1 84 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



the new Cypriped was admitted. Sumatra yields a profitable 

 harvest always, even of familiar species, and besides, there is 

 an excellent chance — vastly stronger fifteen years ago — of 

 finding novelties. An intelligent man upon the spot should 

 be able to trace the route of an earlier traveller. One of 

 the St. Albans staff" was disengaged. In short, Mr. Ericsson, 

 a Swedish collector of great experience, was commissioned 

 to seek Cypripedium Curtisii. He sailed in 1884. Nearly 

 five years did Ericsson wander up and down the island — 

 that is, in the Dutch territory. Working at leisure from 

 Bencoolin northwards, he searched the range of mountains 

 which bounds it on the east, and often descended the further 

 slope — visiting peoples scarcely known, whom the Dutch 

 had not yet invaded. They proved to be amiable enough. 

 Many fine orchids did he send home, and the issue of the 

 search was patiently awaited at St. Albans. 



It did not seem more hopeful as years went by. Mr. 

 Curtis's footsteps were traced easily enough here and there ; 

 but the Dutch frontier officials rarely speak any language 

 but their own and the Malay, nor does their discourse 

 generally turn upon orchids when they have a visitor. It 

 was just as likely as not that Ericsson had already traversed 

 the district he sought, without identifying it. Cypripeds, 

 as a rule, occupy a very narrow area, especially the fine 

 species. They are a doomed race, belonging to the elder 

 world, and slowly following its inhabitants to extinction. 

 That fascinating theme I must not touch ; readers interested 

 may refer to Darwin. The point is that a collector may 

 skirt a field of Cypripeds very closely without suspecting his 

 good fortune. 



But travel in Sumatra at that time was more limited 

 than it had been — more than it is now. The Achinese still 

 held out — for that matter, while I am writing, comes news 

 of a skirmish wherein three officers and nineteen soldiers 



