IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



bullosa, which lives in the clear and rapid waters of the Entabei. 

 I found other species of the same genus on the muddy banks of the 

 Bintulu and Igan ; and another and very large species (C. ciliata, 

 Fisch.) is abundant on the slimy mud along the banks of the Sarawak 

 river, where at low tide it is partially out of the water. The Cryftto- 

 coryne of the Simanggan forest was evidently adapted to live in the 

 limpid waters of the densest forests, and thus in perennial deep 

 shade. The spathe in species is very long, and terminates in a 

 long filament which resembles that of the European Arisarum firo- 

 boscideum, and serves, perhaps, to guide fecundating insects into the 

 nuptial chamber when the waters are low. Another species (Crypto- 

 coryne fallidinervia, Engl.), found at Simanggan, grows under con- 

 ditions resembling those in which C. longicauda occurs, and is an 

 instance (which I believe to be hitherto unrecorded) of a subaqueous 

 plant having leaves variegated with white along the midrib. 



I remained for a week at Simanggan Fort as the Tuan Muda's 

 guest, and was thus able to finish drying and arranging the plants 

 which I had collected. They were not numerous, but were of 

 exceptional importance. 



At that time of the year to return by sea to Kuching was a serious 

 undertaking in a small boat, for the north-east monsoon was 

 blowing strong on the coast. I was very desirous, moreover, of 

 visiting and exploring the country between the Batang Lupar and 

 the Sarawak rivers, a region quite unknown to me. I therefore 

 decided to return to Kuching overland. Of the Dyaks who had 

 accompanied me thus far, Ladja and one. other alone expressed the 

 wish to go on with me, the others remaining at Simanggan. I had, 

 besides, my two Malays, Sahat and Bakar, who had followed me 

 from Bintulu, and the Tuan Muda kindly gave me a boat and a few 

 more Sea-Dyaks to accompany me as far as Banting (Fig. 56). 



We left Simanggan early on November 8th, but shortly after 

 noon a most violent storm burst over us, obliging us to seek re- 

 fuge in a small stream until the wind abated. The river, which 

 was very wide at that spot, assumed the aspect of a tempestuous 

 sea, and would have been very dangerous for our fragile boat. That 

 evening we reached Lingga, and I took up my quarters in the 

 old fort. 



Early next morning I went up to the mission-house at Banting, 

 where Mr. Chambers gave me a most cordial and hospitable recep- 

 tion, repeating the kindnesses he had shown me a year before when 

 I visited him with the Bishop of Labuan. The next day was a 

 Sunday, and I took a quiet stroll on the hill, leaving my gun at 

 home. Banting Hill is entirely covered with great fruit-trees, mostly 

 durians, amongst which the Dyak houses are built. 



From Banting one has a fine view of Gunong Lingga, or Gunong 

 Lessong, thus named on account of its shape — a truncated cone 



342 



