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"Of course," replied the plant-hunter, "I am not positive though I fear it is as I have said that there are no more. It will be easy for us to determine the point, by making a complete exploration of the valley. It may be that something else might turn up which would answer the purpose equally as well. There is a birch-tree indigenous to the Himalaya mountains, found both in Nepaul and Thibet.
Then delivering himself of a series of shrill ejaculations, the Hindoo sprang up from the stone upon which he had been sitting, and danced around the hut, as if he had suddenly taken leave of his senses! However imperfectly spoken, the words of Ossaroo had disclosed the whole plan, as conceived by the plant-hunter himself.
"There are different species of wild goats, then?" said Caspar, interrogatively. "There are," replied the plant-hunter, "though they are not very numerous perhaps in all there may be about a dozen.
It is ours to chronicle the story of an humble expedition of this kind the adventures of a young plant-hunter, the employe of an enterprising "seedsman" well-known in the world's metropolis. Our scene lies in the very heart of the Himalayas in that district of them least explored by English travellers, though not the most distant from the Anglo-Indian capital, Calcutta.
"Now, it is my opinion," continued the plant-hunter, "that the tame goats found among different nations of the earth have not all descended from the same stock; but are the progeny of more than one wild species just as the domesticated breeds of sheep have sprung from several species of wild sheep; though many zoologists deny this very plain fact."
Francois alone remained by the camp, and continued his fishing. Let us follow the plant-hunter, and learn a lesson of practical botany. Lucien had not gone far, when he came to what appeared to be a mere sedge growing in the water. The stalks or culms of this sedge were full eight feet high, with smooth leaves, an inch broad, nearly a yard in length, and of a light green colour.
The sight of Fritz alone had a disturbing influence upon them; but, by the command of Karl, the dog was kept out of view, until they had finished the meal with which Ossaroo had provided them. Caspar, still in a cloud, once more interrogated the plant-hunter as to his purpose. "Ho, brother!" answered Karl, "you are not wont to be so dull of comprehension.
The plant-hunter the humble but useful commissioner of the enterprising nurseryman has found his way into the Himalayas; has penetrated their most remote gorges; has climbed their steepest declivities; and wandered along the limit of their eternal snow.
Ossaroo had undertaken this special task: as none of the others knew so well, how to fashion the bamboo into any required utensil; and although he was now making something altogether new to him, yet, working under the direction of Karl, he succeeded in making a sieve that was likely to serve the purpose for which plant-hunter designed it. That purpose will presently be spoken of.
"What then, brother?" inquired Caspar, somewhat astonished at the incoherent speeches of the plant-hunter. "What are you thinking of?" "Look yonder!" said Karl, now for the first time pointing up to the soaring storks. "You see something that shines?" "Ha! on the leg of one of the birds? Yes; I do see something like a piece of yellow metal what can it be?"
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