CHAP. XXXI.] LODGINGS AT WANUMBAL 239 



which could be lifted and propped up to admit light and 

 air. At the end where this was situated the floor was 

 raised about a foot, and this piece, about ten feet wide 

 by twenty long, quite open to the rest of the hou.se, was 

 the portion I was to occupy. At one end of this piece, 

 separated by a thatch partition, was a cooking place, with 

 a clay floor and shelves for crockery. At the opposite end 

 I had my mosquito curtain hung, and round the walls we 

 arranged my boxes and other stores, fitted up a table and 

 seat, and with a little cleaning and dusting made the place 

 look quite comfortable. My boat was then hauled up on 

 shore, and covered with palm-leaves, the sails and oars 

 brought indoors, a hanging-stage for drying my specimens 

 erected outside the house and another inside, and my 

 boys were set to clean their guns and get all ready for 

 beginning work. 



The next day I occupied myself in exploring the paths 

 in the immediate neighbourhood. The small river up 

 which we had ascended ceases to be navigable at this 

 point, above which it is a little rocky brook, which quite 

 dries up in the hot season. There was now, however, a 

 fair stream of water in it; and a path which was partly 

 in and partly by the side of the water, promised well 

 for insects, as I here saw the magnificent blue but- 

 terfly, Papilio ulysses, as well as several other fine species, 

 flopping lazily along, sometimes resting high up) on the 



