Mr. Low, the Orang Kaya, and myself, led our party, but the ascent was getting worse every yard. We worked our way over the most dangerous places, where a false step would have broken our necks or limbs, or have cut us to pieces on the sharp rocks; as we advanced, precipices and broad deep fissures became more frequent, one of the latter we crossed on a small tree four inches in diameter, which the Orang Kaya felled for the purpose. It bent beneath us, and was so uncertain a footing, that I was thankful to have passed it, as the deep chasm below was filled with jagged rocks. The Malay description of it is true—“sharp axes below, and pointed needles above, such is the mountain of Molu.”
It is curious that although we were only 3,500 feet above the level of the sea, this region resembled what is found on Kina Balu at from 5,000 to 8,000 feet, where shrubs with beautiful flowers abound.
Mr. Low discovered two very interesting little rhododendrons here. They were epiphytal, of a character different from any he had seen elsewhere; they had short brown lanceolate leaves, almost an inch long, in whorls of four or five, on branching brownish stems. Their flowers were terminal and solitary, and about an inch and a half long; one was whitish, the other a pinkish purple, and both were remarkably pretty.
I was leading the way, when I saw a precipice before me which appeared to be impassable; it ran across the spur we were ascending, and extended to the ravines on either side. At last we noticed a narrow fissure, and by supporting myself on the sharp points of rocks, and steadying myself by a small root, I reached to within six feet of the top. To get up the rest of the way was not very difficult, but to get down again appeared unpleasant, and beyond rose a succession of precipices. As the side of the mountain was at an angle of 70°, it was easy to see a long way ahead of us. As I stood balancing myself, it struck me as an impossibility to take loaded men up such places, so I hailed Mr. Low, who was already commencing the ascent of the precipice, to stop till I came down to consult. Two of my most active men, Musa and another, volunteered to go ahead and explore, and we waited for them at the foot of the precipice, and took observations.
It is almost impossible to conceive the difficulty of ascending this mountain. While we were waiting here, a comparatively smooth spot, we could find no place broad enough for the stand of the barometer, but were obliged to construct a framework of sticks. No ledge was more than six inches broad, and Mr. Low made me nervous by walking out on some not an inch wide whilst in search of flowers or shells. In fact, at one place my shoe was cut through, and three of our men had already been sent back with severe wounds, whilst several of those left were much injured.
Musa at last joined us with the intelligence that about one hundred yards beyond there was a precipice, which he and his companion had found it impossible to pass; so, very unwillingly, we turned our faces homeward.
Descending was more dangerous than ascending, and Mr. Low got two severe falls, as his eyes were not always on the next spot to place his foot, but wandering about in search of plants. I escaped better, as my thoughts were engrossed by the difficulties and dangers of the path. It is curious that when these sharp rocks were struck they gave out a clear ringing, almost metallic, sound; there is no appearance of stratification: the rocks are of a fine-grained limestone, and some, when broken, presented a pinkish, others a whitish or grayish blue colour.
We noticed during our ascent a cave in the limestone rock about forty feet high, and the roots of the trees growing on the rock above came down perpendicularly and passed into the fissures in the stones that formed the floor. Their upper parts were encrusted with carbonate of lime in the form of stalactites. Water was continually dripping from the roof of the cave, and in one place had collected in a little basin, the only time we saw any pure water on the mountain.
The following day we reached our tents and enjoyed a good dinner, after four days on biscuits and plain boiled rice. In the evening there came on a thunderstorm, and the rain fell in a manner I have never before known even in Borneo; it appeared to be coming down in tubsfull instead of drops.
We attempted next day to go and examine the Batu Rikan, but the rush of waters prevented our approaching it; in fact, the roar of the river, as it dashed into the caves and whirled its spray into the air, made us take precautions not to be swept into the boiling cauldron.