THE HILLS IN A MIST.

This excursion gave us an opportunity of beholding the mountains of Timor under a remarkable aspect.  From various openings in the woody plain we could perceive their sides, clothed in grey mist, above which sometimes we caught a glimpse of a pinnacle rising through the clear air, and just touched by the rays of the morning sun.  Here and there the slopes of the hills were dimly seen through the vapour, which in other places, however, rolled along in thick masses, completely hiding the uplands from view.  Nearly every gorge and valley was filled with heavy volumes of fog, whilst in some, a slight steam only rising, allowed the trees to be faintly discovered.  There is nothing more grand than the aspect of lofty peaks and crags and precipices imperfectly revealed through a morning mist.  It seems as though the darkness of night, unwilling to depart, lingers still fondly around them.  Their hollows and recesses are still wrapt in gloom, when all else around is beaming with light.  Within the tropics the contrast thus afforded has a startling effect; but the influence of the sun is not long to be resisted; the mist soon begins to disperse; valley after valley opens its depths to the view; the outline of each rocky peak becomes more and more defined against the deep blue sky, and presently the whole scene appears before you clear and bright, with every line sharply drawn, every patch of colour properly discriminated, a splendid panorama of towering hills and waving forests.

Whilst I was gazing at this picture, the report of a fowling piece behind me drew my attention, and on turning I was surprised to see the old commandant out shooting likewise, and with him no less a person than Caleb Balderston, as we had christened his faithful domestic.  In their company we returned to Pritie.

MUSTER OF THE PARTY.

Soon after breakfast our party began to muster, each man armed with a long-condemned Tower musket.  On one of them I was surprised to recognize the name of a marine who had belonged to the Beagle in 1827.  The powder they used was of the coarsest kind, carried in small pieces of bamboo, each containing a charge, and fitted in a case of skin, something like our cartouch boxes.  As a substitute for balls they used BOLTS OF STONE, from two to three inches long.  Besides a musket, each had a huge knife or chopper, stuck in his belt.  I was much struck with the simple contrivance they had for shoes:  a piece of the fan palm plaited together and tied under the foot.  The number of uses to which this tree is applied is astonishing—­for making water-buckets, for thatching houses, filling up the panel-work of doors, and a variety of others I could mention.

It was late before we could muster all our force; but we at length got away, commandant and all.  I was much pleased with the respect everyone paid him, especially as he was one of those mild kind persons who require very little.  Soon after leaving the village we halted in a shady spot, near a stream of water, some of our party being still missing.  This gave me a good opportunity of comparing the features of the Malay and Timoree, for some of both were in attendance.  The Malay has a much more open countenance than the Timoree, but is not so handsome, the latter having a more aquiline nose.