48 JOURNAL OF THE 
foliage, now in the full splendour of green leaves—a glorious 
sight! Only in a few places, I saw Ferns spring out of 
the water amongst the Mangroves. A little beyond Louis 
Creek, the character of the vegetation underwent a marked 
change: although the country was still much covered with 
Mangroves, they receded to the back-ground, and the stream 
itself was lined with young, still bushy, Oil-Palms : Pandanus 
Candelabrum showed, not seldom, its grass-like leaves; while, 
here and there, other trees mixed with them; until, near 
Sunday Island,* (about thirteen English miles from the sea), 
the Mangroves and Pandanus disappear. Then the shore 
was lined with small trees and shrubs, with fresh glossy 
foliage, backed by the tall and elegant forms of fully grown 
Oil palms, a view which can never tire our sight. These 
Palms are 60-80 feet high. The stems are thickest in the 
middle; but the contraction towards the bottom is hardly 
perceptible. The top is rounded. The leaves are long, their 
tips somewhat pendent; the lower leaves more so, which 
causes the cylindrical shape. 
Hitherto we had met few natives; but they now began to — 
show themselves, more and more numerous, in their small 
canoes. Their thatched huts, close to the river, were sur- - 
rounded by plantations of Pisang, descending apparently into 
the water. I saw occasionally Bombar trees, or Leguminost 
and Mimosee, easily distinguishable by their peculiar foliage; 
and some other trees, which might have been taken for 
species of Ficus. The trees increased in number: towards 
evening, we passed shores covered with tall Reeds, beyond 
which thick forests extended; but under no circumstances 
was there a deficiency of Oil Palms. Alternating with 
reeds, we observed plantations of Pisang and Sugar-cane; 
completely in water; close to small villages which became 
very numerous. After sunset, we anchored in the midst of 
the stream. From Alburka Island we reckon to have 
made thirty-five English miles, (or forty from the sea.) ~ 
* The influence of the tide extends only as far as “ Sunday Island” + - 
(H. D. Trotter.) 
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