loo The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. v. 



Here also were two of the most distinct of all rhododen- 

 drons, H. ericifolium and R. stenophyllum. On open 

 spaces among rocks and sedges, the giant Nepenthes 

 Bajah began to appear, the plants being of aU sizes, and 

 in the most luxuriant health and beauty. The soil in 

 which they grew was a stiff yeUow loam, surfaced with 

 sandstone-grit, and around the larger plants a good deal 

 of rich humus and leaf debris had collected. The long 

 red-pitchered N. Edwardsiana was seen in two places. 

 This plant, hke N. Lowii, is epiphytal in its perfect state, 

 and is of a slender rambling habit. Highest of all in 

 the great nepenthes zone came N. villosa, a beautiful 

 plant, having rounded pitchers of the softest pink colour, 

 with a crimson frilled orifice, similar to that of N. Ed- 

 wardsiana. All thoughts of fatigue and discomfort 

 vanished as we gazed on these Kving wonders of the 

 Bornean Andes ! Here, on this cloud-girt mountain 

 side, were vegetable treasures which Imperial Kew had 

 longed for in vain. Discovered by Mr. Low in 1851, 

 dried specimens had been transmitted by him to Europe, 

 and Dr. (now Sir Joseph) Hooker had described and 

 illustrated them in the Transactions of the Lionsean 

 Society, but all attempts to introduce them aHve into 

 European gardens had failed. To see these plants in all 

 their health and vigour was a sensation I shall never 

 forget — one of those which we experience but rarely in a 

 whole lifetime ! 



We reached the cave (altitude 9,000 feet) about three 

 o'clock, wet and hungry, but far from unhappy. Oui- 

 first care was to light a fire, which was not at aU easy to 

 do, siace everything was dripping wet. We secured a 

 bit of dry wood at last, however, and by whittling thin 

 shavings from it with a knife, we managed to start a 

 good fire, and some of the men were directed to cut fire- 



