214 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. xx. 



oblong fleshy leaves grew here plentifully, and an aucuba- 

 like shrub bore clusters of red berries as large as peas. 

 Tree ferns also grew up to the top, and their stems were 

 draped with long green moss, which looked very fresh 

 and pretty. Two or three species of ansectochilus also 

 grew here, their rich velvety leaves being illuminated 

 with gold and silvery veins. From one spot in the 

 descent we could see the coast and the outlying islets very 

 plainly, also more newly-formed coral islets inlaid with 

 lagoons. We saw abundant evidence of wild pigs and 

 deer up this mountain, but the wild cattle which formerly 

 existed plentifully are now quite extinct. 



During our conversation about this mountain last 

 night the Sultan told us some wonderful stories of birds' 

 nest caves, and of a cavity or hole at the top lined with 

 mother of pearl (tepoy) large enough for several men to 

 bathe in at the same time, also of the wild men who lived 

 in the forest, making their habitations in the trees, and 

 of other wonderful things, all of which he discreetly added 

 we should not be able to see without we had supernatural 

 assistance. The gods truly were unpropitious, for we 

 saw none of the mysteries of the mountain to which he 

 had referred. Wild men may formerly have inhabited 

 the trees of the forest here, as the "jakuns " still do in 

 Jahore, and what he told us may have been a well-worn 

 old tradition handed down for many generations. It is 

 not improbable that his reference to the crater at the 

 top was the remains of an old tradition of the volcanoes 

 which once, without a doubt, did exist here in the island. 



We descended to the village, leaving the men to 

 bring on the horses and gear, and here " Gelah " pro- 

 cured us some hot water, and we sat down under the 

 shady trees and enjoyed our lunch of chocolate and 

 biscuit. "Gelah" told us he did not care for chocolate 



