IN BUBU. 393 



of penetrating into this interesting island. Meanwhile I 

 employed myself in collecting round Kajeli, where I obtained 

 many of the species of birds discovered there by Mr. Wallace, 

 and described by him in the " Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society" for 1863, among them the interesting oriole (Oriolus 

 huruensis) and the honey bird {Philemon moluccensis) which 

 it mimics, both closely resembling the corresponding species 

 shot in Larat, as well as the pretty Kajeli kingfisher {Geyx cajeli), 

 the Aprosmictus huruensis, and the rare Eolecfus intermedins. 



On the 14th we started for our first stage towards the Lake, 

 the village of Wai Bloi (where we were to find oui' transport 

 men waiting us), accompanied by the Eajah of Kajeli, in 

 whose district the Lake lies, and the Pati of Lisela through a 

 portion of whose territory we had to pass. The way to Wai 

 (river) Bloi, the first village beyond the morass land fringing 

 the shore, lay up the river Wai Apu, which debouches in 

 the centre of the Kajeli Bay, an hour's sail from the town. 



The river near its embouchure splits into many arms among 

 the mangrove swamps, then winds for hours through low 

 morass between banks green with fern-hedges dipping their 

 fronds into the sluggish water under the shade of tall slender 

 trees. Higher up these gave place to Pandan thickets out of 

 which rose tall Lontar-, Pinang-, and wild sago- {Metroxylon 

 filare) palms, and graceful tree ferns. Where the banks were 

 less submerged the jungle became very dense behind a thick 

 barrier of Mangabrabu in profuse flower (Cerhera odallam and 

 C. lactaria) Apocynaceous shrubs, which lined the river sides 

 for miles, and dotted the water with their white blossoms. 

 Out of this thicket an occasional black cuckoo {Eudynamis 

 ransomi) flew out as we passed, while on the taller trees whose 

 heads shot up above the jungle sat many white Nutmeg- 

 pigeons (Myristicivora melanura) and here and there a red- 

 necked hawk (Accipiter rubricollis). 



After four hours of hard rowing, the blue hills shot up 

 right ahead and broke the gloom of the monotonous vege- 

 tation which had bounded our view, and between which, 

 throughout the rest of the hot afternoon, our prau was now 

 slowly dragged through frequent rapids, now laboriously 

 poled upwards against the swiftening stream. Baked in our 

 cramped position in the narrow boat, the journey would 



