Mr. Low, the Orang Kaya, and myself, led our party, but the ascent was getting worse every yard. We worked our way over the most dangerous places, where a false step would have broken our necks or limbs, or have cut us to pieces on the sharp rocks; as we advanced, precipices and broad deep fissures became more frequent, one of the latter we crossed on a small tree four inches in diameter, which the Orang Kaya felled for the purpose. It bent beneath us, and was so uncertain a footing, that I was thankful to have passed it, as the deep chasm below was filled with jagged rocks. The Malay description of it is true--“sharp axes below, and pointed needles above, such is the mountain of Molu.” It is curious that although we were only 3,500 feet above the level of the sea, this region resembled what is found on Kina Balu at from 5,000 to 8,000 feet, where shrubs with beautiful flowers abound. Mr. Low discovered two very interesting little rhododendrons here. They were epiphytal, of a character different from any he had seen elsewhere; they had short brown lanceolate leaves, almost an inch long, in _whorls_ of four or five, on branching brownish stems. Their flowers were terminal and solitary, and about an inch and a half long; one was whitish, the other a pinkish purple, and both were remarkably pretty. I was leading the way, when I saw a precipice before me which appeared to be impassable; it ran across the spur we were ascending, and extended to the ravines on either side. At last we noticed a narrow fissure, and by supporting myself on the sharp points of rocks, and steadying myself by a small root, I reached to within six feet of the top. To get up the rest of the way was not very difficult, but to get down again appeared unpleasant, and beyond rose a succession of precipices. As the side of the mountain was at an angle of 70°, it was easy to see a long way ahead of us. As I stood balancing myself, it struck me as an impossibility to take loaded men up such places, so I hailed Mr. Low, who was already commencing the ascent of the precipice, to stop till I came down to consult. Two of my most active men, Musa and another, volunteered to go ahead and explore, and we waited for them at the foot of the precipice, and took observations. It is almost impossible to conceive the difficulty of ascending this mountain. While we were waiting here, a comparatively smooth spot, we could find no place broad enough for the stand of the barometer, but were obliged to construct a framework of sticks. No ledge was more than six inches broad, and Mr. Low made me nervous by walking out on some not an inch wide whilst in search of flowers or shells. In fact, at one place my shoe was cut through, and three of our men had already been sent back with severe wounds, whilst several of those left were much injured.