SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 35 



both the native and European population. To pur- 

 sue this object still farther, it was necessary that a 

 general knowledge of the island should be obtained, 

 and Sir Stamford resolved to make some excursions 

 to the interior. Accounts of these he has given in a 

 series of letters to his friends ; and as they contain 

 much interesting information regarding the natural 

 history of the island and its productions, we shall 

 here notice some of the more important discoveries 

 which were made. 



The first excursion extended only to the nearest 

 range of hills which had not previously been visited 

 by Europeans ; and on a part of the range, " The Hill 

 of Mists," he selected a situation for a country resi- 

 dence, not very favourable, if we may judge from 

 the name, but it commanded an extensive view of 

 the lower country, and was subjected to a less degree 

 of heat. The second was to the southern residencies, 

 and the Passumah country, and is remarkable for 

 the discovery of the gigantic parasitic flower, destined 

 to hand to posterity the names of its discoverers 

 Rafflesia Arnoldi.* 



" On the next morning, at half-past five, we com- 

 menced our journey towards Passumah on foot, the 

 party consisting of myself, Lady Raffles, Dr Arnold, 

 and Mr Presgrove, the resident at Manna, with six 

 native officers, and about fifty coolies (porters), car- 

 rying our food and baggage. Our journey lay near 



* Dr Arnold, who accompanied Sir Stamford in many of 

 his excursions, but lately fell a victim to the climate. 



