408 TRAVELS IN TOE EAST IXDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, 



sea On the way we met the cojitrolmr superintend- 

 ing the construction of a bridge, for the officials iii 

 these small places have to plan buildings and bridges 

 and be at the same time judges, architects, and ma- 

 SODB. The residence of this officer was located on a 

 hill rising on one side of the small valley. It was 

 nicely shaded, and conmianded a view over the ad- 

 joining lowlands, which were all sawas. At this 

 place I saw some of the beautiful little musk-deer of 

 this re^on — a deer that is only about a foot and a 

 half high, without antlers, and weighs less tban a 

 rabbit, 



Thei-e were more than a dozen monkeys in the 

 backyard. Some of them were of the dog-like species, 

 others with long tails and long limbs. Some of them 

 were extremely restless, while others sat still and 

 looked so grave and dignified as to be more comical 

 than their mischievous companions. There are ten 

 species on this island, none of which ai-e found in 

 Java, while the four species of Java are never seen 

 here, such a limit does the Strait of Sunda form to 

 the faunaj of these two islands, although it is only 

 fifteen miles wide in some places, and islands are 

 nearly midway from either shore. The most remark- 

 able of the apes found on the islan^l is the orang-utan, 

 which lives in the lowlands in the northex*n and east- 

 em paiia of the island. The governor at Padang 

 had a live one that had been sent him from that 

 region. She was more than three feet high and very 

 strong. Escaping one time from the box where she 

 was fastened, she climbed a neighboring shade-tree' 

 and commenced breaking off large limbs and placing 



