plenty. Then we rode up a narrow path fringed with
tall overhanging jungle on either side, leaving only bare
space for our ponies to pass in Indian file. Then came
a rounded hill-side, and numerous cultivated patches—
little farms with palm-thatched houses sheltered in groves
of durian, cocoa-nut, mango, and other fruit trees. Here
coffee and cocoa-trees were noticed in vigorous health
and fruitfulness; and along the edges of the arable
patches a very pretty species of curcuma was blooming
freely among the grass and verdure. The leaves had a
purple stain along the mid-rib. The flowers were white,
with a blotch of lemon-yellow on the lip, the inflorescence
being white, suffused with bright amethyst, purple
at its apex. We noticed tame paroquets hanging outside
several of the dwellings we passed on our way.
At one point near the foot of the mountain, we came
upon a party of thirty or forty men accompanied by
dogs, and armed with long spears; they were going to
hunt some wild pigs which had done damage to a plantation
of sweet potatoes and yams the night previous.
Our way now lay up the clearings on the mountain side.
I dismounted and led my pony; and on my shooting
at a pigeon, it became restive, and broke away. It
was luckily met and caught by a Sulu man who had
followed us, in the hope of earning a little tobacco.
Arriving at last at the mountain village, we entered our
guide’s house, after having tethered our horses and given
them some cut grass on which to feed. The sun was
now very hot, and we were glad to r e st; we were hungry,
too, and thoroughly enjoyed some fish and rice, which,
together with some chocolate, was soon set before us by
these hospitable people. Pigeons, paroquets, and large
hombills, were here plentiful, and came to feed on some
large trees which were in fruit near the village.
After our luncheon I started with our guides to ascend
the mountain, leaving Mr. Cowie, who had a lame foot,
to shoot around the village until my return. We reached
the summit in about an hour, but were much disappointed,
as the vegetation was not nearly so luxuriant as
that on Timantangis. Orchids were scarce, and ferns
wanting in variety and beauty, although several were new
to science. Near the summit I heard a little song-bird
singing very sweetly; and although I did not see it, I am
convinced it was the same species I had previously heard
with so much pleasure on “ Kina Balu, at a much
higher altitude. This mountain is well wooded at the
top, but not so densely as is Timantangis; nor is the
undergrowth so rich in variety. The views from the top
are simply lovely—a panorama of fertile «farm-dotted
hills and golden plains, stretching away to the blue sea,
where the main island is fringed by coral islets. A
native pointed out the harbour to us, and the peak of
Pulo Siassi was plainly visible. In the descent I made
a detour from the little spring or watering-place near the
village, and passing through clumps of coffee-bushes,
with here and there ripe fruit in plenty, we came beneath
a grove of large durian trees which were in bloom, the
ground beneath being covered with their fallen blossoms.
Here I shot several pigeons and paroquets; and in
returning to the village we repeatedly saw a large amor-
phophallus bearing foetid flowers as large as a sugar basin,
and of a dark maroon colour. On cutting open a flower
I found its basin half full of ants of two kinds and numerous
small black coleóptera were running about in the
spathe. I may say that I have rarely ever examined
tubular flowers here in the tropics without finding insects
of some kind engaged within, and in the case of aroids
particularly, their spathes are generally full of such tiny