252 



A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



Mengkulem, wkicli is perfectly virgin and is perhaps of 

 as vast an age as the period which has elapsed since the 

 beginning of the upraising of the 180 miles of country that 

 now separates it from the sea. The display of flower and fruit 

 along the Rawas river was still finer, and, in fact, it couM 

 scarcely have been richer, Wiiile Oak-trees in full blossom 

 characterised the Rupit, BipterocarpeaSi the family which gives 

 lis the Camphor-tree and supplies a great deal of the dammar 

 of commerce, and some of which are among the tallest of 

 trees, were along the Rawas the distinguishing feature— though 

 clumps of oak were plentifid enough too — the brilliant pink 

 and roae coloured wings " that adorn their ripening fruits 

 liaving tlie appearance of tassels hanging from the tips of 

 the branches all over their immense crowns. Over some 

 of the highest trees, and spread continuously across the forest 

 for hundreds of yards at a stretch, was a Leguminose climber 

 (Bauhinm) with rich orange and scarlet flowers. Blue fishing- 

 hawks (Poliwlus humilis) sat in motionless watch on the 

 projecting limbs of trees ; Rhinoceros birds {Anthmcoeerus 

 con vexm and Rh/tidoceros suhrujieollu) clambered on t!ie fruit- 

 laden fig-trees, conspicuous by the rich colour of their beaks 

 ^derived from the oil-gland at tlie tail in B. rhinoceros. 

 Herons and Bitterns hunted in the sandy bends, kingfishers 

 flew out from every corner, and flocks of sand-plovers zig- 

 zagged away with a-frighteued scream as we passed along ; 

 while on the projecting stones on the river, black cormorants 

 (Pkalocraeorax) eagerly watched for their finny prey, and 

 flocks of pure white egrets displayed to advantage their spot- 

 less plumage against the dark foliage of the tops of the trees. 



On my return to Muara Mengkulem, I had at once to prepare 

 to start for the coast. While I was packing up I sent do^vn men 

 to Pulau-kida, the village below the cataract, to construct for 

 me a Rakit in which to travel to Palembang. In these large 

 house-like structures— floated on bamboo rafts — the whole 

 produce of the up regions of the rivor are conveyed to the coast 

 markets- Mine, however, wlule resembling the trade Rakit in 

 appearance, was fitted up with much regard to comfort, for I 

 intended the remainder of my Sumatra journey to be a pleasure 

 tri]). On a raft 40 feet long and 15 wide, made of the largest 

 bamboos seven or eight tiers deep, was erected a neat house, sur^ 



