“Zat is zee pitcher-plant,” said Verkimier, as Nigel stopped suddenly before a plant which he had often read of but never seen.  He was told by his friend that pitcher-plants were very numerous in that region; that every mountain-top abounded with them; that they would be found trailing along the ground and climbing over shrubs and stunted trees, with their elegant pitchers hanging in every direction.  Some of these, he said, were long and slender, others broad and short.  The plant at which they were looking was a broad green one, variously tinted and mottled with red, and was large enough to hold two quarts of water.

Resuming the march Nigel observed that the group of orchids was abundant, but a large proportion of the species had small inconspicuous flowers.  Some, however, had large clusters of yellow flowers which had a very ornamental effect on the sombre forest.  But, although the exceptions were striking, he found that in Borneo, as elsewhere, flowers were scarcer than he had expected in an equatorial forest.  There were, however, more than enough of striking and surprising things to engage the attention of our hero, and arouse his interest.

One tree they came to which rendered him for some moments absolutely speechless! to the intense delight of the professor, who marched his new-found sympathiser from one object of interest to another with the secret intention of surprising him, and when he had got him to the point of open-mouthed amazement he was wont to turn his spectacles full on his face, like the mouths of a blue binocular, in order to witness and enjoy his emotions!

Nigel found this out at last and was rather embarrassed in consequence.

“Zat,” exclaimed the naturalist, after gazing at his friend for some time in silence, “zat is a tree vitch planted itself in mid-air and zen sent its roots down to zee ground and its branches up to zee sky!”

“It looks as if it had,” returned Nigel; “I have seen a tree of the same kind near the coast.  How came it to grow in this way?”

“I know not.  It is zought zat zey spring from a seed dropped by a bird into zee fork of anozer tree.  Zee seed grows, sends his roots down ant his branches up.  Ven his roots reach zee ground he lays hold, ant, ven strong enough, kills his support—­zus returning efil for good, like a zankless dependent.  Ah! zere is much resemblance between plants and animals!  Com’, ve must feed here,” said the professor, resting his gun against one of the roots, “I had expected to find zee booterflies sooner.  It cannot be helped.  Let us make zis our banqueting-hall.  Ve vill have a Durian to refresh us, ant here is a bandy tree which seems to have ripe vones on it.—­Go,” he added, turning to the orang-utan, “and send down von or two.”

The creature looked helplessly incapable, pitifully unwilling, scratching its side the while.  Evidently it was a lazy monkey.

“Do you hear?” said Verkimier, sternly.