330 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



confined in a pretty deep bed which it has formed 

 itfclf between hills often difficult to climb. We 

 purpofed to afcend this river as high as pof- 

 lible, endeavouring to follow clofely its banks ; 

 but their fteepnefs made us refolve to crofs the 

 water, which was feldom more than a demi-me- 

 ter in depth. 



We had fcarcely proceeded a few yards when 

 we met a Dutch failor, who had deferted from 

 a large fhip loaded with cloves, which was 

 on the point of failing for Batavia. The dread 

 of falling a viclim to the contagious difordcr, fo 

 fatal to Europeans, when they remain there even 

 for a fhort time, had determined this unfortu- 

 nate man to conceal himfelf in the woods un- 

 til his fhip had failed. We pitied his lot, little 

 forefeeing that the abode which he fo much 

 dreaded was referved to us for the termination of 

 our expedition. 



On the banks of this river grew in abundance 

 a new fpecics of begonia, remarkable for the di- 

 minutivenefs of all its parts. 



A beautiful granite of a fine grain formed the 

 bafe of thefe hills: quartz, which is generally 

 whitifh, we found here fometiraes coloured by 

 green fteatite, and at other times by iron, which 

 gave it the colour of ruft. Mica was diflemU 

 nated rn a pretty regular manner; fchorl of a 



black 



