PITCHER PLANTS. 205 



sage over these swamps (which were occasioned 

 by numerous springs of very excellent fresh 

 water) was by the trunks of trees laid prostrate 

 on a cleared but very narrow space, which 

 would, perhaps, be called a pathway, and ex- 

 tended for the distance of probably a mile. 

 Walking over these slippery, and often unsteady 

 bridges, rendered us often liable to some im- 

 mersion of our lower extremities. 



About these swamps, partially immersed in 

 the crystal water, and partially entwining to 

 some height the slender trees in the vicinity, a 

 species of Nepenthes, or Pitcher plant, the 

 Moniet, manko, or Monkey-cup, of the Malays, 

 (because they suppose those creatures to use 

 them as drinking cups,) abounded ; a large 

 cluster of small and colourless cups surrounded 

 the roots, as well as at certain parts of the stem. 

 The plant rose far above the stream, and en- 

 twined itself around the trees in its vicinity, 

 even to the height of twelve feet. The termi- 

 nation of the leaves had the cup-like appendages 

 of various sizes, filled with water, in which several 

 insects were immersed, the cups were ornamented 

 over their surface with striae, and dots of a dark 

 red colour ; sometimes those around the stems 

 would be colourless, but varied occasionally, by 

 being greenish and small, and also covered like 



