492 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



be dangerous to travel here with any but these active 

 and sui'e-footed ponies. With men on their backs 

 they will climb up places that our horses at home, 

 which are accustomed to level roads, would not like 

 to ascend alone. In certain spots along this path 

 were many piles of the excrements of elephants, 

 where they came to feed on the branches of young 

 trees. Half an horn* before sunset we arrived here, 

 at Suban, a village of four houses, and were glad to 

 rest and take some food after a very fatiguing day's 

 journey. Near by is a large stony brook, where I 

 have enjoyed a refreshing bath in the cool, clear 

 mountain-stream. 



April 22^. — Early this morning we walked 

 about half a mile up the stream, making our way 

 over the huge boulders in its bed. Soon we came to 

 strata of coal, associated with layers of clay and 

 sandstone. I was searching particularly for a lime- 

 stone mentioned by Van Dijk, who has examined 

 the geology of this region, as being of the same age 

 as the coal, and containing fossils of a recent period. 

 Not finding it in this direction, I returned and con- 

 tinued down the stream for half a mile, crossing from 

 side to side over the slippery rocks and through the 

 torrent until the banks became high, perpendicular 

 walls, and the water was deeper than the waist. 



Finding I could proceed no farther without a raft 

 of bamboo, I returned a quarter of a mile, ascended 

 the steep bank, and followed down the stream for 

 about a mile, but could not find any outcropping of 

 the rock I was seeking. Wlien I reached Suban 

 again, I felt a peculiar smarting and itching sensa- 



