98 VOYAGE FROM INDIA TO SI AM AND MALACCA. 



which lio two German miles to the south of Malacca, and con- 

 sist of several islands lying close tog-ether. 



2'), — At four o'clock in the morning I set out in a hired 

 boat for the Water islands, and ere dawn we had almost made 

 half the journey. At sun-rise we were just opposite Mr. de 

 VVint's country-house, who has ordered some trees to be cut 

 down, so that one has a good view of the principal building. 

 The high mountains, which are called Ophir mountains by the 

 Dutch, lay in the North-east, and were clearly distinguishable. 

 They consisted of some lower and several high pointed moun- 

 tain ranges. The second range seemed to be highest ; the high- 

 est mountain was steep and looked as if it liung over the 

 others, pointing northward, which circumstance is used by the 

 Malays to know what direction they have to take. 



The mountain is called in the Malav language (missing in 

 M.S.) 



At seven o'clock we came to a small island which lay 

 foremost, having the lowest shores at the side nearest the 

 Water islands, and here lay some debris of a ship lately foundered 

 liere. The low shore was quite overgrown with Sachanim 

 (hamlnoii', higher up were many kinds of Filicices, specially 

 the Fohipadium distic/m/n, which i^urm. has drawn in his Fl. 

 Zeyl, which tried to out-rival the Osinunda as regards climbing. 

 I saw many trees without blossoms or fruits which I had not 

 seen before, and so I collected some parts of them. Strong con- 

 tinual rain made my way through the high grass very trouble- 

 some. I found many climbing plants, specially the Cissus cor- 

 ili folia, Sinilcw laurifolia, the common large Glycine, which fre- 

 quently entangled my feet. The grass was almost of a man's 

 height. 



I picked up a fruit, which resembled a blue plum, but it 

 only consisted of a kernel and was not as large as this kind 

 of plum g'enerally is. The cliffs were covered with Epidendris, 

 of which 1 had until now not had any blossoms. Convo!vu!m 

 JIavroi'//f/:oi), Conrolvuhis pes Capro were entwined in some 

 shrubs, these being mostly Melastoma. Near the shore there 

 were son;e Fuci of the khids already known. 



I then went to the large island which lies about a cannon 

 shot distatit from the smaller one. They are almost joined 

 together by a long sandl>ank. We landed at the north ea 



