explain the following statements in your own words, bringing out their significance. (i) The man in the hired up-river boat is modest and retiring. (ii) We told each other that Nature was beautiful, even in her tears.

The boat they hired actually looked like a relic. It was barely a boat and ready to use for firewood instead of travelling.

The men decided to make the best of a bad situation. They pretended the rain was a part of Nature's beauty, the rain was nature's tears that were still beautiful.