On our arrival at an extensive swamp, in which, however, the denseness and beauty of the forest scenery had not in the slightest degree diminished, the lofty trees and profuse tropical vegetation, afforded, by their umbrageous coverings, a cool and agreeable shelter from the fervour of a noon-day tropical sun, and rendered the excursion particularly pleasant. The only passage over these swamps (which were occasioned by numerous springs of very excellent fresh water) was by the trunks of trees laid prostrate on a cleared but very narrow space, which would, perhaps, be called a pathway, and extended for the distance of probably a mile. Walking over these slippery, and often unsteady bridges, rendered us often liable to some immersion of our lower extremities. About these swamps, partially immersed in the crystal water, and partially entwining to some height the slender trees in the vicinity, a species of _Nepenthes_, or Pitcher plant, the Moniet, manko, or Monkey-cup, of the Malays, (because they suppose those creatures to use them as drinking cups,) abounded; a large cluster of small and colourless cups surrounded the roots, as well as at certain parts of the stem. The plant rose far above the stream, and entwined itself around the trees in its vicinity, even to the height of twelve feet. The termination of the leaves had the cup-like appendages of various sizes, filled with water, in which several insects were immersed, the cups were ornamented over their surface with striæ, and dots of a dark red colour; sometimes those around the stems would be colourless, but varied occasionally, by being greenish and small, and also covered like those at the extremity of the leaf, with dark-red spots. I collected numerous specimens of this curious and interesting plant. The country had generally an undulating character, and our peregrinations extended into dense forests, in which, among the larger productions of the vegetable kingdom, small, delicate ferns were often abundantly seen, enjoying the luxury of shade and moisture. Upon extensive cleared tracts, covered by Gambir, Pepper, and other plantations, the neat habitations of the planters, surrounded by fruit-trees and flowering shrubs, formed a pleasing variety, from the grand and magnificent wildness of nature, to the more cultivated improvements of art—beautiful in contrast. Although the weather had been remarkably fine during the first part of the day, we experienced a heavy shower of rain, which the Malays accounted for by my having gathered and carried in my hand a large quantity of the _Nepenthes_, or Pitcher plants, which, they said had occasioned the rain to fall.[71]