ciTAr. XVI.] MOUNTAIS^ PJTHS. 235 



having visited several such, I had no great curiosity 

 explore. 



Crossing the stream a little beluw the upper fall, the 

 path ascends a steep slope for about five IniiKired feet, 

 and pa-ssing through a ^»up outers a narrow valley, shut 

 ill liv walls of rock absolutely perpeiidiculur and of great 

 height. Half a mde further this valley iunis abruptly 

 the right, and becomes a mere rift in the mountain. This 

 extends another lialf mi]e, the walls gradually approaching 

 till tliey are only two foet apart, atid the bottom rising 

 steeply to a pass whieli leads ijrobably into another valley, 

 but wliich I had no time to exjibjiu lieturniiig to where 

 tliis rift had Itegiin, the maiu path turns up to the h^ft 

 in a mvl of ^ndly, aiul reaches a summit over wliieh a 

 Hue natural areli of ixick passes at a height of about fifty 

 feet. Thence was a steep descent tlirongh tliick jungle 

 witli glimjises (if lueeipices and distant rocky mountains, 

 probably leading into the main river valley again. This 

 was a most tempting region to explore, but there were 

 several reasons why I could go no further. I had iio 

 guide, and no permission to enter the lUigis territories, 

 and as the rains might at any time set in, I might be 

 ]u-evented from returning by the liooding of the river. 

 1 therefore devoted myself during the sliort time of my 

 visit to obtaining what knowledge I could of the natural 

 productions of the place. 



The nanvw cluusms proilueed several fine insects quite 

 new to me, and one new bird, the curious I*hla>genas 

 tristigmata, a large groimd i>igcon with yellow breast and 

 crown, and purple neck. This rugged path is tiie highway 

 from jMaros io the Jiugis eountiy beyond the mountains. 

 Paring thf rainy season it is quite impassable, the river 

 tilling Wa bed and rushing between perpendicular cliffs 

 many hundred feet high. Even at the time of my visit 

 it \va3 most ]u"ecipitous ami fatiguing yet women and 

 cliildi'cn came, over it daily, and men carrying heavy 

 loads of palm sugai- of very Uttlc value. It was along 

 the path between the lower and the upper f;dls, and about 

 the nmi-gin of the upper pool, that I found most inspct-^. 

 The hirge semi-transparent butterfly, Idea tondana, flf w 

 lazily along by dozens, and it was here that I at length 



