JOURNEY ACROSS THE MALAY PENINSULA. . pas) 
diary caves or chambers, two on the right of the entrance and 
one on the left, each partially lighted by rifts im the roof. 
The main cave and the smaller chambers are all very fine, and 
reminded me of the Sélangor cave at Batu, though Ido not 
think any of them equal in beauty or size that magnificent 
rock chamber. 
We spent a considerable time in fie Kota Balei and then, 
descending the ladder, walked a few steps to the edge of the 
present insignificant stream where you find yourself facing a 
long, low and straight gallery with a straight, flat roof not 
less than twenty feet wide. This very remarkable passage 
with its wide flat roof only about seven to eight feet from the 
ground was cut by the river out of the solid rock before that 
ancient period when, for some reason not yet explained, the 
volume of water in the river became immensely reduced, or 
the original stream was diverted into some other channel leay- 
ing the results of the battle between the water and the rock in 
the form of the present caves, whence all trace of water has 
disappeared leaving only the evidence of its power as a con- 
stant source of admiration and wonder to the Malays of the 
country. 
At the end of this gallery the rock has been hollowed out 
into a circular chamber of some height, while from the centre 
of the ceiling depends one enormous and strikingly beautiful 
stalactite. After luncheon, with lanterns and torches we ex- 
plored the long dark cavern which extends into the hill from 
the back of this circular ante-chamber. 
There is nothing to reward the explorer, but the place is 
infested by myriads oF bats which are only with difficulty kept 
from striking you in their blind flight towards the lights. The 
masses of Malays in their many coloured dresses “with the 
light of the torches shining on their weapons and swarthy 
faces, the deep shadowy gloom of the cave as a background, 
here and there faintly lighted by a ray from the distant en- 
trance, made a scene very remarkable in its picturesque 
effect. | 
We left Kota Kélanggi at noon and reached our hut at 
Pulau Tawer in exactly two hours, after a very smart walk ; 
the heat from Kula Tékam to the village was indescribable, 
and the Tou GAJAn was quite knocked up, taking refuge in a 
