Pee ae ee ee 
- 
21 
approach our party, which was, of course, much too large to invite any form 
of attack. 
Higher up, a large solitary house inhabited by very friendly people marked 
the limit of the inhabited zone. Immediately above this the path enters 
true “rimbu,” ' then strikes the track along part of the main range, which, 
running approximately N. to S.W., is clothed in low mountain forest, the 
plant-formation common to the crest of the main range and the lake basins. 
(d) Low Mountain Forest Formation asove 7000!. 
From 7000’ low mountain forest prevails up to the lakes, and systematic 
collection was limited to this formation. 
Advancing due south, with increase of altitude the crest of the S.W. ridge 
soon becomes narrower and the trees smaller, showing a gradual transition 
from mossless forest to an intermediate mossy forest with a fine variety of 
mosses and hepatics; while on higher points true mossy forest prevailed, 
but very limited in incidence and species. Coniferous trees, Phyllocladus, 
Podocarpus, Dacrydium, and Libocedrus, were conspicuous on this ridge, the 
facies of the vegetation being strongly reminiscent of that of the ridges of 
Kinabalu at the same altitude, but suggesting a wider and more continental 
origin. 
Small open rest- and camping-places from time to time gave vantage 
points of observation, where the ground was always bright with clumps of a 
brilliant orange Dendrobium and the pretty mauve Burmannia disticha ; 
otherwise, white and yellow predominated amongst the shrubs and trees of 
the mountain forest. 
Other open spaces were caused by small landslips of the loose granite- 
gravel soil, on which no rock was seen exposed. In one place quite a large 
part of the crest had slipped away, leaving a steep wall about 100’ high, 
difficult to scramble up, as the gravel gave beneath the feet. Probably the 
higher points of the ridge, now overgrown with roots of trees, are due to this 
agency. These open spaces afforded beautiful views over the Sjari ridge 
with its tiny trails of smoke, to the blue waters of the Bay in the distance on 
the east, and limited on the west by the densely-wooded slopes of the Tilaan 
valley. 
That night, the fourth after leaving Wariap, we camped on the highest — 
part of this ridge, on an open space above a mountain-torrent. I was 
awakened in the night by a wild stamping of feet, accompanied by a 
stentorian chant of powerful voices in unison, taken up by each Papuan 
party in turn. The “ Papuas,” as they are always called, rigidly kept to 
their separate clans, each putting up its own shelter. This somewhat 
alarming incident proved to be a primitive method of keeping warm. 
Virgin forest. — 
