“Because it has not yet arrived at its full formation. Whether this elevation of soil is still going on I cannot say. I leave that for others to determine, and a series of observations will have to be made in order to establish the fact. But the alluvial deposits still continue and it is curious to notice how clearly visible the withdrawal of the sea and the projection of the mainland are at the south coast. The Tjemara forest especially offers a certain measure. Small trees scarcely a couple of inches high are found close to the borders of the sea; the rows behind these are a little higher and this graduation continues until, about one or two hundred yards away from the water, we come to the high woods, where trees of thirty feet high are found. The gradual increase in the height of the trees is hardly noticeable, only that the foliage seen from the sea forms a kind of smooth slope of the purest green.” “All this is certainly cleverly explained,” Wienersdorf said, lost in thought. “But on what is the hypothesis of this gradual elevation based? Is it only a theory invented by European savants in their own studies, or is it proved by facts?” “By positive facts, my dear Swiss! Perhaps we may pass the borders of the chalk formation to-morrow, if we make a little haste. Then,—in the corals which you collect, in the accumulations of broken shells, etc., which you will see, you will find positive proofs that the sea once rolled its waves there. But don’t fancy that in the Kapoeas only these breccia of coral and shells are to be found. You find the same formation on the banks of every river running parallel with that stream. The most remarkable coincidence of all is, that if you draw a line along the chalk formations, that undeniable proof of the former existence of a coast, this line will pretty nearly coincide with the course of the central mountain range and serve as it were for its base.” “Is there nothing to be found in the traditions of the country indicating such a condition?” Schlickeisen asked. “Certainly. Many legends and stories exist among the different Dayak tribes who inhabit the banks of these rivers.” “Do you know whether the absence of the larger carnivora has been noticed by the natives also?” asked Wienersdorf, “and do their traditions throw any light upon the subject?” “Their traditions, as far as I know, do not mention anything of the kind; perhaps they do not even suspect the presence of those animals in other parts of the globe. And yet a legend is told which, while indicating some notion of large animals, illustrates one of the characteristics of this people, namely, the use of stratagem against violence. The legend goes: