156 The Catskill Fatrtes.

 

“ Through rivers, forests, valleys, and the tangled jungle our
Rajah made his way to the South.

“ At last he saw the wide expanse of sea, the blue waters;
and on the margin the trees with slender pillars of trunk and
feathered crown. This crest served as a parasol to shade the
fruit from the vertical rays of the sun, and directly beneath
hung the purple and yellow clusters. No human being lived
on this wild shore; only leopards, elephants, lions, and sloths
roamed about. Who could climb the tree? No one, sure-
ly. The Rajah had a fire built; flames girdled and sapped
its life with intense heat, until the crown trembled, wavered,
and fell, Out ran innumerable creatures that had found a
home in its branches—large blue scorpions, brown centi-
pedes, black and green beetles, tarantulas, the polonga, and
rat-snake.

“ Descending from the elephant, the Rajah approached the