CHAPTER V 
Letter V. Myola (cont.) — The Barron Falls — Flower-hunting — Can- 
nibalism. 
Letter VI. Herberton. — Dull and monotonous scenery — A night ride 
— Comfortless quarters — Letters. 
Letter VII. Muldiva. — A primitive mining town — Heat— -Montalbion 
— No fancy drinks — Tired out. 
Myola. 
I STARTED at daylight this morning for a two-mile 
walk up to the natives’ camp to get some sketches 
before the men had left for their day’s hunt. A few 
yards from the hotel I came face to face in the middle 
of the path with a fresh-water crocodile. He was an 
unwieldy- looking creature, but a small and harmless 
variety. I do not know which of the two of us was the 
more astonished at the meeting, and he took himself off 
no quicker than I did. In these first hours of daylight 
nature teems with life and motion, the simmering hum 
and flutter of insect life fills the air, dragonflies dart 
over the surface of the water in search of their tiny 
prey, gay butterflies in perpetual motion circle in the 
sunlight with uncertain glitter, crickets chirp with might 
and main, birds swell the chorus with joyful song to 
greet the day, brilliant red lauries and green paroquets 
incessantly chatter among the branches, wild ducks 
splash and plume themselves in the river, the restless 
sound of the woodpecker re-echoes as each blow of his 
beak strikes the bark, wagtails dart to and fro, bright 
