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for by the Natives. There are Many large and navagable [sic] rivers on the island rising in the Mountains of the interior. On the West Coast the rivers are swift on the east Coast they have slow currents and frequently overflow their banks. On these rivers are imense [sic] impenetrable jungles looking thick enough to cut slices out, aye almost solid. These jungles are always green and the vines and bushes twine into each other, so that a man can not see into them. There they are filled with all manner of wild animals, amongst them stands the tiger, as number one both on account of his strength and numbers. There is also 2 or 3 lakes in the interior, one of which is about 60 miles long, and 40 wide. The scenery around these lakes is beautifully grand and picturesque. I dare say they equal if not surpass the scenery around the Scotish lakes which we read and hear so much of, and it may be that some day. A Malay Walter Scott, will give them to the world, in words and letters, as Scott has done before them. There are numerous villages on the banks fo these lakes and they are so thickly shaded with the spreading mangrove, that it difficult to discover the bamboo huts of the Natives. Nor is this all. fruit of all kinds common to the climate flourishes without cultivation. Pea-cocks with their beautiful plumage strut thro the forests, wild, and others pick their food near the huts of the Natives tame, Chickens (how strange it seems) are here wild and are hunted by the Natives for food. It is not an uncommon thing to hear the Cock a doodle doo in these jungles, on the lakes which are said to be clear and so deep that they look blue and black, are numerous proas light and graceful looking boats. Some of these boats carry whole families who live and die in them, literally never leaving the water. near the lakes and extending their bases to it, and their rocks over it, is the chain of high cloud capped mountains which run thro the whole extent of the island. Thousands of fish hawks hover over these limpid lakes diving into its clear bosom for their prey and hundreds of grey eagles sit on the high cliffs watching the industrious hawks & then pursuing them and seizing the fruits of their labour. The bird of paradise called so on account of its beautiful notes and brilliant plumage flock in the woods. serpants black bright and glistening ones sun them selves in every path. Porcupines with their thorny backs burrow in the old stumps. scorpions are under the rocks Tarantulas and centipedes on every bush and lizards of immense size creep amongst the tall grass. Alegators almost choak the rivers and wild dogs bay and growl at the live Man and feast and fatten on dead. deer feed on the grass and lie in the shade of the immense jungles unmolested except by the jungle cats and tigers in these jungles monkes [sic] Apes, baboons and oragitangs are as numerous as [?] in a thickly settled country. in some parts of the isle are whole forests of Camphor trees, and in others forests of the banyan tree this tree grows to immense sizes for one who has never seen them it is almost impossible to conceive the size they attain and their noble appearance. Amongst the smaller trees gives one an idea that they are the king of all trees, some of these trees attain the heights of 5 or 600 feet and the largest one ever known was 1100 feet and cast a shadow of more than 1000 yards. the Main trunk covered an acre of ground and tis said that the whole body of the tree was one thousand yards in circumference in the river bottoms and other rich and level lands.

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