THE DESERTER. 
21 
suing his journey by night through a country with 
which he was utterly unacquainted. One mornings 
just as he had thrown himself under the shade of a 
tree, to take a few hours sleep after the fatigue of a 
long night’s march, he heard the sound of voices in 
earnest conversation, and upon listening attentively, 
was soon satisfied that persons were approaching the 
place of his concealment. He was much perplexed, 
knowing that no mere traveller would penetrate so 
deeply into the recesses of the forest. He concluded, 
therefore, that the parties approaching must be robbers. 
The tree beneath which he had taken shelter being 
low, but the foliage remarkably thick, he imme- 
diately resolved to climb it until the strangers should 
pass and leave him to his repose upon the grass be- 
neath. He was scarcely seated among the branches 
when he perceived through the interstices of the luxu- 
riant foliage two men approaching, through a vista 
of the wood, the spot which he had just quitted. 
Having reached this, they threw themselves under the 
tree, and one of them, being armed with a matchlock, 
the fusee of which was burning, lighted his cocoanut 
hookah, which he took from a sort of wallet carried by 
his companion, and began to smoke. For some time 
the strangers continued silent, as if unwilling to abs- 
tract their thoughts from the narcotic luxury which 
they were then mutually enjoying, for each took al- 
ternately a whiff from the tube until the chillam was 
exhausted. They now entered into conversation with 
considerable volubility, and the soldier overhead list- 
ened with intense anxiety, eager to catch every word 
of their discourse. 
