all around

Gestural language had, however, serious limitations, since it could not be used in the dark or at distance.

You wake up lying on the rocky floor of a dark cave. A little light filters down from above. You can just make out a couple of openings leading away from the cave. What do you do now?

The pond was encircled with trees.

If you look around, you'll see many people doing the same thing.

There used to be big trees around the pond.