United States or Liberia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Let us continue hunting," replied Conseil. "Let us go towards the sea. We have arrived at the first declivities of the mountains, and I think we had better regain the region of forests." That was sensible advice, and was followed out. After walking for one hour we had attained a forest of sago-trees. Some inoffensive serpents glided away from us.
Crawfurd, who resided a long time in the Indian Archipelago, calculates that an English acre could contain four hundred and thirty-five sago-trees, which would yield one hundred and twenty thousand five hundred pounds avoirdupois of fecula, or more than eight thousand pounds yearly. History of the Indian Archipelago volume 1 pages 387 and 393.
We then entered the jungle, cutting our way up to the top of the hill, but when we got there could see nothing, owing to the thickness of the forest. Returning, we cut some bamboos, and sharpened them to dig for water in a low spot where some sago-trees were growing; when, just as we were going to begin, Hoi, the Wahai man, called out to say he had found water.
As we were pushing on, my eye caught sight of some trees in a hollow on one side, which I at once knew to be sago-trees, from the description Mr Hooker had given me of them. "See!" I exclaimed to Oliver, "there is a supply of food sufficient to last us for months, or years, indeed, if we can manage to manufacture the sago; and I think we shall have little difficulty in doing that."
Already our tongues were clinging to the roofs of our mouths. The birds had soon grown putrid, so that many hours had passed since we had moistened our lips. I felt ready to drop, and Ali also was almost overcome. We eagerly chewed the leaves of trees, but they gave us no relief. Oh, how delightful would have been the sound of a bubbling fountain! No sago-trees, no sign of water could we discover.
Word Of The Day