258 



A NATUIiALIST'S WANBERINQS 



and miles of log-rafts moored to tKe banks^ packed close 

 together forming an immense pavement, with an abundant 

 population ; then on each side Eakits large and soiall, in all 

 positions — sideways, lengthwise, crossways, choke-a-block, as if 

 the river had swept away a village or two and stranded them 

 there anyhow — to which a continuous stream of little skiiTs'were 

 constantly bringing the dealers in the different products, who 

 might be seen in little knots on the steering stages discussing 

 terms over siri and betel. Anxious to ^make advantageous 

 terms, eager traders were shooting past on a several days* jour- 

 ney up stream to meet expected and valuably loaded Rakits, 

 which, if large and freighted with dammar, gnm elastic, gutta- 

 percha, will cost as much as £500. As no bamboo grows near 

 Palembang, and none of the larger sorts nearer than the 

 Bonrces of t]ie river, the Eakit itself is an eager subject of 

 barter, and always fetches a sum which largely remnnerates 

 the cost of its building and transport the whole length of the 

 river. Seaward from this heterogeneous collection, which was 

 not permitted to pass beyond the npjwr boundaries of the town 

 to clog its avenues, I entered Palembang proper, a single row 

 of cabins on each bank, with their faces to the river, built on 

 immense log rafts which stretched out in front of them as a 

 broad platform, forming their landing stag© and approach- 

 on one side the I^Ialay portion of the town, on the other the 

 Chinese shops and abodes — the whole rising and falling 

 many feet with every tide. Everywhere Innumerable little 

 boats flashed about over the bright sunlit water, here with 

 a woman in a blue tunic and a deep scarlet head-cloth calling 

 out her store of fmits; there, propelled by urgent arms 

 conveying the busy merchant; and from a hidden corner 

 where it had been lying in wait, would dart out, like a spider 

 from its lair, some other prau, and lassoing a slowly passing 

 log would pnll in again with an item of livelihood gleaned 

 from the flotsam harvest VThich the river was continually 

 bringing down. 



At length a bend of the river brought me in sight of the 

 European and official quarter of the city situated on the 

 northern bank, opposite which lay at anchor, steamers and 

 vessels of many rigs, all looking gigantic to my eyes, unac- 

 customed for so many months to such a sight Slowly 



