Natural-History Collectors. 7043 



more fear than hurt; if they come out of their impenetrable dens 

 during the night, the presence of man at sunrise makes them quickly 

 return to their retreats, and to obtain them it is necessary to pursue 

 them a long time, and to wait near the ponds and marshes where they 

 go to drink. 



The fallow deer differ from those of Siam, and most resemble those 

 of Cochin China. I have found many good and rare things here, but 

 it is not unlikely that later T may find the same in Siam. The bam- 

 boo wood, which I had neglected for a long time, furnishes me now 

 with an abundant harvest,— magnificent longicorns, which I much 

 wanted. From one day to another one may prepare a quantity ; it is 

 sufficient for this to cut down some of those trees near the paths, 

 leave them to suspend obliquely and attached to the summit of 

 a neighbouring tree ; at the hottest part of the following day you are 

 sure, on visiting them, to find those beautiful insects near the knots, 

 or at work perforating the trunks, so as to make incisions. 



What will also cause you to rejoice, my dear Mr. Stevens, is the 

 beautiful collection of land shells, and of which I am endeavouring to 

 make ample provision. When, and above all how, am 1 to return to 

 Cambodia, and from thence to Siam ? I dare not think of the difficulties 

 which await me with this wretched people, the Cambodians, in trans- 

 porting my treasures ; the dreadful shakings which my boxes of insects 

 will have is heart-breaking, and I hope you will join your ardent 

 wishes to mine that the beautiful collection which I already have, 

 and which I shall, 1 hope, enrich still more, may be received by you 

 in a perfect state, and at least that a part may be saved, so as 

 to enrich and be of some service to Natural History. " Poor soldier 

 of the Science, they are thy trophies, and when lost, it is so much the 

 more painful, having gained them by the sweat of thy brow." Should 

 the war with Annam cease, I might visit a corner of that country and 

 • return by water to Pinhahi. I do not, however, count upon that, but 

 in short those who live will see. In recommending myself to your 

 kind remembrances, I bid you good-bye, and wish you the same 

 health which 1 enjoy in the forests of the Stiengs : may God preserve 

 me from their arrows. 



H. MOUHOT. 



I PS. — 20th December, 1859. — I arrived last evening at Pinhalu in 



' perfect health, and am just setting off to the North to visit the famous 



ruins of Onkor, and to return to Bankok by Korat. 1 have scarcely 



I time to write a few lines to you and to my family, so that you may be 



