172 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



fairly level, and it seemed to me that there was 

 less undergrowth on it than there was on the plains, 

 and that the trees were less closely packed together. 

 I hoped, therefore, that when we reached the top 

 we might have a fairly open view, and, if we moved 

 quietly, perhaps have a chance view from one crag 

 of a goat standing upon another crag. 



I decided to return at the earliest opportunity to 

 climb Gunong Kroh, and went on the next morning 

 after the rhinoceros, which I was lucky enough to 

 shoot. A few weeks later W. and I slept in Hussein's 

 house, and early next morning, accompanied by our 

 host, began the ascent of Gunong Kroh. A nearly 

 perpendicular climb of a few hundred feet, which 

 was much easier than it looked, brought us to a 

 ledge, and then we saw that the hill was not the 

 solid mass of rock that I had imagined it to be, 

 but really basin-shaped, and that a considerable area 

 of ground on the same level as the plain of the 

 Kinta valley was enclosed within its limestone 

 walls. Hussein, who had often climbed the hill 

 before in search of forest produce, was of course 

 aware of this formation, but had omitted to tell 

 us. We clambered down to explore the extent of 

 this secret hollow, and found goat tracks all over 

 it. In the side of the hill there was a cave which 

 seemed to be used as a place of shelter, for inside 

 it and round its mouth the ground was trampled 

 deep with hoof-prints. 



After a careful examination of the ground we came 

 to the conclusion that it was only at night that the 

 goats came down to the level ground in the basin. 



