ake me up to Palembang--a distance of nearly a hundred miles by water.
Except when the wind was strong and favourable we could only proceed
with the tide, and the banks of the river were generally flooded
Nipa-swamps, so that the hours we were obliged to lay at anchor passed
very heavily. Reaching Palembang on the 8th of November, I was lodged
by the Doctor, to whom I had brought a letter of introduction, and
endeavoured to ascertain where I could find a good locality for
collecting. Everyone assured me that I should have to go a very long way
further to find any dry forest, for at this season the whole country
for many miles inland was flooded. I therefore had to stay a week at
Palembang before I could determine my future movements.

The city is a large one, extending for three or four miles along a fine
curve of the river, which is as wide as the Thames at Greenwich. The
stream is, however, much narrowed by the houses which project into it
upon piles, and within these, again, there is a row of houses built upon
great bamboo rafts, which are moored by rattan cables to the shore or to
piles, and rise and fall with the tide.

The whole riverfront on both sides is chiefly formed of such houses, and
they are mostly shops open to the water, and only raised a foot above
it, so that by taking a small boat it is easy to go to market and
purchase anything that is to be had in Palembang. The natives are true
Malays, never building a house on dry land if they can find water to set
it in, and never going anywhere on foot if they can reach the place in
a heat. A considerable portion of the population are Chinese and Arabs,
who carry on all the trade; while the only Europeans are the civil and
military officials of the Dutch Government. The town is situated at the
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 hooded 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