32 



MALACCA. 



[chap. IIL 



shady foi'est in which we had been ascending since we 

 started, on to this hot, open rocky slope where we seemed 

 to have entered at one step from a luwland to an alpine 

 vegetiitioii. The height, as measured by a synixjicsiomeLtfr, 

 was about 2,800 feet. We had been tohl we should find 

 water at Padang-bafen, hut we looked about for it in vain, 

 as we were exceedingly thirety. At last wo turned to the 

 pitcher-plants, but the water contained in the pitchei's 

 i^abont half a pint in each) was fall of insects, and other- 

 wise uninviting. On tasting it, however, we found it very 

 palatable though rather wai*n], and w^e all quenched our 

 thu'st from these natural jugs. Farther on we came to 

 forest ogaiu, but of a more dwarf and stunted character 

 tlmn below ; aiid alternately passing along ridges and de- 

 scending into valleys, we reached a peak separated from the 

 true suniinit of the mountain by a considerable chasm. 

 Here our porters gave in, and declared they could carry 

 their loads no further; and certainly the ascent to the 

 highest peak was very precipitous. But on the spot where 

 W'O were there was no water, whereas it was well kuou n 

 that there W4is a spihig close to the aummit, so we deter- 

 mined to go on without them, &nd cany with U5 only 

 what was absolutely necessary. We accordingly took a 

 blanket each, and divided our food and other articles among 

 us, and went on with only the old ilalay and im son. 



After descending into the saddle between the two peaks 

 we found the ascent very laborious, the slope being so steep 

 as often to necessitate hand-climbing. Besides a bushy 

 vegetation the ground was covered knee-deep with mosses 

 on a Ibimdation of decaying leaves and rugged rock, and it 

 was a hard houi-'s climb to the small ledge just below the 

 summit, where an overhanging rock forms a convenient 

 .shelter, and a little basin collects the trickling water. 

 Here w*e put down our loads, and in a few minuttjs 

 more stood on the summit of Mount Ophir, 4,0UU feet 

 above the sea. The top is a small rocky platform 

 covered with rhododendrons and other slu'ubs. The 

 afternoon was clear, and the view fine in its way— ranges 

 of hill and valley everywhere covered with inturminable 

 forest, with glistening rivers winding among them. In a 

 distant view a forest countiy is very monotonous, and no 



