IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



Wandering on without finding a suitable place to commence the 

 ascent of the mountain, we reached a part of the forest where the 

 trees were of enormous height and size, the ground beneath being 

 quite bare and devoid of undergrowth. I found by examining the 

 dead leaves, which formed a soft, brown carpet over which it was 

 pleasant to walk, that these trees were of species belonging to the 

 genera Shorea, Hopea, and Dipterocarpus, members of the family 

 which bears the latter name. Game was scarce, and except a few 

 " pergams," huge pigeons of the genus Carpophaga, which were 

 perched high up in the trees beyond range, no animals were met 

 with. 



After a very long tramp we found that we were going round a 

 projecting spur, which would have led us away from, rather than 

 towards the mountain. This induced us to try the ascent, although 

 the place was very steep ; but the vegetation was so dense and there 

 were so many roots to hold on by and obtain a footing, that we 

 managed to reach a sort of terrace which extended on a level for 

 a considerable distance. This led us, though at a higher elevation, 

 back towards the spot where we had been turned aside by the moun- 

 tain spur. Here I found a diminutive pinang very abundant, with a 

 stem hardly as thick as one's little finger, and growing to about a 

 man's height (Areca minuta, Schaff.) We also met with a small 

 species of Licuala with undivided and nearly circular leaves, of the 

 shape of a Chinese fan (L. orbicularis, Becc). The Dyaks use 

 these leaves, which they call " daun nisang," for making thatch 

 and hats, and especially for wrapping up " nassi " (cooked rice), 

 tobacco, etc., etc. 



After a couple of hours or so of hard climbing and a rest for some 

 food, we at length gained the summit, or rather what we imagined 

 to be so. Even here it was forest-clad, and I was obliged to cut 

 down some trees to get a view. These were neither very tall nor very 

 stout here, but their wood was singularly tough. When they were 

 cleared away we found that we could overlook the country as far 

 as Kuching. From this elevation the plain looked like an immense 

 expanse of verdure extending to the far horizon, formed by the 

 upper surface of the dense forest. In some places large blotches 

 of another tint were conspicuous ; these were mostly white, and were 

 caused by forest trees in full blossom. Some, however, were of a 

 bright red, a colour which I found later to be due to the flowers of a 

 giant \ia.na.(Bauhinia Burbidgii), which displays its brilliant colouring 

 by climbing over the tops of the biggest trees. Having found a 

 small bit of level ground, we all set to work to clear it in order to 

 build a " lanko," or temporary hut, wherein to pass the night. In 

 case no water was to be found on the summit, I had had sections of 

 bamboo filled at the spring where we took our last meal. 



While the men were busy setting up our lanko and lighting 



70 



