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Show 112 MR. D. D. DALY ON THE CAVES CONTAINING [Feb. 7, was only able, owing to darkness coming on, to visit a few of these caves; the Erahan collectors said that there were 14 of them, and gave us the names of the proprietors and the yield of nests of each cave. The Sigalong caves have all white nests, and the harvest is valued at $12,500 per annum. No. 4. THE BATURONG CAVES, near the Madai Caves, Darvel Bay, East Coast, were first visited by Mr. F. G. Callaghan, the Assistant Resident of Darvel Bay, in July 1887, and the following extract from his official report will be of interest:- 4' The next morning we started for Madai, but, only being able to get four Ehrans as baggage-carriers, the greater portion of our stores was left in the boats. "Reaching Madai at about 10 o'clock, I obtained a party of fifteen Ehrans, and started for Baturong at 12. The track lies at the back of Madai and passes close underneath the high hill called Pigtong, and also near another range of the name of Gelass. This latter hill used to produce birds'-nests, but for some reason has not been worked for thirty seasons (?). The nests were of both kinds, black and white. The track lay through flat and rather swampy ground with outcropping of limestone in several places. W e halted for the night at the Kiten River. Sri Rajah, who accompanied us, followed as a guide. " Leaving the next morning at daybreak, we ascended a gradual slope for nearly an hour, the jungle full of durians, langssats, and other fruit-trees. For about another hour we continued along this range, called Bukit Telang, of about 400 to 500 feet high, direction E. by S. " O n leaving the hill, we met the following tributaries of the Tinkayu River-the Bitaspalino, Natunde-Batas, Segas, and Binnan rivers, all of which are of fair size. The Tinkayu is a fine river, but is not navigable to this point, owing to large rapids and falls. The natives say it is about six days' paddle up from the mouth to the first rapids, the noise of which we heard. " The country is very flat between these rivers, and, owing to the heavy rains, a good deal inundated, making travelling very difficult. " W e reached the Baturong Caves at 2.30 and found the Tedong people had all left, probably four or five days before. Baturong is a hill about 2000 feet high, nearly perpendicular ; it appears to be all of white glistening limestone. It contains fifteen ' lobangs' or holes, out of which Suggin and Selagas appear to be the most5valuable, producing seven and four catties of white nests yearly respectively. These two holes are worked three times a year, but the remainder only once. The estimate in the ' Herald,' of September 1884, gives the out-turn at one picul yearly, but I do not believe that more than twenty catties or so are gathered. The entrance to the cave is about 40 feet from the ground, a large tree growing up alongside the rock affording a kind of ladder, and from the branches of the tree a kind of suspension-bridge to the cave has been made. I did not attempt therefore to enter the caves, which I |