BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN BORNEO. 



49 



also does N. Rajah, with pitchers like quart jugs, in one of 

 which, according to Sir S. St. John, a rat was found drowned. 



Again, along with the last named, is also found N. villosa, 

 with its rosy-red Peach-like urns so splendidly frilled (nat. 

 hyb. N. Harry ana). N. Rajah is a terrestrial plant, but all the 

 other three named are epiphytal, at least in their full-grown or 

 adult stages, and to see these noble species growing here, 

 clambering over shrubs and low trees, their stems throwing out 

 roots into the mossy branches, and their great coloured urns 

 depending from every leaf, is certainly a sight to see once and 

 think of with pleasure ever afterwards. 



And yet to me as to Sir Hugh Low, Sir Spencer St. John, 

 and also to my good friend Mr. P. C. M. Veitch, who was with me 

 on my first ascent of this mountain, there will always be some 

 little regret, since three out of these four remarkable Nepenthes 

 yet remain unknown alive, save in their native fastnesses on 

 Kina Balu. 



On our visit to Kina Balu, Mr. Veitch and myself walked all 

 the way there and back, with our twenty-six native followers, all 

 armed. We did all our own cooking, and slept in the native 

 houses at night. It took us six days from Gaya Bay to Kiau, 

 the last village, which stands at an altitude of about 3,000 feet 

 on the lower slopes of the mountain. At this village, which is 

 at least thirty miles inland, we were surprised to find Cocoa- 

 nut and Areca-nut Palms, Orange-trees, and Bananas all growing 

 luxuriantly. Around the rubbish-heaps here we saw luxuriant 

 thickets of Rubies rosafolius, covered with red fruit like Basp- 

 berries. 



The great Nepenthes grow in a zone between 5,000 and 

 10,000 feet in altitude, in the clouds in fact, and there are heavy 

 rains every night. Even during the sunny part of the day, when 

 it does not always rain, the bushes and undergrowth and moss- 

 covered branches of the dwarf trees are always saturated with 

 moisture. 



Our lodging on the great south spur of the mountain itself 

 was in a cave at between 9,000 and 10,000 feet, and here it 

 was so chilly at night that we found rugs and blankets a 

 comfort, even though we had a great wood fire at the entrance 

 of the cavern. Another journey to the Mari Parie spur 

 was made (altitude 4,000 feet), but here there was no cave, 



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