JOURNEY ACROSS THE MALAY PENINSULA. 13 
prescribe for several people since I came here, fortunately with 
good results. 
Devoted the day to writing up journal, and in the evening 
went out to try and find some jungle fowl, but failed. Bet- 
ween the river and the hills there is one great level plain 
covered with very short grass. Until three years ago this 
was a padi-field, but owing to defects in the irrigation system, 
they cannot now cultivate. The drought here is excessive, 
even the sireh vines are all burnt up; there are no vegetables, 
owing to the dryness of the ground, and the people live on 
rice and on what fish they can catch in the river. The vil- 
lagers, principally the womenkind, wash the sand in the bed 
of the river for gold, and get from ‘sixteen cents to one dollar’s 
worth a day. 
Friday, 24th April—Left Séger at 7.30 a.m. and walked 
through the fields to Jeram Témiale, about two miles, GILEs 
going in the boats. All the trees that do flower seem to have 
come out in this dry weather, and we passed many covered all 
over with a splendid purple bloom, others bright scarlet and 
yellow, and the Mémplas,* the leaves of which are used as 
sand-paper, in full flower, a delicate pale yellow blossom with 
the sweetest scent. I have never seen it in flower before, nor 
the trees in such profusion. ‘These level grass plains dotted 
over with flowerimg shrubs are very unlike other parts of the 
Peninsula. The heat is excessive even from early morning, 
and the nights are not cool. 
Having taken out of the rafts such baggage as would be 
damaged by water, we started again at 9.30 a.m., and reached 
Jeram Béstii at 10 a.m. This rapid and the approach to it 
form the most striking picture we have yet seen on this river, 
which presents a long succession of lovely ever-changing 
scenes. ‘lhe river widens into a pool of dark unbroken water, 
with steep bills covered by virgin forest rising straight from 
the edge of the pool ; then it narrows to the head of the rapid, 
which is in truth a cataract. From top to bottom of the rapid, 
_——_——— ——— nt 
* Probably a Michelia. The crdinary mempilas is a ficus; ( ficus microcarpa, 
amplus and poritor ia). See the description of this and other species of pees 
in Java. FORBES’ Eastern Archipelago, 77.—En., 
