ht air
its warmth is grateful. No one who has not experienced it can at all
appreciate the romantic pleasure of a forest camp, never more
enjoyable than in the hour before "turning in," when, in the light of
our blazing logs and surrounded by the dark mystery beyond, the last
pipe is smoked while listening to many exciting tales of adventure,
before we stretch our tired limbs in bed.

[Illustration: A OAK BUNGALOW. _Page 60._]

CHAPTER X

THE FOREST (_continued_)

Though human habitations are not often met with in the forest, little
native settlements occur from time to time, where, surrounded by small
clearings, over which a primitive scarecrow mounts guard, sufficient
rice is grown for their needs. These little hamlets are occupied by
woodmen, or little communities of Chins, a kindred race to the
Burmans, though differing from them in many customs, most curious of
which is their habit of tattooing the faces of their young women
_black_.

Here and there one meets a fowler, who, with primitive snare or
decoy-bird, seeks to take his toll of the forest; and in the most
remote districts may be met some picturesque Burmese travelling-cart,
toiling laboriously over tracks which would almost seem to be
impossible for wheels. I have already mentioned the creaking of the
cart-wheels which no Burman would oil, for they believe that the
horrible groanings they produce, together with their own loud voices,
serve to ward off the evil spirits of the woods; for the Burman is
superstitious, and at frequent intervals may be seen tiny wicker-work
representations of pagodas and "zeyats" erected to propitiate the
forest "nats," and passers-by will deposit in these diminutive
shrines some offering of food or ornament, and in the Shan States I
remember seeing one whose enclosing fence was hung with spears and
"dahs," and other weapons of considerable interest and some value.

By the wayside the lonely grave of some traveller or woodman, marked
by its simple fence of twigs, gives a touch of pathos to the forest;
and among its natural wonders are the giant ant-hills, often 9 feet or
more in height.

Ants are probably the most destructive of all insects in Burma.
Voracious wood-eaters, they will attack fallen logs or growing trees,
which they will entirely consume till only the hollow bark remains.
This is one great reason why the wood of the teak-tree is so highly
valued, as it is the only timber these ants will not touch, a