caught in the dusk with my butterfly net as they flew about
before the house.

After much delay, owing to bad weather and the illness of one of
my men, I determined to visit Kasserota (formerly the chief
village), situated up a small stream, on an island close to the
north coast of Batchian; where I was told that many rare birds
were found. After my boat was loaded and everything ready, three
days of heavy squalls prevented our starting, and it was not till
the 21st of March that we got away. Early next morning we entered
the little river, and in about an hour we reached the Sultan's
house, which I had obtained permission to use. It was situated on
the bank of the river, and surrounded by a forest of fruit trees,
among which were some of the very loftiest and most graceful
cocoa-nut palms I have ever seen. It rained nearly all that day,
and I could do little but unload and unpack. Towards the
afternoon it cleared up, and I attempted to explore in various
directions, but found to my disgust that the only path was a
perfect mud swamp, along which it was almost impossible to walk,
and the surrounding forest so damp and dark as to promise little
in the way of insects. I found too on inquiry that the people
here made no clearings, living entirely on sago, fruit, fish, and
game; and the path only led to- a steep rocky mountain equally
impracticable and unproductive. The next day I sent my men to
this hill, hoping it might produce some good birds; but they
returned with only two common species, and I myself had been able
to get nothing; every little track I had attempted to follow
leading to a dense sago swamp. I saw that I should waste time by
staying here, and determined to leave the following day.