Though these high lands first attract the eye, yet it rests with greater pleasure on the beautiful valleys between, and none more beautiful than that at the foot of the Poé mountains, which stretches as far as the eye can reach, and imperceptibly mingles with the neighbouring hills. Taken as a whole, it is a very beautiful bay, and lovely are the isles scattered about it. Every traveller is enthusiastic about the appearance of these little gems, which rise verdant from the water’s edge to the very summit; or rendered more bright by a narrow beach of shining yellow sand that skirts the shores. The first two are called Talang Talang, and on these are collected the turtles’ eggs. From the larger a broad sandy flat extends to the southward, and on this, during the prevalence of the south-west monsoon the turtles lay their eggs. There are men on the look-out near, and as soon as the animals have dug holes, deposited the eggs, and carefully covered them over, the watchers stick little flags in the sand to mark the spots. In the morning they open them out and procure immense supplies of these eggs, which are exported to all the neighbouring countries. Though the turtles do occasionally frequent the surrounding isles, it is only here that they are plentiful. The Malays are eager in the search, yet fortunately very many nests escape their rapacity. But the dangers to the turtle do not end here: when the little things burst up from the sand, they find enemies in every direction. The voracious kites soaring above pounce on their defenceless prey, even the land crab seizes them and bears them away, and when the remainder escape to the water, hundreds of sharks and other voracious fish are there to devour them; it is astonishing that so many elude their enemies. A turtle’s egg tastes to me like a stale and fishy duck’s egg. The sandy beaches of these isles are always to the southward, as they are not exposed to the fierce blasts of the north-east monsoon. The next islets near the Santubong entrance of the Sarawak river, are Sampadien and the two Satangs. On all are at present extensive groves of cocoa-nut trees, which form a marked contrast to the neighbouring jungle.