FOREST TREES. 191 



jungles, a dense vegetation surrounded us on 

 every side, except the small pathway which led 

 through it : the pathway, overshadowed by trees 

 and entwining plants, made our walk during the 

 heat of noon-day, in these situations, delightfully 

 cool and refreshing. The Sukun utan, or wild 

 bread-fruit trees, were very numerous in the 

 jungle ; the forest trees, towering to a great eleva- 

 tion, without a branch except at the summit, gave 

 them much the character of those of Australia, 

 but unlike them, in not having their foliage 

 dull and arid. Many birds were shot, of the 

 fly-catcher tribe, of handsome plumage ; a beau- 

 tiful small black falcon, not more than four or 

 five inches in length, and some other small birds; 

 but the feathered tribe were far from numerous : 

 the swallow (not differing from our European 

 species) was abundant about the settlement of 

 Singapore ; but I did not observe any in the in- 

 terior of the island. 



About eight a.m. we arrived at the extensive 

 Gambir and pepper plantations, garden, orangery, 

 and neat habitation of a Chinese, who informed 

 us that he had been ten years upon the island. 

 We breakfasted at this place, a servant having 

 been previously sent on with provisions ; but we 

 always found the Chinese planters eager to provide 

 us with any provisions they had. He supplied 



