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id purchase and feel secure。 in fact； only fifteen minutes after shed left the ground； she was standing on the first branch and planning her route to the next。
she had brought two more coils of rope with her； intending to make a web of fixed lines to serve in place of the pitons and anchors and 〃friends〃 and other hardware she relied on when climbing a rock face。 tying them in place took her some minutes more； and once shed secured herself； she chose what looked like the most promising branch； coiled her spare rope again； and set off。
after ten minutes careful climbing she found herself right in the thickest part of the canopy。 she could reach the long leaves and run them through her hands； she found flower after flower； off…white and absurdly small； each growing the little coin…sized thing that would later bee one of those great iron…hard seedpods。
she reached a fortable spot where three branches forked； tied the rope securely； adjusted her harness； and rested。
through the gaps in the leaves； she could see the blue sea； clear and sparkling as far as the horizon； and in the other direction over her right shoulder； she could see the succession of low rises in the gold…brown prairie； laced across by the black highways。
there was a light breeze； which lifted a faint scent out of the flowers and rustled the stiff leaves； and mary imagined a huge； dim benevolence holding her up； like a pair of giant hands。 as she lay in the fork of the great branches； she felt a kind of bliss she had only felt once before； and that was not when she made her vows as a nun。
eventually she was brought back to her normal state of mind by a cramp in her right ankle； which was resting awkwardly in the crook of the fork。 she eased it away and turned her attention to the task； still dizzy from the sense of oceanic gladness that surrounded her。
shed explained to the mulefa how she had to hold the sap…lacquer plates a hand span apart in order to see the sraf and at once theyd seen the problem and made a short tube of bamboo； fixing the amber…colored plates at each end like a telescope。 this spyglass was tucked in her breast pocket； and she took it out now。 when she looked through it； she saw those drifting golden sparkles； the sraf； the shadows； lyras dust； like a vast cloud of tiny beings floating through the wind。 for the most part they drifted randomly like dust motes in a shaft of sunlight； or molecules in a glass of water。
for the most part。
but the longer she looked； the more she began to see another kind of motion。 underlying the random drifting was a deeper； slower； universal movement； out from the land toward the sea。
well； that was curious。 securing herself to one of her fixed ropes； she crawled out along a horizontal branch； looking closely at all the flower heads she could find。 and presently she began to see what was happening。 she watched and waited till she was perfectly sure； and then began the careful； lengthy； strenuous process of climbing down。
mary found the mulefa in a fearful state； having suffered a thousand anxieties for their friend so far off the ground。
atal was especially relieved； and touched her nervously all over with her trunk； uttering gentle whinnies of pleasure to find her safe； and carrying her swiftly down to the settlement along with a dozen or so others。
a soon as they came over the brow of the hill； the call went out among those in the village； and by the time they reached the speaking ground； the throng was so thick that mary guessed there were many visitors from elsewhere； e to hear what she said。 she wished she had better news for them。
the old zalif sattamax mounted the platform and weled her warmly； and she responded with all the mulefa courtesy she could remember。 as soon as the greetings were over； she began to speak。
haltingly and with many roundabout phrasings； she said：
my good friends； i have been into the high canopy of your trees and looked closely at the growing leaves and the young flowers and the seedpods。
i could see that there is a current of sraf high in the treetops； she went on； and it moves against the wind。 the air is moving inland off the sea； but the sraf is moving slowly against it。 can you see that from the ground？ because i could not。
no； said sattamax。 that is the first we ever heard about that。
well； she continued； the trees are filtering the sraf as it moves through them； and some of it is attracted to the flowers。 i could see it happening： the flowers are turned upward； and if the sraf were failing straight down； it would enter their petals and fertilize them like pollen from the stars。
but the sraf isnt falling down； its moving out toward the sea。 when a flower happens to be facing the land； the sraf can enter it。 thats why there are still some seedpods growing。 but most of them face upward； and the sraf just drifts past without entering。 the flowers must have evolved like that because in the past all the sraf fell straight down。 something has happened to the sraf； not to the trees。 and you can only see that current from high up； which is why you never knew about it。
so if you want to save the trees； and mulefa life； we must find out why the sraf is doing that。 i cant think of away yet； but i will try。
she saw many of them craning to look upward at this drift of dust。 but from the ground you couldnt see it： she looked through the spyglass herself； but the dense blue of the sky was all she could see。
they spoke for a long time； trying to recall any mention of the srafwind among their legends and histories； but there was none。 all they had ever known was that sraf came from the stars； as it had always done。
finally they asked if she had any more ideas； and she said：
i need to make more observations。 i need to find out whether the wind goes always in that direction or whether it alters like the air currents during the day and the night。 so i need to spend more time in the treetops； and sleep up there and observe at night。 i will need your help to build a platform of some kind so i can sleep safely。 but we do need more observations。
the mulefa； practical and anxious to find out； offered at once to build her whatev