THE ABSENT-MINDED BOTANIST.

The learned Mr. Nathaniel P. Reed, a native of New Jersey, and a man well known to all the botanical and agricultural societies of the civilized world, had, in the course of some thirty years spent in patient and careful investigation into the structure and habits of plants, acquired the power of completely abstracting his mind from all its surroundings while engaged in his favorite pursuit. This was often a very fortunate thing for him. But then, again, sometimes it was very unfortunate.

He traveled everywhere, searching for specimens of plants. He never seemed to get tired of this study. Over hot, sandy deserts, and through savage forests he went undaunted; and, if he found a new flower, or tree, he felt he was fully rewarded.

At last, he reached Cape Town in Southern Africa, a region he had never before visited. A party of European hunters was just on the point of starting on an expedition into the woods and jungles, and, in an evil hour for them, asked Mr. Reed to join them. He at once accepted the invitation, for it was a fine opportunity to hunt up new plants.

I say it was in an evil hour that the hunters asked him because he gave them so much trouble through his absent-mindedness. He was a very entertaining traveling companion when not engaged in his botanical studies, and so good-humored, and obliging that his comrades did not grumble very much at the trouble he gave them. But, nevertheless, he did cause them great anxiety, for they found out that when he was searching for plants, or had a flower in his hand analyzing it, he would put himself into situations of great peril without knowing anything about it. And so, at least one of their number always had to be on the lookout for Mr. Reed, to keep him out of mischief.

For one thing, hewouldstray away from the main body. This was against the rules of the expedition, for, in a forest full of wild beasts it was necessary to keep together. Generally, when he wandered off this way, he would be missed, and brought back before he had got entirely out of sight. But, on three occasions, he managed to get lost, without intending anything of the kind, and each time, he met with a remarkable adventure.

The party had been out but a few days when he was lost for the first time. He must have been absent two hours, when his companions first missed him. At least no one could remember having seen him for that length of time. What might not have happened to him in those two hours, everywhere surrounded by dangers? They immediately commenced the search for him.

They went back over the route they had traveled, and, at last, found the place where Mr. Reed had left the caravan. They knew it by the trampled bushes, and by the twigs broken off here and there, and plants pulled up by the roots. Following these marks of his progress they suddenly came out upon the banks of a river. And there they saw the botanist. And, at the same time, all were struck with horror at his situation. He, alone, was happily serene, unconscious that any danger was near him.

Seated on a mossy bank, in the midst of tall reeds, on a peninsula that extended pretty far out into the river, was their botanist. He had an umbrella over his head to shield him from the sun, and was busily engaged, arranging some “specimens” in his book of plants, which he called an Herbarium. His back was towards the river, and so absorbed was he in his occupation that he had not discovered that a whole colony of crocodiles had come to pay him a visit. Neither did he hear or see his companions although his face was turned directly towards them.

The crocodiles had arranged themselves in a long row, with theirheads above the water, watching the botanist with great interest, and evidently, meditating an attack upon him. How long they had been there could not, of course, be known, but, in a few moments after the hunters appeared upon the scene, the nearest crocodile seemed to have made up his mind that a botanist was good to eat, and made straight towards the land, followed by another huge beast.

THE UNCONSCIOUS MR. REED.

Mr. Reed continued calmly to arrange his specimens.

Two men from the hunting party at once rushed forward upon thepeninsula, and fired upon the crocodiles. It was quite time, for two of the foremost ones had reached the land. They rolled over into the water, and all of the great beasts at once disappeared under the surface of the river.

The shots did arouse Mr. Reed’s attention, or else he had finished his work; for he looked up, and said to his companions, who now surrounded him:

“I have found one of the rarest of plants—theIscodextiana—and it has twelve stamens, just as I have always maintained.”

“I wonder if it would have agreed with the stomach of a crocodile!” said one of the hunters.

Mr. Reed was so alarmed at the account of the peril to which he had exposed himself, that it was a long time before he again wandered from the caravan. The party had then formed a camp on what was considered good hunting ground—that is in a forest frequented by wild beasts. The hunters were successful in killing a good many of these, and enjoyed the dangerous sport very greatly. Meanwhile Mr. Reed continued his peaceful hunting of the wild flowers, which grew all around in the most lavish profusion.

There were always some men left in the camp to guard it. One day, when the hunters had returned, and were gathering around the supper table, they missed Mr. Reed. On questioning the men who had had charge of the camp, they could not remember when they had last seen him. It was evident that he had wandered off to a distance. If he got into one of his fits of abstraction there was no knowing when he would ever find out he was lost, and try to get back again.

Hastily swallowing some supper, a party of men went out in search of the lost botanist, but were obliged to return to the camp without him, for night came on, and the darkness was intense, and they could not continue the search.

They retired to rest with heavy hearts, for they greatly feared their very troublesome but very pleasant companion would fall a prey to some wild beast. The sentinels on guard kept peering out into the black forest, hoping to see the figure of their missing companion. They kept up great fires as beacons to guide him to the camp.

In the middle of the night the whole camp was aroused by the cries of the sentinels. The forest to the south of them was on fire. The wind was high, and as there were many dead trees, and a great deal of dry wood lying on the ground, the flames spread with great rapidity. The hunters were not afraid that it would come their way, as the wind blew it in an opposite direction. So they enjoyed the grand spectacle.

In an hour the fire had extended through the woods for several miles. The howls, and shrieks, and bellowings of hyenas, jackals, lions, and tigers filled the air, as the frightened animals rushed out of the flaming forest. A huge black form would sometimes loom up against the red sky, and then seem to sink away into the darkness. This was an elephant seeking refuge from the flames.

The hunters had watched the conflagration some time, when they saw the figure of a man running towards them from the burning woods. It was Mr. Reed! He had not been able to find the camp, he said, until the fiery forest had made everything so bright that he clearly saw the huts and tents from a long distance.

It appeared that he had lost his way while botanizing, but had started on his return, confident he could follow his own trail back. But he soon saw what he considered to be a flower. If so, it was larger than any known to botanists. However he was not sure but it might be a brilliantly colored mushroom. He forgot everything while examining this, until, to his surprise, he found he could not see it. Night had come on! He collected a quantity of dry wood into a heap, and taking a match from his pocket applied it to the wood. This gave him a bright light for the further examination of the plant.

He did not know how long it was after this that he discovered he was nearly surrounded by burning wood, and that the forest was roaring and crackling in front of him. He beat a retreat with all speed.

THE FOREST FIRE.

And so it was, our absent-minded botanist who had got up thismighty conflagration, and frightened all the wild beasts out of their senses. It was lucky for him that he lighted the fire, otherwise it is more than probable some one of the wild beasts would have made short work of him in the course of the night.

His next adventure was a very serious one, and yet it was very funny too. It happened when the expedition was returning to Cape Town. By that time Mr. Reed’s herbarium was filled with specimens. It was of more value, he said, than diamonds. He expected to astonish and delight the scientific world with that book of plants. He would never trust it to any one else for more than a few moments at a time. He slept with it under his pillow.

And yet he allowed this precious book to be stolen from him.

And by whom?

By a baboon!

In one of his fits of abstraction he had again wandered out of sight of his companions. He had the herbarium open, and, as he walked along, was studying his contents. Suddenly a great, black, hairy paw was thrust right under his nose, and the book snatched out of his hand in a twinkling.

Looking up, he saw in the tree far above his head, a large baboon, grinning and chattering, and turning over the leaves of his beloved herbarium with no gentle hand. But Mr. Reed had no idea of losing his book, and immediately began to climb the tree. The baboon grasped his stolen property, firmly, and swung himself lightly to the next tree.

Seeing the folly of attempting to follow the animal, Mr. Reed returned to his companions, finding his way with some difficulty; and implored them to recover for him this lost treasure.

They laughed at him, but good-naturedly accompanied him to the place of the theft, though they did not expect to find the monkey there; much less did they suppose the book to be still entire.

But, on reaching the spot, there, on a low branch of a tree, was the baboon, busily engaged in turning the book over and over, as if anxious to make out what manner of thing he had got hold of.

THE COMBAT WITH THE BABOON.

He did not take any notice of the party of men, and it would havebeen easy to have shot him. But the botanist made this impossible, for no sooner did he get a sight of the thief, thus displaying his booty, than he rushed forward to seize his precious volume; in this way getting between the gun and the animal.

The baboon, instead of retreating, as he had done before, sprang to the ground, and rushed upon the botanist. A fierce battle ensued. Sometimes the baboon was uppermost, and sometimes Mr. Reed. But the monkey had weapons in its claws, whereas the man had nothing but his fists, and great physical strength. The hunters tried to shoot the baboon, but this they found they could not do without danger to Mr. Reed.

Finally one of them, watching his chance, when the beast was uppermost, split its head with a hatchet, and ended the combat.

Early in the fight Mr. Reed had got hold of his book. It was somewhat crushed, and a few of the specimens destroyed, but, on the whole, it was in pretty good condition.

This was the last serious adventure that befell Mr. Reed. He met with some mishaps, but these he did not mind, and soon forgot them after his return to Cape Town, where he had the pleasure of showing his beloved herbarium, and of describing to his friends the plants he had found, and their characteristics.

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