chap, v.] PEN IN J A UH MO UN TAIN. 131 



from one which I often visited in the Aru Islands) will 

 convey some idea of their general character. I believe 

 that they originate as parasites, from seeds carried by 

 birds and dropped in the fork of some lofty tree. Hence 

 descend aerial roots, clasping and ultimately destroying 

 the supporting tree, which is in time entirely replaced by 

 the humble plant which was at first dependent upon it. 

 Thus we have an actual struggle for life in the vege- 

 table kingdom, not less fatal to the vanquished than the 

 struggles among animals which we can so much more 

 easily observe and understand. The advantage of quicker 

 access to light and warmth and air, which is gained in one 

 way by climbing plants, is here obtained by a forest tree, 

 which has the means of starting in life at an elevation 

 which others can only attain after many years of growth, 

 and then only when the fall of some other tree has made 

 room for them. Thus it is that in the warm and moist 

 and equable climate of the tropics, each available station 

 is seized upon, and becomes the means of developing new 

 forms of life especially adapted to occupy it. 



On reaching Sarawak early in December I found there 

 would not be an opportunity of returning to Singapore till 

 the latter end of January. I therefore accepted Sir James 

 Brooke's invitation to spend a week with him and Mr. 

 St. John at his cottage on Peninjauh. This is a very steep 

 pyramidal mountain of crystalline basaltic rock, about a 



k2 



