8 
THE BIRD OF PARADISE. 
that if you looked up you could hardly see the 
sky. Then, there are a great many climbing 
plants, that twist themselves round and round 
the trunks and branches of the trees. They 
are called vegetable cables, because thej^ are 
so much like ropes, and they reach from one 
tree to another, and almost fill up the spaces 
between. The white man has to fight his way 
with his hatchet, or else burn himself a passage. 
Dangers of every kind lurk in the forest. 
The quick subtle Indian dare not venture 
without his poisoned arrow, or the white man 
without the thunder and lightning of his gun. 
The venemous snake may lie coiled among the 
bushes, or traces of the savage jaguar be seen 
upon the path. 
Birds, animals, and insects live undisturbed. 
It is their home ; and on every side they 
are at work, hunting their prey, or escap- 
ing from danger. Man is not there to wage 
war upon them ; but these Avild creatures of 
the forest wage war upon each other, and the 
weak are always using some contrivance to 
protect themselves from the strong. 
There are a great many curious things to be 
seen in the forest. 
