IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



I went across in my sampan, but should not do it again, for on 

 our return we had a narrow escape of being swamped, a heavy- 

 sea having got up very suddenly. River boats are certainly not 

 safe, even for a short trip at sea. Satang Island is mostly formed 

 by a small hill, partly granitic and partly sandstone, on the south 

 side, whilst its northern portion, farthest from the mainland, is 

 limestone, rising in cliffs which overhang the sea. Here I found 

 plants which I had not met with elsewhere, but on the southern, 

 nearer end the plants were identical with those on the sea-shore 

 at Sibu. On the calcareous rocks overhanging the sea I saw edible 

 nests of a species of Collocalia, but they were quite inaccessible. 

 Along the eastern side is an extensive sandy beach, on which 

 turtles come ashore to deposit their eggs. Here is the landing- 

 place, opposite the hut of a man in charge of the island, who not 

 only collects the turtle-eggs, but takes care of a coconut planta- 

 tion. 



During the night I remained on Satang several turtles landed 

 to lay their eggs, which are deposited in a hole about 2 \ feet deep, 

 to the number of from 100 to 180, and are then covered up with sand 

 so cleverly as to leave no trace of the operation. The turtle which 

 resorts to Satang Island is the Thalassochelys caretta, a species 

 found also in the Mediterranean, and very abundant along the 

 shores of Malaysia and in the Indian Ocean. 



In the month of August I accompanied the Tuan Muda on an 

 excursion to Mount Poe, in search of a site for the establishing of a 

 coffee-plantation. Mr. Martin, an experienced coffee-planter from 

 Java, went with us, and I started in my sampan with my usual 

 native crew, following the boat of the Tuan Muda. After descending 

 the Sarawak river, we coasted westwards, keeping a few yards 

 from the shore, a sandy beach which runs from the mouth of the 

 Sarawak river to that of the Lundu. The weather was beautiful 

 and the sea perfectly calm, as it nearly always is during the south- 

 west monsoon, from April to November. 



I occasionally landed and walked along the sandy beach, taking 

 my gun, and getting a shot now and then at shore-birds (Tringa 

 and Totanus), which ran along by the water's edge feeding on small 

 worms and crustaceans. We reached thus the mouth of the Lundu 

 river, which we entered and ascended for several hours, landing 

 at a spot whence an excellent road, leading through a magnificent 

 forest, took us to Sadomak, a large Dyak village with a missionary 

 station, where we slept. 



On the morning of August 14th we started to climb Mount Poe. 

 A number of Dyaks carried our luggage, which was rather bulky, 

 as we intended to camp for several days in the forest. Our road 

 led at first over a flat country, which extended to the foot of the 

 mountain, and was mostly cleared of primeval forest and swampy. 



