PAYA KOMBO ANu THE BUA VALLE'i. 401 



cliff, whose feet were batlied in the small river. On 

 the level land and hills in this region, the only rock 

 which outcropped was a red sandstone, composed 

 of strata that have been considerably plicated in many 

 places ; but they are evidently of a recent formation 

 and unconformable to the older crystalline limestone 

 on which they rest. Passing the Merapi, we rode 

 down a gradually descending plain that lies on the 

 north of Mount Sago. 



Early in the afternoon we came to Paya Kombo, 

 where an assistant resident is stationed. His residence 

 is the finest building I have seen in Sumatra. He 

 gi'eeted me kindly, and introduced me to the assist- 

 ant resident stationed at Fort Van der Capellan, the 

 next chief place I was designing to visit. Thus I 

 found a pleasant companion, and one who could ex- 

 plain the peculiarities of the country I should see 

 during the next two days. 



April 2<i. — ^Rode fi-om Paya Kombo to Bua with 

 the Resident of this district. A short distance from 

 Paya Kombo we crossed a large and very beautiful 

 stone bridge that had been planned and superin- 

 tended by a government official who had never re- 

 ceived the slightest training in architecture. • Our 

 course was nearly southwest, and the road slowly 

 ascended, for we were really coming upon the flanks 

 of Mount Sago. It then changes to the east, and 

 again to the south, as we made a circuit round the 

 eastern side of the mountain. This part of the road 

 was built on a steep acclivity, that descended to the 

 deep valley of the Sinamu on our left. The higher 

 liills on the opposite side of the valley are probably 



