A VISIT TO THE CAVES 287 



the head had been broken struck the observer as being 

 finely executed; he recognized four Buddhas, one Durga, 

 and one Ganesha. 



Another cave visited was noteworthy on account of a 

 strong wind which continually issues from it and for 

 which he was unable to account. The current is formed 

 in the opening, and twenty-five metres back of it there is 

 no movement of the atmosphere. The cave is low, but 

 after ten minutes' walk it becomes higher and has con- 

 nection with the outside air. There it is very high, and 

 the sun's rays falling in produced a magnificent effect, 

 but no wind was noticeable there. Standing in front of 

 this cave a strange impression was created by the sight 

 of leaves, branches, and plants in violent movement, 

 while outside there was absolutely no wind. 



I should much have liked to visit Kong Beng, but cir- 

 cumstances prevented my doing so, though the assistant 

 resident, Mr. G. Oostenbroek, courteously offered his 

 small steamer to take me up along the coast. Some 

 months later an American friend, Mr. A. M. Erskine, 

 at my instigation made the journey, and according to 

 him it would take a month to properly explore the lo- 

 cality. The man whom the Sultan of Kutei sent with 

 him threw rice on the statues, and the accompanying 

 Dayaks showed fear of them. By digging to a depth of 

 about a metre and a half through the layer of guano, a 

 pavement of hewn stone was found which rested on the 

 floor of the cave. That the trip proved interesting is 

 evident from the following description submitted to me: 



"The weird experience of those two nights and one 

 day in the huge caves of Kong Beng can never be for- 



