378 THE CAVE OF LUBONG ANGIN. 



small shell, covered with spines, and a plant or two of a 

 beautiful Anoectocheilus, with golden veins traversing 

 its velvet-like leaves, as in the Ancectocheilus setaceus, 

 or * Gauna Rajah,' King of the Jungle of Ceylon. Two 

 uninteresting species of Begonia were also found with 

 it, and a species of Justicia, with purple and pink flowers. 

 In returning, we found the remains of torches which 

 had been used by the Dyaks in taking the birds' nests, 

 and on lighting them we saw the stages before us they 

 had used in ascending the narrow crevices in the roof 

 of the cave, which seemed to be very deep and dark. 

 We passed over large beds of " Guano," or some such 

 substance, produced by the many bats, and were soon 

 convinced that the sound of wind we had at first heard, 

 was caused by the flapping of the wings of these animals 

 which, having now disappeared, the noises were no 

 more perceptible. The whole cavern may be about 

 200 yards in length, and twenty to thirty in breadth : 

 in height it varies from twenty to fifty feet. 



On our reaching the outside, I found myself indebted 

 to my men for three plants of the yellow Rhododendron, 

 which they had insisted it was impossible to obtain ; 

 but which the offer of a dollar for each had caused 

 them to exert themselves to procure. In coming here 

 up the river, many shrubs were in flower, particularly 

 the sweet-scented kinds of Anthoscephala, which 

 attracted many beautiful butterflies. We had passed 

 several of the gigantic Tapang trees, and two large 

 shrubs of the magnificent Clerodendron Bethuneana 

 which were in full flower. At night we slept in our 



