UP THE VALLEY TO SUKA RAJAB. 405 



whole chain ; and the distance from its mouth at 

 this place to the opening at its opposite end must be 

 at least five miles in an air line. While the "natives 

 were in the water, and each held a blazing torch, I 

 ordered them to range themselves a few feet apart in 

 a long line. The light reflected fi'om the changing 

 surface of the flowing stream beneath, and the wide 

 irregular rocks and stalactites above, and the dark 

 half naked bodies of the natives themselves, made it 

 appear as if I had com« into the abode of evil de- 

 mons ; and this delusion became complete w^hen one 

 shouted, and the rest joining in prolonged their cry 

 into a wild yell that echoed and reechoed again and 

 again, coming back to us like the answering, remorse- 

 ful shriek of hundi'eds of evil spirits that were impris- 

 oned forever deep within the bowels of the mountain. 



In the inner part of the larger cave I was directed 

 to look up in a certain direction, when soon a long, 

 narrow band of yellow light gleamed from an open- 

 ing, and, darting into the cave, partially lighted up 

 some of the long stalactites that hung from the roof. 

 Then came two bright flames weaving to and fro, 

 which show^ed me the forms of tw^o natives who had 

 climbed up some other chamber, and had come out 

 through an aperture far above us into the apartment 

 where we were standing. 



The Resident was travelling to inspect the cofi^ee- 

 gardens, and w^ould go back up the valley to Suka 

 Rajah, the " Rajah's Delight," a large coffee-garden 

 in the ravine that leads up into the old crater of the 

 Sago. I therefore hired coolies to haul my bendy 

 over the mountain to Fort Van der Capellen, and 



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