A TRIP TO GUNONG BINTANG. su 
it must filter away. From observations made on other parts of the range, 
I believe the upper crust, to the extent of 1,500 to 2,000 feet, is decom- 
posed granite, so soft that 1t can be cut with a knife or changkol as easily 
as an earth bank. These holes may therefore serve as reservoirs for 
colleeting the water which feeds the hot springs at a lower elevation, 
their heat and mineral salts being obtained from the decomposing 
granite. In many cases they are no doubt the cause of large landslips, 
which appear to occur periodically in these ranges. 
16th. Thermometer fell to 56.2° during the night. For the first 
time I was able to successfully observe Western Hill, Penang, till 2 pm., 
the main reason I| had for visiting Gunong Bintang. There was now 
nothing further to detain me, so [ prepared for striking camp on the 
morrow. It may perhaps be worth recording here that on the tops of 
Perak hills over 4,000 feet in elevation materials suitable for hut building 
are seldom, if ever, found, and it is generally necessary to carry materials 
a considerable distance. On Bintang, which is more favourably situated 
than most of the higher mountains in Perak, the coolies had to walk 24 
miles and descend over 2,000 feet to find ataps. The materials for the 
hut I occupied (7 feet long, 5 feet high, and 4 feet 6 inches wide) re- 
quired four men for four days to collect and deliver on the top of the 
mountain. It will thus be seen that the proper housing of a large body 
of coolies, on a mountain over 4,000 feet in elevation, is a most difficult 
matter, which, if neglected, leads to the coolies contracting fever and 
not infrequently dying from exposure. I am glad to say that on this 
occasion, although they suffered much from fever and bronchitis, from 
which about half the labour employed suffered more or less, none died 
in the jungle, nor have I since heard of any deaths which could be attri- 
buted to this trip. 
17th. The previous night was warm, and the thermometer did not 
fall below 56°. The morning was fine, and I started on my return 
journey for Selama at 8 a.m. On the way down I fixed the most promi- 
nent points of the watershed, which is here the Perak boundary, and 
at noon arrived at South Bintang, where we remained for the night, at an 
elevation of about 5,118 feet. 
18th. Having completed the observations required at South Bintang, 
I determined the height of the pass into Ulu Perak, which is situated 
between this point and False Bintang, as it appeared to me to be the best 
way of getting into the Ulu Rhui and Klian Indah tin mines from North 
Larut. Having directed the main body of the coolies to travel to the hot 
spring on the Krian River and there to wait for me; I left at 8.35 a.m. 
with two coolies, and travelled about ENE till 11.30 a.m., when, at 
an elevation of 2,500 feet, I struck into the valley of a subterranean river, 
probably the Ulu Kendrong, running a little north of east. The bed 
was full of enormous boulders, under which the water could be heard 
dashing along, though nowhere could it be seen. We had descended too 
far and missed the pass, so we turned up to the westward, and ‘after 
a short climb, found ourselves on a well-beaten elephant track which led 
to the pass. It took us past an old camping-ground, of probably eight 
years or more ago, and then into a defile through high granite boulders. 
Here we suddenly became aware of the presence of elephants, from the 
