chap iv.] THE SIMUNJON RIVER. 55 



has been so frequently described that I shall pass it over, 

 especially as, owing to its being the height of the wet 

 season, my collections were comparatively poor and insig- 

 nificant. 



In March 1865 I determined to go to the coal-works 

 which were being opened near the Simunjon Eiver, a 

 small branch of the Sadong, a river east of Sarawak and 

 between it and the Batang-Lupar. The Simunjon enters 

 the Sadong Eiver about twenty miles up. It is very 

 narrow and very winding, and much overshadowed by the 

 lofty forest, which sometimes almost meets over it. The 

 whole country between it and the sea is a perfectly level 

 forest-covered swamp, out of which rise a few isolated 

 hdls, at the foot of one of which the works are situated. 

 From the landing-place to the hill a Dyak road had been 

 formed, which consisted solely of tree-trunks laid end to 

 end. Along these the bare-footed natives walk and cany 

 heavy burdens with the greatest ease, but to a booted 

 European it is very slippery work, and when one's atten- 

 tion is constantly attracted by the various objects of 

 interest around, a few tumbles into the bog are almost 

 inevitable. During my first walk along this road I saw 

 few insects or birds, but noticed some very handsome 

 orchids in flower, of the genus Ccelogyne, a group which I 

 afterwards found to be very abundant, and characteristic of 

 the district. On the slope of the hill near its foot a 



