289 
Notes written on a Voyage from Singapore fo Banjermassing ; in a Letter 
Jrom James Mort ey, Esa., fo Str W. J. HOOKER. 
(Continued from p. 269.) 
Martapora (Banjermassing), June 10, 1855. 
I now continue the journal of my Sumatra excursion, which I was 
obliged last time to break off in the middle of a day, from a sudden 
alarm of the mail closing, a sort of thing we are very subject to in 
these out-of-the-way places. I think I left myself, in the afternoon of 
January 29, at the little settlement of Pulo Jumahat. About five 
o'clock we stopped at a deserted garden to cook; it was a jungle of 
young fruit-trees and sago-palms, and many trees of a handsome 
Erythrina, full of the pendent nests already described ; the trunks, 
however, were too thorny to be climbed. There was also a curious 
Ficus, bearing its fruit in large, dense bunches on the stem and 
branches. The men were tired, but to stop was out of the ques- 
tion, from the number of mosquitoes. Near this place I observed a 
beautiful Ty-ichosanthes in fruit; the pepos were of the size of an orange, 
and bright scarlet, hanging in long festoons from branch to branch 
of the trees. I saw here also, for the first time on this river, the beau- 
tiful little Caryota furfuracea, with its elegant, adiantiform leaves; it 
is often planted by the natives for the sake of the cottony pubescence 
which covers the leaf-sheaths, and which is used for caulking boats, 
and also for tinder; it is called “‘Cuput.” Another Palm, however, 
whose name I do not know, I think a Waddichia, yields it in greater 
quantities; and in Java it is procured from an Areca. The banks 
are completely lined with the large Musa called “ Pisang batu P it 
has probably been planted originally, but is now perfectly wild, 
growing abundantly among the trees. I am inclined to believe that 
this is the original species of the cultivated Pisangs; it is cultivated 
everywhere by the natives, and is very constant in its appearance and ^ 
character; unlike the other varieties, it is always full of seeds, although 
they are often abortive: it is coarse and hard, but has a flavour some- 
what resembling a Burgundy pear. 'The natives consider it to contain 
more nourishment thau the other kinds, which I think probable, as 
it has certainly more fecula. Just at dark we passed a small island, 
called Pulu Kamudi. As night came on, the mosquitoes arrived, and in 
such numbers as I have never seen before or since; the air was filled 
VOL. VII. 9p 
