All are small, but some are beautifully marked with
stripes of bright yellow.
They probably attach themselves to deer
or other animals which frequent the forest paths, and have thus
acquired the singular habit of stretching themselves out at the
sound of a footstep or of rustling foliage. Early in the
afternoon we reached the foot of the mountain, and encamped by
the side of a fine stream, whose rocky banks were overgrown with
ferns. Our oldest Malay had been accustomed to shoot birds in
this neighbourhood for the Malacca dealers, and had been to the
top of the mountain, and while we amused ourselves shooting and
insect hunting, he went with two others to clear the path for our
ascent the next day.
Early next morning we started after breakfast, carrying blankets
and provisions, as we intended to sleep upon the mountain. After
passing a little tangled jungle and swampy thickets through which
our men had cleared a path, we emerged into a fine lofty forest
pretty clear of undergrowth, and in which we could walk freely.
We ascended steadily up a moderate slope for several miles,
having a deep ravine on our left. We then had a level plateau or
shoulder to cross, after which the ascent was steeper and the
forest denser until we came out upon the "Padang-batu," or stone
field, a place of which we had heard much, but could never get
anyone to describe intelligibly.
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