CAGAYAN SULU. [chaf. 



size. To the south, and quite close to us, lay two other hills, also 

 evidently volcanic. Our elevation, though little enough, was 

 sufficient to afford us a good view of the island, which in every 

 direction appeared to he comparatively free from jungle, though 

 scattered belts of palms and fruit-trees were abundant. Ledan^ 

 a curiously-shaped mountain, rising like a bold hump of rock 

 abruptly from the level country around it, was a very striking 

 object to the east, and farther to the right a sharper peak, hollowed 

 on its southern face, indicated the position of the tlu-ee crater-lakes. 

 On our return we gathered large bunches of a Jessamine almost 

 exactly resembling our own, but with slightly larger and more 

 fragTant flowers. The Mussccnda, with its striking wliite bracts 

 contrasting with the green foliage and orange flowers, was also very 

 abundant. 



In the course of one of our conversations with the Pangerang 

 he had mentioned the fact that diu'ing the months of April, IMay, 

 and June there are often strong winds from the S.W., and on our 

 inquiring for the best anchorage at this season, he told us that 

 there was an excellent harbour on the north coast. We were 

 provided with Captain. Chimmo's chart, but beyond a mere un- 

 protected anchorage on this side of the island, nothing of the sort was 

 indicated in it, and we told our friend that we thought he was prob- 

 ably mistaken. He stuck to his point, however, and accordingly one 

 afternoon we set off in the steam launch with him to explore. The 

 western point of the island is apparently formed by an abrupt 

 headland known to the natives as Tanjong Tavo-tavo, but in reality 

 an intervening creek forms it into an islet. Entering this channel 

 we found that it expanded into a small lagoon 'with a little island 

 in the centre — if indeed a clump of trees growing straight from the 

 water can be termed an island. It was crowded with '\'\liimbrels 

 {Numenius uropygialis, Gould.), who were balancing themselves un- 

 easily upon the branches, — a common habit in this part of the 

 world. Xothing is more curious than the adoption by certain bu'ds 

 of habits which, from anatomical reasons, we know must be 



