CHAP, xxvl] village OF friVAPO. 



385 



flucceeded by another apd another. The mud or mud and 

 water was knee-deep, with little inter\'als of firmer ground 

 between, making progitission exceedingly difficult. The 

 path was bordered with liigh rigid grass, growing in dense 

 clumps separated by water, go that notliing was to be 

 gained by lea\ring the beaten track, and we were obliged 

 to go flonndering on, never knowing where our feet would 

 rest, as the mud was now a few inches, now two feet, deep, 

 and the bottom very uneven, so that the foot slid down to 

 the lowest part, and ma^le it difficult to keep one's balance. 

 One step would be upon a concealed stick or log, almost 

 dislocating the anlde, wlule the next would plunge into 

 soft mild above the knee. It rained all the way, and the 

 long grasSj six feet high, met over the path ; so tliat we 

 could not see a step of the way aliead, and received a double 

 drenching. Before we got to the village it was dark, and 

 we had to cross over a small liut deep and swollen stream 

 by a narrow log of wood, which was more than a foot 

 under water. There was a slender shaking stick for a 

 handrail, and it was nei-vous work feeling in the dark in 

 the rushing water for a safe place on which to place the 

 advanced foot. After an hour of this most disagreeable 

 and fatiguing walk we reached the village, followed by 

 the men with our guns, ammunition, boxes, and bedding, 

 all more or less soaked. We consoled ourselves with 

 some hot tea and cold fowl, and went early to bed. 



The next morning was clear and fine, and I set out soon 

 after sunrise to explore the neighbourhood. The village 

 had evidently been newly formed, and consisted of a single 

 straight street of very miserable huts totally deficient in 

 every comfort, and as bare and cheerless inside as out. It 

 was situated on a little elevated patch of coarse gravelly 

 soil, covered with the usual liigh rigid ,graas, which came 

 up close to the backs of the houses. At a short distance 

 in several directions were patches of forest, but all on low 

 and swampy gronnd. I made one attempt along the only 

 path I could find, but soon came upon a deep mud-hole, 

 and found that I must walk barefoot if at all ; so I returned 

 and deferred further exploration till after bmakfast. I 

 then went on into the jungle and found patches of sago- 

 palms and a low forest vegetation^ but the paths were every- 



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