COLLECTING AT PADANG LAKE. 391 



accursed fish-hook thorn of the tropics, and if any intelHgent reason 

 can be assigned for either its deHberate creation or its evolution, it 

 would be balm to my wounded cuticle. For my part, I consider 

 the thorn one of nature's unmitigated blunders. 



Our long tramp was wholly fruitless, for we saw not a single 

 object worth shooting. Fortunately for my collection, my native 

 hunters were more successful, for Dundang sent in a large broque 

 (Jlacacus nemestriniis) and a baby of the same species ; a friendly 

 Dyak brought a large soft-shell turtle which he caught in the lake, 

 and Perara managed to shoot a bijit. 



A few days later, Hakka and I made another trial for wild pigs 

 to Gunong Poondah, a low mountain a shoi-t distance to the north. 

 We went by boat quite to its foot, up an arm of the lake, and along 

 a narrow creek which led through a bit of lovely forest. The 

 mossy tree-trunks were often covered with beautiful orchids, small 

 ferns, and other parasitical plants, while palms of many species rose 

 out of the water and drooped over the banks. The warm, still air, 

 the subdued light of the forest, and the pi-ofusion of picturesque 

 vegetation made up a bit of tropical forest scenery which quite 

 realized my preconceived ideal. 



We hunted along the foot of the mountain and stalked carefully 

 up to the ejoke trees, but saw no pigs. Once indeed we started 

 a trooj) of wah-wahs, but when I was about to fire we heard un- 

 mistakably the grunt of a wild pig. Turning reluctantly from the 

 " bird in the hand " we tried to discover the pigs, but failed, and so 

 lost both. The Dyaks fished d. ' igently in the lake during my stay, 

 and everything caught w:.s brought to me. The largest fish taken 

 was a very handsome goby {Eleofris marmorata), seventeen inches 

 long ; and the most interesting were three species of climbing perch, 

 Anahas scandens and two others. 



After a fortnight's sojourn at the Popook village, I felt satisfied 

 that I had exhausted that locality, and, when Mr. Eng Quee's boat 

 arrived, we loaded up, took leave of our friendly and hospitable hosts 

 — not without regret, on my part, I am bound to say — and returned 

 to Simujan without hap or mishap. 



