252 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



Mengkulem, which is perfectly virgin and is perliaps of 

 as yast an age as the period which has ehipsed since the 

 beginning of the upraising of the 180 miles of country that 

 now separates it from the sea. The display of flower and fruit 



along the Rawas river was still finer, and, in fact, it could 

 scarcely have been richer. AYliile Oak-trees in full blossom 

 characterised the Eupit, BipteroearpeWy the family which gives 

 ns the Camphor-tree and supplies a great deal of the dammar 

 of commerce, and some of which are amoni]: the tallest of 

 trees, were along the Rawas the distinguishing feature — though 

 clumps of oak were plentiful enough too — the brilliant pink 

 and rose coloured ^* wings " that adorn their rij)ening fruits 

 having the appearance of tassels hanging from the tips of 

 the branches all over their immense crowns. Over some 

 of the highest trees, and spread continuously across the forest 

 for hundreds of yards at a stretch, was a Leguminose climber 

 (Bauhinia) with rich orange and scarlet flowers. Blue fishing- 

 hawks (PoUoetus humilis) sat in motionless watch on the 

 projecting limbs of trees ; Rhinoceros birds (Anthracocerus 

 eonvexus and Rhijtidoceros siibrnfieoUis) clambered on the fruit- 

 laden fig-trees, conspicuous by the rich colour of their beaks 

 — derived from the oil-gland at the tail in B. rhinoceros. 

 Herons and Bitterns hunted in the sandy bends, kingfishers 

 flew out from every corner, and flocks of sand-plovers zig- 

 zagged away with a-frightened scream as w^e passed along ; 

 while on the projecting stones on the river, black cormorants 

 (Phahcracorax) eagerly watched for their finny j^rej, and 

 flocks of pure white egrets displayed to advantage their spot- 

 less plumage against the dark foliage of the tops of the trees. 

 On my return to 3Iuara Mengkulem, I had ut once to prepare 

 to start for the coast. ^Yhile I was packing up I sent down men 

 to Pulau-kida, the village below the cataract, to construct for 

 me a Rakit in which to travel to Palembang. In these large 

 house-like structures^floated on bamboo rafts — the whole 

 produce of the up regions of the river are conveyed to the coast 

 markets. Mine, however, while resembling the trade Rakit in 

 appearance, was fitted up with much regard to comfort, for I 

 intended the remainder of my Sumatra journey to be a pleasure 

 trip. On a raft 40 feet long and 15 wide, made of the largest 

 bamboos seven or eight tiers deep, was erected a neat house, sur- 



