A little back from the buildings were gardens and several acres of
plantation--both shade and fruit trees. Viewed from the outside, it
all looked like an immense poplar grove, on account of the double rows
of tall Lombardy poplar trees at the borders. The whole ground,
including the buildings, was surrounded by an immense ditch or moat.
Up till now I had lived without trees, with the exception of those
twenty-five I have spoken of, which formed a landmark for all the
country round; so that this great number--hundreds and thousands--of
trees was a marvel and delight. But the plantation and what it was to
me will form the subject of a chapter by itself. It was a paradise of
rats, as I very soon discovered. Our little native guide and
instructor was full of the subject, and promised to let us see the
rats with our own eyes as soon as the sun went down; that would finish
the day of strange sights with the strangest of all.
Accordingly, when the time came he led us to a spot beyond the barns
and wood-piles, where all the offal of slaughtered animals, bones, and
unconsumed meats from the kitchen, and rubbish from a wasteful,
disorderly establishment, were cast out each day. Here we all sat down
in a row on a log among the dead weeds on the border of the evil-
smelling place, and he told us to be very still and speak no word;
for, said he, unless we move or make a sound the rats will not heed
us; they will regard us as so many wooden images.
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