Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra13141884roya).pdf/324

 return journey. We got away about 8 It is very difficult to make an early move from these camps. What with cooking rice for the day and packing up the baggage, a good part of the morning runs away. Our journey was just like that of yesterday, only a little more steep in places. About 1,000 feet above camp we left the region of Bertam, or attap palms, and came into that of Licuala, growing amid high forest trees. Up to this time, we could not get a single view of the country around us. When we had ascended to the level of Arang Para we felled a number of trees in the hope of extending the prospect, but were unsuccessful. The ascent was now only very steep in places, and the spur curved much more to the north. When we reached the height of nearly 4,000 feet above the sea, we camped and built our houses. When this was done, we felled a good deal of timber on the northern slope of the spur and soon opened up an extensive view. Arang Para bungalow bore about E.N.E., but none of the Larut side of the range was visible, owing to the spurs of Mount Bubu. We had an abundance of water close to our camp. A small stream fell over about one hundred feet of rocks at a short distance below the terrace we were upon.

Next day, the 23rd, we left all the baggage at our resting place, and proceeded to make a trial trip to reach the summit. We could get no reliable information from the Malays. Some said it was only two hours' journey, while others insisted that it would take the whole day. Our intention was to climb for half a day, and, if the difficulties were great, to move our camp on another stage. Our great delay, of course, was in cutting down the jungle and not being able to sec more than a few yards around us. However, we were agreeably surprised to find a comparatively easy, though steep, ascent for