4-0 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. hi. 



reached the summit, and we luckily were rewarded by a 

 most beautiful view. The atmosphere was clear, and in 

 all directions a vast billowy sea of jungle stretched below 

 us — foam-like flecks of white cloud being visible here and 

 there on the top of the low coast hills. 



We found the little hut on the summit rather out of 

 repair, but a little labour in strengthening the principal 

 supports of the roof, and the addition of a little palm-leaf 

 thatch, made it more comfortable. We enjoyed a magni- 

 ficent sunset, and lit our lamps just at dusk, nor were we 

 loath to make a hearty meal of warm soup, rice and tea, 

 which had been prepared while we looked around our 

 camping ground. After a smoke and a chat we wrapped 

 our rugs around us and were soon asleep on the side 

 benches of sticks covered with freshly-cut palm-leaves. 

 We were awoke during the night by the rain dripping 

 through the roof, but managed to keep ourselves dry by 

 suspending our waterproof sheets overhead. We awoke 

 at daybreak, but could see nothing but a mass of snow- 

 white clouds below us on all sides. After breakfast we 

 started on a collecting tour down the mountain side, and 

 soon struck a deep gully, through which a streamlet 

 washed over the water-worn stones and pebbles. 



Here we found one or two very interesting aroids 

 (Schismatoglottis) , and ferns were abundant, notably two 

 or three species of lindsayas, their bold fronds being 

 of a rich green colour, shot with steel-blue. Dipteris 

 Horsfieldii clothed the rocky declivities of the gorge here 

 and there, and a large-urned variet}^ of Nepenthes ampul- 

 laria was strikingly luxuriant, growing along the edges 

 of wet mossy rocks. Tiny plants only three or four 

 inches in height and half buried in wet moss, decayed 

 leaves, and other forest debris, bore eight or ten pitchers 

 four inches in height and three inches in diameter. N. 



