amongst them: we passed on, as they were evidently averse
to our entering the village.
On our way across the valley we were attracted by the
appearance of a cottage, so buried in foliage as to be completely
hid from our view till we were within a few paces
of the door. I t was surrounded by a slight fence of rods,
about an inch apart, with a line of creepers along the top,
and hanging down on both sides : a wicker gate admitted
us, and we entered the house, which we found divided into
two apartments, eight feet square, besides a small verandah
a t one end. The floors, which were made of slips of bamboo,
were raised about six inches from the ground, and
covered with a straw mat. The walls were five feet high,
being neatly wattled with split bamboo, above which rose a
pointed thatched roof. I t was occupied by an-old man,
whom we appeared to have disturbed at breakfast, for cups
and tea-things were arranged on the floor ; he asked us to sit
down, and gave us pipes and tea. The little apartment we
were in was as neat as any: thing we had ever seen : bn one
side there was a set of shelves, with cups, bowls, and cooking
utensils; on the others were hung various implements of
husbandry, with hats and various dresses, all clean and in
order. Higher up was a sort of loft or garret, formed by
bamboo poles, laid horizontally from the top of the walls ;
on this were placed various tools, nets, and baskets. The
fire-place was in the middle of one side, and sunk below the
level. On the outside, in the space between the house and
the fence, there was a pigeon house and a poultry yard, and
close to the little verandah spoken of before, there stood
two spinning-wheels of a light and ingenious construction.
All round on the outside Qf the fence, the trees were high
and thick; and though the sun was above the hills, the
house was completely shaded except a t the end, where a
small opening admitted the rays into the verandah. We
staid some time with the old farmer, trying to express our
admiration of the simplicity and beauty of his cottage, and
then went up the opposite side of the valley.
Here we found a road like a dressed walk in a garden :
following this, we passed through a series of beautiful groves
of bamboo and other trees, till a t length, after winding
about a good deal, we came to a double row of tall pine
trees, interspersed with many others whose names we did
not know, so as to form a walk which must be shady at
all hours of the day. This road we knew would lead to the
town, and therefore when we had reached the highest point
we turned to the right, and after a short walk reached the
grove of trees which had been made the limit to our first
walk on the 29th ultimo. At this place Captain Maxwell
surprised the natives a good deal by shooting several birds