We went next day to visit the caves whence they get the edible birds’-nests. We pulled down in the steamer’s cutter for about a mile, and then up a narrow stream, till we could force her along no farther. We now landed to walk the rest of the way. Among our party were some who had not been accustomed to forest work, and they came arrayed in uniform and patent leather boots, thinking there was a dry and open road. Their surprise was great and not agreeable when they found muddy ground and the bed of a mountain torrent had to be traversed. Our guide struck into the stream directly, and our party broke up, some following him, while others sought a dryer way. From the stream we entered a thick wood of young trees; then again across the stream, up the bed of a mountain torrent, now partly dry; steep, slippery stones, some overgrown with moss, others worn to a smooth surface; up again, climbing the hill, over fallen trees, down deep ravines, across little streams, jumping from rock to rock, until after an hour’s hard work we arrived at a little house on the top of a hill--the neatest little house imaginable, walls and floor of well-trimmed planks, and roof of bright red shingle; it was perfectly new, and was the residence of the guardian of the cave. I looked vainly about me for the entrance, and on asking, they pointed to a deep gully, but I could see nothing but bushes and grass; but on descending a short distance, I saw the bottom of the gully suddenly divide, leaving a rocky chasm some thirty feet in depth. A slight framework of iron-wood enabled us to get down over the slippery rocks, and we soon saw that the cave extended back under the little house, and looked gloomy and deep. Our guide now lit a large wax taper, very inferior for this purpose to the torches used by the Land Dayaks in Sarawak, and led the way. The cave gradually enlarged, but by the imperfect light we could only distinguish masses of uneven rock on either side. As we advanced towards those parts where the finest white nests are found, the ground became covered many feet deep with the guano of the swallow, which emitted scarcely any smell. We advanced nearly two hundred yards without seeing a single nest, Siñgauding’s men having completely cleared the cave the day before: it was very vexing, as we desired to see the nests as they were fixed to the rocks. The cave gradually became narrower and lower, but we continued our advance till we were stopped by its termination in this direction. Our guides observing our disappointment in not finding any nests, told us that there were a few in another branch. So we retraced our steps till we reached a passage on our left, and presently arrived at a spot where we descended abruptly some twelve feet; it was pitch dark, as the guide had gone rapidly ahead. On reaching the bottom, I put my foot cautiously down, and could find nothing: the passage being very narrow I was enabled to support myself with my hands on either side while