FIRST JOURNEY. 



37 



immense rocks. The huts are not all in one place, but 

 dispersed wherever they have found a place level 

 enough for a lodgement. Eefore you ascend the hill, 

 you see at intervals an acre or two of wood, then an 

 open space, with a few huts on it ; then wood again, 

 and then an open space, and so on; till the inter- 

 vening of the western hills, higher and steeper still, 

 and crowded with trees of the loveliest shades, closes 

 the enchanting scene. 



Immense hsi8G of this hill stretchcs an im- 



piam. mense plain, which appears to the eye, on 



this elevated spot, as level as a bowling-green. The 

 mountains on the other side are piled one upon the 

 other in romantic forms, and gradually retire, till they 

 are undiscernible from the clouds in which they are 

 involved. To the south-south-west this far-extending 

 plain is lost in the horizon. The trees on it, which 

 look like islands on the ocean, add greatly to the beauty 

 of the landscape ; while the rivulet's course is marked 

 out by the aeta-trees which follow its meanders. 



JSTot being able to pursue the direct course from 

 hence to the next Indian habitation, on account of the 

 floods of water which fall at this time of the year, you 

 take a circuit westerly along the mountain's foot. 



At last a large and deep creek stops your progress : 

 it is wide and rapid, and its banks very 

 steep. There is neither curial nor canoe, 

 nor purple-heart tree in the neighbourhood to make a 

 wood skin to carry you over, so that you are obliged to 

 swim across ; and by the time you have formed a kind 

 of raft, composed of boughs of trees and coarse grass, to 

 ferry over your baggage, the day will be too far spent 

 to think of proceeding. You must be very cautious 



