THROUGH THE FOREST. 
101 
affair, formerly used by the Rajah and his 
family. One-third of the size would have held 
me, and would have been less troublesome in the 
forest, where it was too wide for the paths, and 
caused the men great discomfort from stumbling 
against roots and twigs. When heavily laden, 
carriers proceed at a sharp trot, urging each 
other on with shouts and indulging in constant 
groans. Now and again, when there was shade, 
I came out and walked ; but though this was a 
pleasure to me, and a rest to H., who had not 
been on the march for many months, and found 
this rather trying, for he would keep a steadying 
hand on the palanquin, it was a great hindrance 
to our progress. 
On we pressed, sometimes through a sparse 
wood of the white -barked cajeput-tree, by a 
pleasant grass-grown road, sometimes through 
stretches of alang-alang grass, terribly trying 
to the men, for the feet must be lifted as if 
wading through waves, and it reflects cruelly 
the fierce heat of the sun, while the sharp blades 
cut their legs. Sometimes we could see the 
distant hills and the surrounding fine scenery ; 
again our path lay through the arbour-like shade 
of the overarching forest, and we were shut in 
to the beauty of giant stems and profuse en- 
