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 dv^'arf. 
Here we have creepers and vines entwining lai’ger 
trees, and hanging suspended for more than 100 
feet, in girth not less than a man’s body, and many 
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 
halted at eight to breakfast. At eleven we reached 
the Sindangare river, where we took some refresh- 
ment, and in the evening, about half-past five, reach- 
ed Barong Basam. 
“ 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 this 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 all 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 
duiing the night, which penetrated our leafy dwell- 
