THE JUNGLE. 179 



From this picturesque little spot we proceeded 

 through a jungle of lofty grasses and shrubs, with 

 elevated trees rising from the dense mass ; a 

 sedge grass bearing a beautiful silvery inflores- 

 cence, the Flemingea, Melastoma, different spe- 

 cies of Nauclea, and numerous ferns were seen ; 

 of the latter, among other elegant species, was 

 the widely-spread Gleichenia Hermanni, attaining 

 the elevation amid the wilderness of six and 

 eight feet, and Blechnum, Polypodium, Lyco- 

 podium, were mingled with others, adding to the 

 denseness of the vegetation. As the sun rose 

 and diffused its rays around, a great number 

 of butterflies, beetles, and other insects passed 

 away in enjoyment their short fleeting lives, 

 and revelled upon the sweets the flowers con- 

 tained. A lofty species of Pandanus, named 

 by the Malays Ninpuan, was very abundant 

 in moist situations ; it rose with its long foliage 

 bending at the extremities, and as the tree 

 increased in elevation it bore a closer resem- 

 blance to the growth of the palm tree, and 

 attained the height of forty and fifty feet. The 

 leaves of this tree bleaching about the Malay 

 houses, I found were used by them for a variety 

 of purposes, as coverings for their dwellings, and 

 the manufacture of coarse mats. 



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