BEING LOST IN THE FOREST. 39 
wild beasts would by-and-by come out of 
their dens, and roam in search of prey. He 
had no blazing fire to keep them at a distance ; 
no poisoned arrow to shoot them with, no 
weapon of defence. What was to become of him? 
One thing was certain, — he must climb a 
tree, and spend the night amongst its branches. 
But the trees were not so easy to climb ; their 
stems were tall and straight, and shot up to a 
vast height, without a single branch. The 
natives often cut steps in the trunk with a 
hatchet ; but he had no hatchet, and was 
obliged to wander about until he found a 
tree with branches low enough for him to 
reach. Then he scrambled up as high as he 
could get, and held a stout stick in his hand, 
to defend himself against the bears ; for some 
bears, he knew, could climb as well as a cat. 
He could not go to sleep ; nor was it very 
likely he should ; for, in the clear moonlight, he 
saw the elephants and other animals roaming 
about, and even passing close by the tree on 
which he was perched. He was glad indeed 
when morning came, and he could make 
another attempt to find his way out of this 
gloomy forest ! 
