32 
Botanical Reminiscences. 
travelled, in consequence of continued exchange, the distance 
of about 600 miles. A second was clad in the riding habit of 
a lady, which had been cut off near the knees, being other- 
wise inconvenient in walking, and this most likely had been 
worn in former days by the charming figure of a Creole lady, of 
Georgetown, who had inflamed the hearts of the dandies on 
the Ring, the Rotten Row of the colonial town. A prouder 
heart could never have beaten under it than at present. 
Others again were clad in ladies garments, the remains of 
shirts and petticoats, their heads ornamented with old hats, 
minus their rims or crowns ; or with caps that had lost their 
original colors ; and all those thus ornamented had not the 
least idea how much more imposing their brethren appeared 
in their own beautiful feather dresses. 
Our party occupied two huts, consequently there was 
scarcely room for the newly-arrived chiefs and their men in the 
other huts, so poles were driven into the open ground to sling 
the hammocks. 
As soon as a new party arrived and the customary saluta- 
tion had been given, they hastened to the nearest forest and 
returned to the village, laden with small trees and boughs, to 
fix round their hammocks as a shelter from the burning rays 
of the sun. It was the walking of Birnam forest to Dunsi- 
nane ; but we had no cause to exclaim with Macbeth — 
‘‘ Arm, arm, and out ; 
If this, which he avouches does appear, 
There is no flying hence nor tarrying here ! ” 
In the evenings numerous fires — lighted partly for pro- 
tection against those plagues the mosquitoes, which had 
appeared again, also for the purpose of cooking— shed 
a magic light over the busy and lively camp. Hundreds 
of human forms would emerge, and as quickly vanish again 
in the dark veil of night ; whilst in other places numbers of 
people were sitting round their fires, and the noise of those 
talking, the monotonous singing of others, or the sharp sound 
of the pipes, and the wild beating of the drums, awoke us 
often during the night. 
In a few days the number of Indians assembled were about 
500o The hospitality of the Indians requires that the chief 
of Torong-Yauwise should make provision for the food of the 
guests during their stay, and often was our old honest host 
at his wits end, and it was with regret that we observed the 
stock of maize in our huts becoming smaller every day. 
