SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 39 
magnitude of the flowers, creepers, and trees, con- 
trasts strikingly with the stunted, and, I had almost 
said, pigmy vegetation of England. Compared with 
our fruit* trees, your largest oak is a mere dwarf. 
Here we have creepers and vines entwining larger 
trees, and hanging suspended for more than 100 
feet, in girth not less than a man's body, andjnany 
much thicker; the trees seldom under 100, and ge- 
nerally approaching 160 to 200 feet in height, 
“ From Pulo Laber we started at half-past five, and 
hatted at eight to breakfast. At eleven we reached 
the Sindttngare river, where we took some refresh- 
ment, and in the evening, about half-past five, reach- 
ed Bavong Itasam. 
“ The day’s journey was most fatiguing, and not 
less than thirty miles, entirely through a thick forest, 
and over stupendous mountains, one of which, call- 
ed the Sindangan mountain, could not have been 
less than between 4000 and 5000 feet high. Neither 
on tins nor on the preceding day was there vestige 
of population or cultivation ; nature was throughout 
allowed to reign undisturbed, and from the traces 
of elephants in every direction, they alone, of the 
animal kingdom, seemed to have explored the re- 
cesses of the forest. 
“ We got on, however, very well ; and though we 
were ail occasionally much fatigued, we did not com- 
plain. Lady Raffles was a perfect heroine. The 
only misfortune at this stage was a heavy fall of rain 
during the night, which penetrated our leafy dwell- 
