In the early 20th century, Borneo was already a magnet for naturalists. Forest Life and Adventures in the Malay Archipelago recounts the travels, research and observations of Eric Mjöberg through the heartland of the Malay Archipelago with special focus on Borneo and the surrounding islands. The first half of Forest Life and Adventures in the Malay Archipelago contains descriptions of the rich flora and fauna of these islands with chapters on the more visible and attractive denizens of the forest. From big game mammals of the rain forest to snakes and the smallest insects,
Eric Mjöberg gives an absorbing narration of his adventures and discoveries in true swashbuckling fashion. The second half is dedicated to the cultivation of rubber, tobacco, coffee and tea as well as chapters on tropical fruits, sago production and a rather exaggerated account of the Rafflesia flower. The text was translated in 1930 from the original Swedish title "I Tropikermas Villande Urskogar" two years after it was published and is illustrated with 86 black and white photographs.
Introduction 13
I. Borneo's Big Game 15
II. Other Members Of Borneo's Abundant Fauna 24
III. The Orang-utan, Our Red-haired Cousin 31
IV. The Proboscis-monkey, A Human Caricature In Flesh And Blood 37
V. The "Tarsius Spectrum" 39
VI. The Goat-antelope, The Most Timid Mammal On Earth 45
VII. The Pangolin, A Living Ant-trap 50
VIII. The Birds Of The Primeval Forests 52
IX. The Argus-pheasant, The Proudest And Most Pugnacious Bird In The Malay Archipelago 59
X. Concerning Edible Birds'nests 63
XI. The Snakes, A Creeping Menace 69
XII. The "Spectacled" Snake And The King-cobra, Two Of The Most Dangerous Reptiles In The World 76
XIII. The Sad End Of A Sumatra Python. A Suicide Described With Pen And Pencil 82
XIV. Hunting For Turtles And Their Eggs 86
XV. An Inventive Frog, The Only Flying Expert Amongst Thousands Of His Tribe 92
XVI. Interesting Fishes 95
XVII. The Fish Who Follows The Path Of Emancipation. A Fish That Walks On Land And Climbs Up Trees 103
XVIII. The Trilobite Larvae. The Solution Of A Zoological Mystery That Has Lasted Nearly One Hundred Years 107
XIX. Hunting For Sweet Honey 118
XX. The Lower Forms Of Animal Life In The Large Malay Islands 124
XXI. The General Character Of Borneo's Primeval Forests 129
XXII. The Curious Pitcher-plant 142
XXIII. How The Borneo Native Gathers Camphor And Rubber 145
XXIV. The Most Delicious Fruits On Earth 151
XXV. How Sago Is Produced In Borneo 159
XXVI. Tobacco-growing In Sumatra 163
XXVII. The Rubber Industry In The East 173
XXVIII. The Production Of Coffee 183
XXIX. The Tea Plant And Tea Plantations 190
XXX. The Largest And Most Remarkable Flower On Earth 195
XXXI. Advice And Hints To My Successors 197