IN TIMOR. 427 



CHAPTER II. 



ON THE EOAD TO BIBICU^U. 



Start for the interior — Vegetation on the way — Roads — Camp on Erlura — 

 Mt. Tehula — Kelehoko and its flora-r-Pass a night under the eaves of a 

 native dwelling — Huts in trees — Bed of the Biver Komai — Pass a night 

 on Ligidoik Mountain — Character of country — -Valley of the Waimatang 

 Kaimauk — Singular scene — Unburied relatives — Burial rites — Grave- 

 sticks — Rites attending a king's death — Swangies — Lose our way — 

 Flora on Turskain mountain — Rajah of Turskain's — Botanical excur- 

 sions — The rites of the sacred Luli and the choosing of warriors — The 

 Rajah. 



After many hours spent in arranging the burdens of the 

 different ponies and men, I despatched the cavalcade at eleven 

 o'clock (March 30th). The officer expressed the greatest asto- 

 nishment at all absence of timidity on A.'s part on being 

 left alone ; but, on being reminded that she was an " English 

 Senhora," he appeared satisfied that the fact was sufficient to 

 explain the phenomenon. He encouraged her with assurances 

 that there was nothing to fear for my safety, swearing to her on 

 the cross-hilt of his sword that if anything befell me it would 

 be over his body, and solemnly charged also the little old 

 woman who was to be her factotum, that if she failed in her duty 

 she might expect, on my return, all the calamities that her 

 superstition could picture to her. Having constructed for 

 myself a saddle and stirrups out of my. Ulster coat and a 

 rope looped at both ends, and given A. a last assuring word, 

 I followed the cavalcade, ascending the well-known path 

 above our hut to 2500 feet, where, turning eastward along 

 the summit of the ridge, we travelled parallel to the coast, on 

 our way, in the first instance, to the Rajah of Turskain's. 



The vegetation was almost exclusively Melastomaoem, with 

 acacias, tamarinds, and gum-trees, while in the narrowest and 

 most inaccessible gorges tall graceful tree-ferns abounded 

 among thick shrubbery, whose components I could not 



