512 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHTPELAGO, 



like stem of a straw-color is found within, which be- 

 comes yellow as it dries. The fii'St hall-mile of the 

 road we travelled to-day waa completely ploughed 

 up by elephants which passed along two days ago 

 during a heavy rain. The piles of their excrements 

 were so numerous that it seems they use it as a 

 stall. Every few moments we came upon their 

 tracks. In one place they had completely brushed 

 away the bridge over a small stream, where they 

 went down to ford it ; for, though they always try to 

 avail themselves of the cleared road when they travel 

 to and firo among these forests, they are too sagar 

 cious to trust themselves on the frail bridges. 



In the afternoon^ the small boughs which they 

 had lately broken off became more numerous as we 

 advanced, and their leaves were of a livelier green. 

 We were evidently near a herd, for leaves wilt in a 

 short time under this tropical sim. Soon after, we 

 came into a thicker parfc of the forest, where many 

 tall trees threw out high, overarching branches, 

 which effectually shielded us from the scorching sun, 

 while the dry leaves they had shed quite covered the 

 road. 



Several natives had joined us, for they always 

 travel in company through fear of the tigers. "While 

 we were passing through the dark wood, suddenly 

 a heavy crashing began in the thick jungle about 

 twenty paces from where I was riding. A native, 

 who was walking beside my horse with my rifle 

 capped and cocked, handed it to me in an instant, 

 but the jungle was so thick that it was impossible 

 to see any thing, and I did not propose to fire until 



