126 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. vi. 



mite, and scarcely visible ; others are black, their bodies 

 being an inch in length. Some species bite very sharp 

 if disturbed, as I found to my cost, when scrambling 

 about over the branches of trees after orchids, and other 

 plants. There is one species of nepenthes (iV. hical- 

 ■carata), having large red urns, the stalks of which 

 are invariably perforated by a species of ant ; and I 

 found a flowering shrub on the Tawaran river, the 

 stems of which were swollen and hollow just below the 

 flower-heads, this being due to the punctures of ants ; 

 a remarkably curious gouty-stemmed plant, parasitical 

 on low jungle-trees in Labuan — ^myrmecodia — actually 

 depends for its existence on the bite of a species of 

 ant. The seed germinates on the bark of the foster- 

 tree; and when the seedling has attained a certain 

 height, the growth ceases, and it remains stationary, 

 until the necessary bite is given, when the stem swells 

 out at the base, and leaves and flowers are produced in 

 due course. If not thus punctured, the young plant 

 dies. The gouty or swoUen stem is hoUow, and forms 

 a refuge for the ants, which in their turn may afford it 

 some needful protection, since they rush out boldly to 

 attack trespassers who disturb the tree on which their 

 fostered-shelter plant grows. 



One day, as I emerged from the forest on the western 

 shore of the island, I came across a young Kadyan 

 engaged in making salt. The process, as carried out by 

 him, was very simple. A heap of drift wood is collected, 

 and of this a fire is made, so as to secure a good supply 

 of ashes. The ashes are placed in a small tub, and sea- 

 water is filtered through them, so as to catch up whatever 

 salt they contain. It now remains for the water to be 

 evaporated, so as to leave the salt. To this end evapo- 

 rating-pans, or rather receptacles, are neatly made from 



