1 10 MR. D. D. DALY ON THE CAVES CONTAINING [Feb. 7, 



No. 1. The Gomanton Caves, near Sandakan, East Coast, are 

 by far the most extensive and rich in quantity and quality of birds'- 

 nests. These limestone caves are reached from Sandakan, the 

 capital of British North Borneo, by ascending the Sapagaya River, 

 which flows into the vast harbour of Sandakan, and from the head 

 of the navigation of the Sapagaya by a jungle-track, /^ miles in 

 length, to the Gomanton caves. These caves can therefore easily 

 be reached in half a day from Sandakan. Marching along the 

 narrow track, between green walls of tropical jungle, the traveller at 

 times takes breath to notice ferns, lycopodiums, pitcher-plants, 

 and orchids that love the shade of valuable bard-wood forest 

 trees. The crow of the Argus Pheasant frequently breaks the 

 stillness, and the monster ape, the "Orang utan " (in Malay 

 "Mias") looks down with surprise at the passing wayfarer from 

 lofty branches overhead. As the caves are approached, half a mile 

 off, the air is strongly impregnated with the odour of guano, 

 of which there are valuable deposits ; then slippery, moss-grown 

 limestone boulders are scaled until the entrance, " Simud Putech " 

 (Malay for " white entrance "), is reached. This porch is situated 

 at an altitude of 570 feet, by aneroid, above the sea, and being 30 feet 

 high by 50 feet wide, presents a noble entrance. Leaving this, a 

 further climb of 500 feet brings the traveller to the summit of the 

 Gomanton Caves. Peering down a small aperture, a magnificent 

 cavern variously estimated at 850 to 900 feet in depth, or upwards of 

 twice the height of St. Paul's, London, is disclosed. The native 

 climbers descend from this hole, holding on to a network of rattan 

 ladders that spread over the limestone roof of the vaults ; as seen 

 from the floor of the cave, the collectors appear like flies as they 

 clamber about in their perilous work. Here, on the summit, there 

 are some cocoa-nut trees, lime trees, and a plateau of grass. A grand 

 panoramic view is unfolded, Sandakan harbour and distant cloud- 

 capped ranges being prominent. Looking down from the plateau, 

 there is a precipitous cliff inviting the weary mind with suicidal 

 intent. Let us descend again to the Simud Putech entrance. It is 

 very steep and slippery work ; suddenly a vast dome-shaped cham- 

 ber is entered. This dome is honeycombed with other domes, all 

 of which have their native names, as precise as the nomenclature of 

 the leading thoroughfares into Trafalgar Square. The vaulted cor- 

 ridors leading to this dome are about 150 feet high. Let no man 

 enter these caves without torch or candle, as there are dangerous 

 fissures. Li this, the Simud Putech cave, looking to the left, a 

 dark abyss, known as the Simud Itam (Malay for " black entrance ") 

 Cave, is pointed out by the guide; its depth is estimated at 400 feet. 

 The Simud Putech Cave is coated with a layer of Swifts' guano from 

 5 to 15 feet in depth ; it is less valuable than the Bats' guano in the 

 Simud Itam and other caves. 



Swiftletsinthem. These nests having been overlooked or being inaccessible to 

 the inexpert climber, are used by the birds for laying their eggs and rearing 

 young ones year after year, until they turn black and worthless. 



