to prefer the more open 

 spaces of the lower slopes of the mountains, and 

 the plains at their feet. 



Emerging from this ravine into a wider valley, a 

 lovely green lane led us thence along the sides of the 

 mountains, on which there were now occasionally 

 open grassy spaces and partial cultivation, and one 

 or two detached houses, and presently we came 

 among some coffee plantations and a village or two. 

 This was a most delicious country, the road bordered 

 with the greenest turf, and the undulations not too 

 abrupt even for a gallop, the air cool and fresh, and 

 the scenery around varied and beautiful. A little 

 before 10 o'clock we reached a place called Ko- 

 bonsari, where we were to halt for breakfast and a 

 change of horses. Our reception here was charac- 

 teristic of the country. Two men had preceded us 

 all the way armed with spears, the blades of which 

 were about two feet long, and were kept in a wooden 

 sheath, the handles being 8 or 10 feet long. These 

 were carried upright in the right hand without 

 a rest. As we approached the halting place the 

 spearmen pressed into a gallop down the narrow 

 road between the fences of the coffee grounds, and 

 we followed their example, while the rest of our 

 escort, of about ten or a dozen men, came clattering 

 behind us. As soon as we came within sight of the 



