en. viii.] Day-flying ]\Ioths. 175 



boat we bathed, and changed our clothes, which was 

 necessary, as we were drenched to the skin, and covered 

 with dirt from the half-rotten tree-trunks, over which we 

 had scrambled. It was about three o'clock, of course 

 .very hot ; and our boat formed quite an attraction to the 

 bees, butterflies, and some lovely blue day-flying moths, 

 which fluttered in the sunshine. The wild bees were 

 indeed rather troublesome ; and some of the men who 

 were nervous at their proximity, and began to buffet 

 them, were stung. As we ate our luncheon of boiled 

 rice and jam, they frequently settled on our plates, 

 but they did not attack us. 



The journey down the river was an easy and pleasant 

 one. The water, which had been so high and turbid the 

 night before, had now regained its proper level, and 

 except exactly amid stream the surface was as smooth 

 as a mirror. The curving nipa leaves and other vegeta- 

 tion were most sharply reflected from the placid surface, 

 so clearly indeed, that one could scarcely see where 

 reality ended, and the shadow began. The presence of 

 the nipa palm beside the banks of eastern rivers, is 

 almost always evidence of deep water. In the shallow 

 parts the pink-blossomed banana and bauhinia-draped 

 trees were most beautiful, here and there varied by elegant 

 groups of pandanus. We stayed at intervals to examine 

 the vegetation more closely, and did not reach the Murut 

 settlement before nightfall. 



We paid off our guides, and stayed here an hour or 

 two to rest our men. We slept in the boat, and found 

 the mosquitoes very voracious. When the moon rose 

 we continued our journey. In Bomean travel, near the 

 coast, boats form the best conveyance. There are no 

 horses, nor indeed roads suitable for them; so that all 

 journeys inland must be performed on foot. Buffaloes 



