In my turn I ascended the hill, and spent the night, returning in the cool of the morning. The deep ravines with their walls of verdure, the beautiful views of the island, the sea and the main land beyond, the delightful coolness of the air, the wonderful specimens of vegetation, such as the air plants, hanging luxuriantly from the branches of trees, fed by the air and rain on their surfaces, the traveller's palms, with stores of fresh water kept in their hollowed leaves for the thirsty wayfarer, and the tree-ferns, twenty feet in height, all these with the strangest bird melodies imaginable made the trip one of enchantment. One bird and a beetle made noises like a sawmill, another bird sang the scale descending--five notes at least, and still another sang it ascending. One more imitated the sound of a bell. At the foot of the waterfall that descends the mountain, baths are established. The Europeans assemble there in the evening and after the external application of water, too frequently take an internal application of "brandy cocktails." The military band plays weekly on the "Sepoy Plain," back of the town, and a pleasant gathering of the residents takes place. An orphan-house and mission was being carried on here by some devoted English missionaries, who, like their friend Mr. Müller of Bristol, working independently of Societies, looked to the Lord to provide. Their Christian fellowship, and the hours spent in searching the Scriptures with them, were precious privileges. We were a fortnight here, loading tin, nutmegs, mace, tapioca and india rubber, and then sailed for Padang, where we were to complete our cargo with coffee and cassia.