blossomed trees, and beneath, in the darkness, something very black
and big was going to and fro, eating greedily. Then he found that
there were two and then more of these black things, three or four of
them.

Curiosity made Benham draw nearer, very softly.

Presently one showed in a patch of moonlight, startlingly big, a
huge, black hairy monster with a long white nose on a grotesque
face, and he was stuffing armfuls of white blossom into his mouth
with his curved fore claws. He took not the slightest notice of the
still man, who stood perhaps twenty yards away from him. He was too
blind and careless. He snorted and smacked his slobbering lips, and
plunged into the shadows again. Benham heard him root among the
leaves and grunt appreciatively. The air was heavy with the reek of
the crushed flowers.

For some time Benham remained listening to and peering at these
preoccupied gluttons. At last he shrugged his shoulders, and left
them and went on his way. For a long time he could hear them, then
just as he was on the verge of forgetting them altogether, some
dispute arose among them, and there began a vast uproar, squeals,
protests, comments, one voice ridiculously replete and
authoritative, ridiculously suggestive of a drunken judge with his
mouth full, and a shrill voice of grievance high above the others. . . .

The uproar of the bears died away at last, almost abruptly, and left
the jungle to the incessant night-jars. . . .

For what end was this life of the jungle?