head of the delta of the river, and between it and the sea there is very little
ground elevated above highwater mark; while for many miles further inland, the
banks of the main stream and its numerous tributaries are swampy, and in the
wet season flooded for a considerable distance. Palembang is built on a patch of
elevated ground, a few miles in extent, on the north bank of the river. At a spot
about three miles from the town this turns into a little hill, the top of which is
held sacred by the natives, shaded by some fine trees, and inhabited by a colony
of squirrels which have become half-tame. On holding out a few crumbs of
bread or any fruit, they come running down the trunk, take the morsel out of
your fingers, and dart away instantly. Their tails are carried erect, and the hair,
which is ringed with grey, yellow, and brown, radiates uniformly around them,
and looks exceedingly pretty. They have somewhat of the motions of mice,
coming on with little starts, and gazing intently with their large black eyes before
venturing to advance further. The manner in which Malays often obtain the
confidence of wild animals is a very pleasing trait in their character, and is due
in some degree to the quiet deliberation of their manners, and their love of
repose rather than of action. The young are obedient to the wishes of their elders,
and seem to feel none of that propensity to mischief which European boys
exhibit. How long would tame squirrels continue to inhabit trees in the vicinity
of an English village, even if close to the church? They would soon be pelted
and driven away, or snared and confined in a whirling cage. I have never heard
of these pretty animals being tamed in this way in England, but I should think it
might be easily done in any gentleman's park, and they would certainly be as
pleasing and attractive as they would be uncommon.
After many inquiries, I found that a day's journey by water above Palembang
there commenced a military road which extended up to the mountains and even
across to Bencoolen, and I determined to take this route and travel on until I
found some tolerable collecting ground. By this means I should secure dry land
and a good road, and avoid the rivers, which at this season are very tedious to
ascend owing to the powerful currents, and very unproductive to the collector
owing to most of the lands in their vicinity being underwater. Leaving early in
the morning we did not reach Lorok, the village where the road begins, until late
at night. I stayed there a few days, but found that almost all the ground in the
vicinity not underwater was cultivated, and that the only forest was in swamps
which were now inaccessible. The only bird new to me which I obtained at
Lorok was the fine long-tailed parroquet (Palaeornis longicauda). The people
here assured me that the country was just the same as this for a very long way—
more than a week's journey, and they seemed hardly to have any conception of