The leopard,
the elephant, the wild ass, &c., but the solitary lowing of the
buffalo was the only sound that was distinguished in the forest,
although they had not the pleasure of meeting even with that animal.
At eleven o'clock, they entered a very small, cleanly-looking
village, where they halted for the day. Unfortunately the governor
with most of his people were at work in the fields at some distance,
so that they could not get any thing to eat till rather late in the
evening. It appeared that these poor villagers were forced to supply
the soldiers of their sovereign with provisions, gratis, whenever
business led them so far that way from the capital; and that in order
to avoid the rapacity of these men, they built for themselves another
hamlet in the woods, far out of the way of the path, whither they
carry their goats, &c. and the corn of which they may not be in
immediate want.
On their arrival they were introduced into a small grass hut, which
the smoke had changed into the most glossy black, which could
possibly be seen; the interior of the roof was also ingeniously
decorated with large festoons of cobwebs and dust, which must have
been allowed to accumulate for a number of years.
