chap, in.] FERNS AND PITCHER-PLANTS. 49 



is the tallest and most elegant, and is known only from 

 this mountaiu, and neither of them is yet introduced into 

 our hot-houses. 



It was very striking to come out from the dark, cool, and 

 shady forest in which we had been ascending since we 

 started, on to this hot, open rocky slope where we seemed 

 to have entered at one step from a lowland to an alpine 

 vegetation. The height, as measured by a sympiesometer, 

 was about 2,800 feet. We had been told we' should find 

 water at Padang-batu, but we looked about for it in vain, 

 as we were exceedingly thirsty. At last we turned to the 

 pitcher-plants, but the water contained in the pitchers 

 (about half a pint in each) was full of insects, and other- 

 wise uninviting. On 'tasting it, however, we found it very 

 palatable though rather warm, and we all quenched our 

 thirst from these natural jugs. Farther on we came to 

 forest again, but of a more dwarf and stunted character 

 than below ; and alternately passing along ridges and de- 

 scending into valleys, we reached a peak separated from the 

 true summit of the mountain by a considerable chasm. 

 Here our porters gave in, and declared they could carry 

 their loads no further; and certainly the ascent to the 

 highest peak was very precipitous. But on the spot where 

 we were there was no water, whereas it was well known 

 that there was a spring close to the summit, so we deter- 

 mined to go on without them, and carry with us only 



VOL. I. e 



