Show if adf AF FOREST an explorer describes a central africa forest ten miles west of the lake begins the only piece of real virgin forest met with it is through out a dense virgin forest and almost impenetrable it consists of very large trees of many varieties the upper parts are festooned with a light grayish green moss hanging in long streamers and giving to the forest a very fantastic appearance when these long streamers are agitated by a storm they make the whole forest aseen from one of the hills near look like a rough sea again when the sun Is vertical the whole forest ap pears dark but when the sun is low the general effect on the sunny side is curiously light all the trees are bound together with innumerable lianas and creeping plants between the stems Is a dense tangled mass of lesser vegetation the forest stands to a great extent in the water and mud of the swamp A singular feature of it Is the abruptness with which it begins and ceases on the plain the grassy swamp or open country reaches to the mighty wall of trees which continue in the same density from one side to the other forming a transition from the open plain to the forest inside the silence and gloom are accentuated by the apparent absence of animal or bird life there are some herds of buffaloes that make it a headquarters elephants visit it oc casio nally monkeys and parrots are sometimes seen and a harnessed an delope now and then appears at the edge but the general impression left is one of lifelessness |