66 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. X, 



SOME ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEY ON WHICH 



THE PLANTS WERE COLLECTED. 



By C. BoDEN Kloss. 



All the islands mentioned below are near that part of 

 the west coast of the Malay Peninsula which is here called 

 Peninsular Siam, i.e., that portion south of the pass across 

 the Isthmus of Kra between the head of the Pakchan Estuary 

 and Chumporn Town and north of the borders of the Malay 

 States of Perils, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan. 



We^ arrived at Pulau^ Mohea from Penang on February 

 1st, 1919, and left on the 3rd. 



The north and south islands are each about a square 

 mile in area and between 500 and 800 feet high and are 

 separated from each other by a narrow channel. They lie 

 in about 7° 13' N, some 18 miles west of the coastal island 

 of Telibon which protects tlie mouth of the Trang River. 



From its south-east point west-about to its northern 

 end the south island is steep-to, its western side consisting 

 mainly of high precipitous cliffs : to the east and south 

 it slopes fairly gently and along these shores are several 

 sand beaches with broad reefs in front. The northern 

 island is lower and apparently consists of three hills sloping 

 to the S.E. and joined by sandy necks : all along its south 

 and south-east sides is a sand beach and reefs : the west 

 and north sides are high and steep and there are a couple 

 of rocky coves. 



The islands were exceedingly dry and there were no 

 flowers but some fairly big timber, wild bananas, 

 Licualas ( ?) and Caryota palms. They are largely forested 

 on their eastern sides. 



The only water found was in two little soaks on the 

 south island : the western seemed stagnant, the northern was 

 running in the sand. The sea round the islands is beauti- 

 fully clear and fish were numerous : there is a fine coral 

 reef in the channel. There are no inhabitants but the 

 islands are visited occasionally. 



We lay at anchor off the south-east entrance of the 

 channel in 8 fathoms. Vessels should approach no nearer 

 for even in 4 and 5 fathoms there are coral heads which 

 show above water at low tide. A passage through the 

 Strait could be made with care by keeping nearest the 

 south side. 



North of Pulau Mohea are some islets — the Pilgrims 

 and Koh Ma. The former are of limestone ; the largest, 

 shaped like a boot, has some grass and shrubs. Koh Ma is 

 apparently of sandstone and is largely covered with vegeta- 

 tion. 



2 Mr. H. C. Robinson, Director of Museums and Fisheries. F.M.S. , and 

 myself with a party of collectors in the Fisheries launch " Shark." 



3 Pulau (Malay) = Koh (Siamese) = Island. 



