donlythevegetableivorytreeremained,withagreatprofusionofwonderfulorchids,amongwhichIlearnedtorecognizetherareNuttoniaVexillariaandthegloriouspinkandscarletblossomsofCattleyaandodontoglossum.Occasionalbrookswithpebblybottomsandfern-drapedbanksgurgleddowntheshallowgorgesinthehill,andofferedgoodcamping-groundseveryeveningonthebanksofsomerock-studdedpool,whereswarmsoflittleblue-backedfish,aboutthesizeandshapeofEnglishtrout,gaveusadelicioussupper.
Ontheninthdayafterleavingthecanoes,havingdone,asIreckon,aboutahundredandtwentymiles,webegantoemergefromthetrees,whichhadgrownsmalleruntiltheyweremereshrubs.Theirplacewastakenbyanimmensewildernessofbamboo,whichgrewsothicklythatwecouldonlypenetrateitbycuttingapathwaywiththemachetesandbillhooksoftheIndians.Ittookusalongday,travelingfromseveninthemorningtilleightatnight,withonlytwobreaksofonehoureach,togetthroughthisobstacle.Anythingmoremonotonousandwearyingcouldnotbeimagined,for,evenatthemostopenplaces,Icouldnotseemorethantenortwelveyards,whileusuallymyvisionwaslimitedtothebackofLordJohn'scottonjacketinfrontofme,andtotheyellowwallwithinafootofmeoneitherside.Fromabovecameonethinknife-edgeofsunshine,andfifteenfeetoverourheadsonesawthetopsofthereedsswayingagainstthedeepbluesky.Idonotknowwhatkindofcreaturesinhabitsuchathicket,butseveraltimesweheardtheplungingoflarge,heavyanimalsquiteclosetous.FromtheirsoundsLordJohnjudgedthemtobesomeformofwildcattle.Justasnightfellweclearedthebeltofbamboos,andatonceformedourcamp,exhaustedbytheinterminableday.
Earlynextmorningwewereagainafoot,andfoundthatthecharacterofthecountryhadchangedonceagain.Behinduswasthewallofbamboo,asdefiniteasifitmarkedthecourseofariver.Infrontwasanopenplain,slopingslightlyupwardsanddottedwithclumpsoftree-ferns,thewholecurvingbeforeusuntilitendedinalong,whale-backedridge.Thiswereachedaboutmidday,onlytofindashallowvalleybeyond,risingonceagainintoagentleinclinewhichledtoalow,roundedsky-line.Itwashere,whilewecrossedthefirstofthesehills,thatanincidentoccurredwhichmayormaynothavebeenimportant.
ProfessorChallenger,whowiththetwolocalIndianswasinthevanoftheparty