CRUISE IN THE SOUTHERN CHINA SEA. 61 



massed fairly close together over thirteen or fourteen miles of 

 sea. Only Great Tambelan is inhabited but on the others the 

 people have numerous ladangs and pondoks. The population 

 consists of Malays, 500-600 in number. 



Bunoa. 



As Gilla and Selendang were too small to be productive, 

 after one more visit we transferred operations to Pulo Bunoa 

 close by. The islands form roughly two parallel lines lying 

 N. E. and S. W. Bunoa is the largest of the south-western 

 group. It is about four miles long and two and a half wide, 

 on the whole gently rounded in contour with gradual forested 

 hills rising to a height of 900 feet. On the northern side is a 

 bay that offers good anchorage in the S. W. monsoon. 



We tramped through the island for three days after birds 

 and beasts. A form of "Krah" was common and from those 

 collected here, and later on in the Anambas, a new species 

 Macacus pumilus has been described which differs from M. 

 cynomolgus in being paler and much smaller. The little pied 

 hornbill (Anthrococeros convexus) was numerous : their chattering 

 resounded through the jungle like the yelping of puppies. 

 Once in stalking them I lost my bearings and at last crossing a 

 slight trail followed it up on the wrong hand and passing by a 

 little stream that suddenly disapppeared subterraneously, came 

 on a ladder path and log-slide running down a sleep hill side to 

 a strange beach that in the end proved to be on the further side of 

 the island. Thinking it easier to return to the boat by follow- 

 ing the coast than by retracing my steps, I let myself in for a 

 five or six miles scramble in mangroves and mud, over soft sand 

 and rocks, across coral reefs and through water breast high 

 before I found the schooner again. 



Arenga palms are numerous in the jungle and are worked 

 for sugar by the natives. The trees are tapped near the top 

 and bamboo receptacles are fastened beneath the incisions to re- 

 ceive the sap. Here and there we came across the boiling-down 

 furnaces that consisted of large Hat iron pans raised above the 

 fire on clay walls. Before concentration the sap is carefully 

 strained through a bunch of fibre to remove impurities and is 

 then boiled down either to a treacly consistency or to a still 



R ; A, Soc, No. 41, 1903. 



