CHAPTER III

.

MY LIMBANG JOURNAL--_continued_.

Wet Morning--Wild Cattle--A Night Adventure--View of Molu Mountain--A Pebbly Flat--Moose Deer--Our Tents--Kayans--Their Attacks--Desolation--Course they pursue to invade these Districts--Difficulties--Attack the Lepuasing Muruts--Fearful Retaliation--Attacks on the Villages of the Lower Limbang--Makota’s Treachery--His Cupidity--Surprise of Balat Ikan--Alarm Signal--Advance--Fresh Kayan Marks--Inundations--Unskilful Sportsmen--Difficult Rapids--The Sertab Hills--Enter the Limestone District--A New Kayan Hut--High Pork--Effect of Pebbles on the Rock--Agreeable Evening--Omen Birds--Japer’s Method of easing a sore Heart--The Punan Tribe--The Spy--The Alligator Omen--The Bird Omen--Attack the Village--Poisoned Arrows--Destruction of a Tribe--Effect of such Forays on the Country--The Ghosts on the Tapang Tree--Numerous Bees’ Nests--Sand Flies--Seribas Omen Bird--The Salindong--Kayan Resting-place--Traces of Captives taken--Precautions--Difficulties increase--Limestone Country--Severe Toil--Accidents avoided--Hauling the Boats--River narrows--A Fresh--Towing-ropes--Story of the Death of Orang Kaya Apo--Enter the Sandstone District again--Broader River--Snakes on Trees--The same Colour as the Boughs and Foliage--Biawaks or Guanas--A large One--Their Ways--The Fowls and the Cobra--Heavy Day’s Work--Future Plans--Two Ways of reaching Adang--The flying Foxes--Huge Frog--The Madihit--Leave our Boats--Handsome Trees--Appearance of the Country--Sand Flies--Preparations for the Overland Journey--Division of Food--Our famous Hunters--A Cache--The Chinese on the Madihit.

_September 1st_, 7 a.m.--The night continued fine till towards early morn, when the rain commenced, and still continues. The showers are not very heavy, but there is an incessant descent of drizzle. The river rose two feet during the night, but there is a tendency to fall. I should push on immediately, only it is now necessary to open all the mat coverings, and prepare for poling; before we could stow away the baggage, they would be wet through. I must have patience.

3 p.m.--Having breakfasted, and the weather clearing, we managed to get away at 8.15, and at 11.20 passed the entrance of the Madalam. At Pulau Tambadau, so called on account of our twice disturbing a fine tambadau bull from this island, I sent the Orang Kaya round the inner passage to drive any wild cattle that might be there towards the main river; but, unfortunately, they heard him, and we saw them plunge from the end of the island into the narrow stream. He fired, says he hit one, but there was no result--very vexing, as I thought he would go so quietly as to drive the cattle towards us. Had they plunged into the main stream, we should have secured several: there were eight, some of them quite young.

Just at the entrance of the Madalam, opposite the site of the China fort before mentioned, we once had what I thought might have proved a serious adventure. We had built a small hut, and our whole party consisting of but fifteen, we kept a good watch. Towards four in the morning, the sentinel touched me quietly, I got up, and found old Japer watching with a musket in his hand, who beckoned me to him; then I distinctly heard footsteps in the jungle. I told the sentinel to wake the men quietly, and when all were prepared, I shouted out in Malay, “Who goes there?” No answer, but perfect stillness. I then made Japer hail in the Kayan and also in the Murut languages, and as again no answer was returned, I fired a miniè rifle over the spot from whence the noise of footsteps had proceeded. The crash of the conical ball in the trees made the intruders rush back. In about a quarter of an hour we heard steps on the pebbly flat below us. We again hailed, but obtaining no answer, we fired a volley. There was much movement, as of footsteps in rapid retreat. I thought at first it might be a pig or a tambadau; but on examining the jungle near the hut, we found the footprints of several men who had crawled up very near to us. They may have been only wax hunters, but they ought to have answered the hail: my men, however, insisted that they were Kayans.

After leaving the Madalam on our right, we entered a perfectly new country. We saw a range of hills, said to be Sertab, to the eastward. We stopped at two p.m. below an extensive pebbly flat. It shortly afterwards commenced raining, and is now pouring heavily, though as the clouds are coming from the north, there is some hope of the weather clearing up. Just below Tambadau Island we had a view of the Molu range, and I was somewhat puzzled by it. There appear to be two peaks, the westernmost much lower than that to the east, which is considerably loftier. When we were at the foot of the range, we noticed that there was a peak to the westward, but not much separated from the mountain we attempted to ascend.[7]

9 p.m.--About four p.m. the rain ceased, but the river continued to rise till seven: it is now gradually sinking. It rose three feet in this broad space, so that in the narrow portions of the stream it must have risen much more. We have fastened our boats in a safe place, under a clump of trees near the northern part of the pebbly flat. This mass of shingle is, perhaps, 300 yards by 150 in its broadest part, and forms the easternmost portion of an island. In pulling along to-day, I noticed several of these beds of water-worn pebbles showing themselves in the banks, from two to eighteen feet above the present level of the river, which proves that the stream flows now at a much lower level; great accumulations of drift wood may also be occasionally observed cropping out of the steep banks. We have as yet passed no ancient forest; young jungle, mixed with bamboos, cover the banks. The water to-day has, on the whole, been very shallow, and we had to use great exertions occasionally to get the boats over the rapids.

Just before dusk, a man shouted out that there were moose-deer in the island. We instituted a very active search, but the cunning animals hid themselves away in the long grass and brushwood, so that without dogs they were not to be found, and swimming exceedingly well, they always take to the water when pursued.

_2nd._--(My journal appears to be filled with nothing but notices of the weather; but as success or non-success depended entirely on the amount of rain that fell, it is very natural that I should have recorded the changes from dry to wet and wet to dry.) There was a little drizzling during the night, the water falling two feet, but at four a.m. the rain came down in torrents, and the rush of the stream forbad any attempt at advancing.

4 p.m.--It is unpleasant to record no progress, but the river is still two feet higher than it was this morning, and is falling but slowly. Were it still early, I should push on, but it is useless to disturb ourselves so late in the afternoon. I had a clear, but partial view to-day of what Japer calls the east end of Molu range. Their summits appear to rise to between 5,000 and 6,000 feet; they are the mountains which I can see from the back of the Consulate.

The men begin now to appreciate the tents, and pitch them every night. I still sleep in the boat, as it is a work of labour to remove my baggage, and it is as well not to leave it without my servant or myself to watch over it. To-day we noticed evidences of there having been visitors lately in this neighbourhood. Our guides declare they are Kayans, so that the men are beginning to keep a look-out.

We are surrounded by the evidences of former cultivation, but now the country is totally abandoned. The Kayans first of all attacked the Tabuns, who lived on the Madalam, and drove them away; they then attacked the Muruts on the main river, and these being all disunited, were destroyed piecemeal, each village caring only for itself. There is now not an inhabitant on the Upper Limbang except among the mountains close to its sources. Far as the Muruts have fled--and they are beyond the distant eastern range--they are still exposed to forays. However, they are seldom disturbed by great attacks; they are more annoyed by small parties of from ten to fifty.

In my journal kept during my visit to the Baram Kayans, I mention that there was great weeping in some of the villages on account of the destruction of a party said to have amounted to six hundred, but I believe two hundred was the right number. They started from the Baram town to search for heads and slaves in the Upper Trusan. I will follow the course they took, to show what energy they display in this warlike amusement. They pulled down the Baram until they reached the Tutu branch; which they ascended to the Millanau, then up that tributary to the foot of the western Molu range.

Here was the regular Kayan road connecting the Millanau with the Trunan, a branch of the Madalam. This road is cleared about two fathoms broad, and then trunks of small trees are laid across and secured about a yard apart. I followed it once for upwards of two miles. The Kayans, on reaching this spot, haul their boats (tamuis) along the road, and considering that some of their tamuis are sixty feet long, it is a work of infinite labour, but three or four crews lay on to one boat and gradually move the whole fleet over into the Trunan river. From thence they descend about thirty miles through the Madalam to the Limbang; then up the Limbang to the Adang landing-place--very heavy work, as we find it.

On this occasion they pushed farther up the river, and crossed over to the interior of the Trusan. Here, as ill luck would have it, they were noticed by the Lepuasing Muruts, and contrary to the usual Murut custom, a large force quietly collected, and before the Kayans had killed above two women and a child, they were attacked in the rear and fled to an island full of caves.

They were soon surrounded, and the alarm having spread, reinforcements of Muruts came in on every side. They attacked the mouths of some of the caves, but the Kayans easily beat them off. Finding they were losing men to no purpose, they changed their tactics, and at this part of the story the Murut listeners gave a grunt of satisfaction. They collected great quantities of firewood and heaped it before the caves, then set it on fire, and prepared for the rush that would surely take place. Maddened by the smoke, the Kayans attempted to break through, but were driven back, and in less than two hours the whole party were either killed or suffocated. The Lepuasing Muruts have suffered from no further attacks. One or two Kayans who did not fly to the caves got away, and reached their homes after a few months in a state of semi-starvation.

The Kayans having driven the Muruts of the upper Limbang away, are now extending their attacks to the portion nearer the capital. In March, 1857, they came over to the number of three thousand, and built a large encampment at the mouth of the Damit river; from thence they sent insolent messages to the Government of Brunei, threatening to destroy the whole country unless some particular village was given up to them to plunder. The Bornean Government, in great fear, collected every available man, and sent them up to oppose the Kayans; but, apparently, neither felt inclined to fight.

After about a month’s talk, Makota proposed that the Kayans should be bribed by the Muruts to return to their own country; but the latter, remembering a former trick he had played them, were very unwilling to come to terms; so Makota had a secret interview with the Kayan chiefs, and then gave out that peace was concluded, that the Kayans would go back to their own country, and so ordered the Bornean forces to return to the capital. Scarcely had they done so, when Makota’s plan was revealed: he had given them up a Murut village (Balat Ikan) which he disliked; the Kayans surprised it, killed thirteen, and captured seventeen, obtaining likewise the whole plunder. This was the Bornean plan of getting rid of an enemy. It is worthy of remark that while the two forces were face to face, traders from the capital went up to supply the Kayans with food in exchange for valuable jungle produce.

The way in which the head-hunters surprised Balat Ikan is an illustration of the divisions that separate the different races on the Limbang. The frontier fortified village was then Blimbing, inhabited by Bisayans, commanded by a son of the old Orang Kaya Panglima Prang, I have often referred to, and when he saw the Kayan force descending the river, he ran to his guns and prepared to fire into them, but the people in the foremost boat shouted out that if he would neither fire his guns, or beat the alarm signal, they would not meddle with his village, upon which he ordered his men not to interfere. The villagers of Balat Ikan, inhabited by Muruts, trusting to the usual alarm signal, kept no watch, and were easily surprised.

From time immemorial, it has been a custom among the inhabitants of these villages to beat an alarm on their gongs on the first appearance of an enemy, or when some great misfortune has happened. It puts the people on the alert, as when I lost my boat on a snag in the Madalam, the report spread I was drowned or in trouble, and the alarm signal was beaten, and I met a dozen boats coming to the rescue, or to inquire into the truth of the report.

Makota’s trick, referred to above, was this--The Kayans were in force at Sungei Damit (in 1855) when he arranged with their chiefs that on the payment of a hundred pikuls of guns (700_l._) they should retire. The Muruts collected a large amount, which Makota coolly kept for himself. The enraged Kayans fell upon a Tabun village above Batang Parak, and carried it with great slaughter of men, women, and children.

Having remained quiet the whole day, the men were in no way fatigued, and we sat late talking over these and other matters, and collecting words of the Adang language, which is, in fact, the same as that of the other Muruts.

_3rd._ The river did not fall above three inches during the night, but I pushed off at six and brought up at 12.45 for the day, as it was thundering and threatening rain from the S.W. Three p.m.--The rain has just commenced, but we are comfortably sheltered for the night. There is little to notice, except that the river continues broad and often very shallow, each reach containing an island which, of course, produces a rapid, rendering our progress slow. Occasionally the banks are high, showing a sort of stratified shale. The jungle continues small, except on some of the low hills we have passed. From our resting place the Sertab range does not appear to be far off.

Some of our party are much alarmed by finding a long Kayan hut but recently occupied; so that there is no doubt that the head-hunters have been here, which induces me to take every reasonable precaution; but our Muruts are full of the most absurd fancies, saying that if the Kayans have killed people in the interior, the villagers will declare we did it, and attack us. They would willingly return to their homes; even those who are anxious to see their friends are disheartened by the assured marks of the recent neighbourhood of the head-hunters. I have told all the men that on no account are we to meddle with the Kayans, but should they attack any of our party, then to fall upon them without mercy. I hope we shall neither see nor hear anything of them.

We have brought up for the night at a curious place, a sort of large island, a stony and sandy plain, about 200 by 400 yards, with patches of vegetation and clumps of trees on it. There is one about fifty yards from us, that will afford shelter in case of a heavy fresh. There is every sign of there being tremendous inundations in this river. Our sportsmen, with their usual ill-luck, missed a deer on the sandy plain before us. There are numerous droppings of wild cattle, and our men have just reported some on the other side of the river, about a quarter of a mile farther up. If it cease raining before sunset, I will go after them.

7 p.m.--I have been, and there is not a trace of anything but pigs. A huge boar swam away within fifty yards of one of the men, but he missed it; we were consoled, however, on our return, by catching some very fine fish. Rain has again commenced, and until we leave Molu to the north of us will, I believe, continue.

_4th._--Though it drizzled a good part of the night, still the river fell nine inches. We got away by 6 a.m., and pulled on till 9.40, when we stopped for breakfast; off again at 11.25, and brought up for the night at 3.35. This is the most fortunate day we have yet had: cloudy in the morning, but clearing up into fine weather. We have had seven hours and a half of good work, not including stoppages, and have made, I think, more than eight miles. Nearly every reach includes a rapid, and one at the Sertab hills caused us a little delay, as we had to remove stones to make a passage for our boats. In the least rapid part of the river is a good place for taking the dip and strike of the rock. Dip N.N.W., strike E.N.E., angle 80°, sandstone.

The river has been winding the whole day among hills, varying in elevation from 500 to 1,500 feet (estimated), and clothed with a fine forest. At the distance the Sertab hills appear to be a single range, but in fact they are a succession of short ones. When this district was inhabited, no doubt each had a distinct name, but now they call them all the Sertab hills. We are about to leave the sandstone country. In the last reach I applied the test to the first piece of limestone I have seen during this expedition, but it was scarcely necessary, as there was no mistaking its form. The Salindong hills ahead of us are evidently limestone. We had a partial view of a high mountain, which Japer says is the east end of the Molu range, which I long to see in the rear, but as yet it is always to the east of south. I suspect there are several ranges, forming what the natives call the Molu hills. The general direction from the mouth of the Madalam has been S.E. by E.

The incidents which have varied the day have been the finding of another new Kayan sulap, or hut, and the decaying head of a large wild boar left by an alligator on the bank. The last was for us an unfortunate discovery, as the Muruts seized upon it, and have it now in their boat--a most offensive subject for our nostrils. Every time they passed us a most disgusting whiff came our way, and now at our resting place we are obliged to insist that they shall either get rid of the head, or encamp away from us. The love of high pork has prevailed over fear, so they have taken up their quarters at the other end of the pebbly flat.

I have noticed to-day many of those deep holes in rocks mentioned by De la Beche, as caused by the continual working of pebbles on them. Many have bored their way down several feet, working even through to the stream; others are in every stage of progress. The river, though in many places deep, is generally shallow, particularly at the rapids, and it occasionally rushes down with great force. I expect as we enter the limestone district, to change the character of these impediments, which have as yet consisted of pebbles, gradually enlarging as we move up the river; many of limestone are now showing themselves. The Muruts declare there are edible birds’-nest caves near Salindong; but we must reserve any search till our return, as I will not allow anything to interfere with our advance.

I do enjoy this exploration of new countries. I especially enjoy an evening such as this. It is a fine star-light night; we have pitched our tents on a broad pebbly flat, and the men have collected a great pile of wood, with which to keep up a cheerful fire. Most of us are sitting round it, and that everlasting subject of discussion arises--how far are the Kayans off. The hut to-day appeared as if very lately used, but if we are to be attacked, I hope it will be in the day-time. The conversation was beginning to flag, when suddenly we heard a bird utter three cries to our right. “Ah,” cried Japer, “that is a good sign,” and instantly reverted to head-hunting and omens. I will here introduce a story illustrative of the practice. Its cool atrocity always makes my heart sick. Japer told it in illustration of various omens. I will try and relate it in his own words, whilst they are still ringing in my ears.

“I am acquainted with all the different birds and animals in which the Pakatans have faith. Do you hear that grasshopper,--it is on the right, and is a sign of good fortune. Were there three or four sounding together, we should instantly leave our hut, at whatever time of night, and seek a new resting-place, or we should suffer for it. When the bird of omen flies over us from the quarter whence we have just arrived, it is a good sign; the bird tells us to advance. If he flew from the quarter whence we were going, we should return to our last night’s resting-place, whatever might be the distance. You know that bird which has three cries? When it sounds to the right it is good luck; and also when to the left, if very near an enemy, it rejoices to give them to us as a prey. When it cries, 'Trik, trik,’ it is death to those that advance.

“I will tell you what has happened to me since I have entered El Islam. Two of my grand-children died of sickness. How was I to lose the soreness of heart occasioned by this event? I determined to go head-hunting. I sent a hundred of my tribe up the Rejang, and started myself with seventy to Bintulu. There the Orang Kaya Pamancha came to me and said, 'You are going to kill some of my people.’ 'No; I am not,’ I answered. 'Well,’ he said, 'there is a tribe of Punans living near Bukit Lambir, who owe me for goods, which they have had for some time. They sell their camphor and their wax to others, not to me. Go and attack them; there are only thirty males. But don’t forget me when you divide the women and children.’

“So I sent my brother, who is a brave man, and he started in a small canoe, with three men. After a long search, he arrived in their neighbourhood, and heard them talking in the woods. He therefore hid his canoe, and that night walked up close to their village. He then stripped and left his sword and everything near an old tree, and fastening a string to the stump, crawled towards the house like a pig on all fours, but gradually letting out the string behind him; this was to be his guide in returning to his clothes. He found that the house was large. He then crawled back to the place from whence he started. Not satisfied with this inspection, he determined to remain there and have a look at the place during the day. At dawn he concealed himself in a hollow tree, and waited there till all the Punans had gone out hunting; he then boldly went near the house and counted the number of doors--'families’--which he found to be forty. Thereupon, he returned to his companions, and they all together pulled off to Bintulu.

“On meeting, I asked what was the news? As this was in public, my younger brother answered, 'Antah,’ (nothing particular); but presently calling me on one side, he told me all that he had seen. That very night I started off with my whole party. When we reached the entrance of the Lambir River, a great alligator rose to the surface, and kept up with our boats the whole way. This was a good omen, and I addressed the animal thus:--'Oh, grandfather, give us good fortune, and we will provide you with a feast.’ We were all in the highest spirits, when the omen bird flew from the right hand to the left, crying 'Trik, trik;’ and immediately another flew from the left to the right, sounding ‘Trik, trik.’ This double crossing was a very bad omen, and portended a fight and much contention; so I said to my followers, 'Let us return to our boats for three days; this omen is very bad.’ But they laughed at me, and said, 'You are becoming afraid.’ 'Very well,’ I answered, 'let us go on; I shall not be the only one to die.’

“Upon this we approached the house, and at break of day commenced hurling our siligis (wooden javelins) through the bark walls. Upon this the Punans answered with a flight of sumpits (poisoned arrows), one of which struck me on the hand. I dragged it out with my teeth, of which I had then a few left, and bound up the wound. The charm I possessed prevented its having any bad effect. When my relations saw that I was wounded, they said, 'Oh, father, you had better retire.’ But I answered, 'No; I did not seek the fight to-day; I shall not retire.’ I tried to discharge a new gun I had bought, but the instrument (may it and he who sold it me be accursed!) would not go off.

“The Punans, fearing that we would use fire, began now to come down from their house to fight on the ground. They were thirty-five, we were seventy; but the sun had descended as low as that in the heavens”--pointing, as he said these words, to the sky (4 p.m.)--“ere the fight was over. We killed them all; they fought like brave men; not one tried to run away. We then went up to the houses and seized the women and children. We captured fifty-five. When we caught a woman, it was like catching a hen; all her children flocked to her like chickens. When we caught a child, the mother ran to it directly. That night we made merry in the house, and next day started off to Bintulu. Some of the captives cried, others made no sign. My share came to two, whom I sold to a Brunei man for a pikul of guns each (thirty Spanish dollars). On that occasion ten of our party were killed, and nearly every man wounded, which was all caused by neglecting the warning the omen-birds gave; but our young men were too eager. We got thirty-five heads. Had they followed my advice, we should have fallen upon them when unprepared, but I was not listened to.”

Such is the story I have before heard, and Japer has now again repeated to me in all its detail. I have written it down almost word for word, omitting, however, his two single combats, in which his opponents fell. He is a well-known warrior amongst them. The Punans had never done them the slightest injury; but, for the sake of easing his sore heart, a tribe is massacred. The Orang Kaya, who gave the information, got a slave for his trouble. What country can prosper where such scenes are constantly occurring?

At this moment there are, most probably, from twenty to forty Kayans pulling before us, seeking for heads and slaves. We cannot be certain of the number, as, from the signs, there may be one or two tamuis; and the maxim of these ruffians is, that out of their own country all are fair game. “Were we to meet our father, we would slay him.” The head of a child or of a woman is as highly prized as that of a man; so, as easier prey, the cowards seek them by lying in ambush near the plantations. I ought to add, that some of the relations of the Pakatans, who were killed in the foray, sacrificed two of the women captives for the sake of the heads and for revenge.

The Orang Kaya Upit and his party listened to this story with great interest, and evidently envied Japer the glorious chance he had had. I changed the conversation, and then they told stories of the wrongs they suffered at the hands of the people of the capital. To-night they were full of stories. Old Japer is a store-house of information; he is so well acquainted with the countries between Sarawak and Brunei. He has a thorough faith in ghosts and spirits, and tells of many an adventure with them; of the Antus who caused the death of the wax-hunters, by pushing them off the meñgiris or tapang-tree. When the unfortunate men, from inefficient preparations, as their companions not keeping up a great fire under the trees to stupefy the bees, are so stung as to let go their hold, the natural explanation is never taken; they fly to their superstitions.

Japer’s nephew saw one of these tapang ghosts, and managed to keep his eye upon him and prevent him pushing him off; he came down without accident, but without any wax. I suggested that he invented the ghost to excuse his timidity, which Japer thought probable. To-day we passed one of these lofty trees, bearing above twenty bees’-nests, among them four old ones white with wax. As the country is full of tapangs, in which alone do the bees build their nests, the stories of the great amount of wax formerly procured in this district may be true. Why do the honey-bees generally build on one particular tree? Its being the finest in the forest is no good reason; perhaps there is something enticing in the bark. I say “generally,” because, though I have never seen their nests on other trees, yet I have often come across them in the crevices of rocks.

If travelling has its pleasures, it has also its disagreeables: mosquitoes near the sea, leeches by thousands in the jungle, and swarms of sand-flies on the banks of the rivers. The fire being nearly out, there is no smoke to drive these last nuisances away, and they compel me to close my journal for the night, and retire under the shelter of a Scotch plaid.

I have so often mentioned the omen-birds, that I will describe the one which is most considered by the Seribas Dayaks: body, a bright red; wings, black, chequered with white; head, black at top, with a beak and throat light blue; the tail long, a mixture of black, white, and brown; about the size of a blackbird; the beak is slightly hooked. It is a scarce bird, and is called by the natives Burong Papaw. The bird is before me while describing it. I dare say a naturalist would notice more peculiarities.

_5th._--Though I don’t do very much work, yet I was so tired this evening that I fell asleep without writing in the day’s journal; but, waking up at nine a.m., I will briefly notice the day’s occurrences. We got away at quarter-past six, and, after ascending half a mile, found ourselves at the mouth of the Salidong, or Salindong, which is but a small stream on the right hank. A limestone cliff marks the entrance, and probably gives the name to the branch, _lindong_, to overshadow. Opposite to it was a Kayan resting-place, where we found marks which proved that one party had returned. In the hut was picked up a woman’s jacket, with a small net, left behind in the hurry of departure, so it is probable they captured her while fishing on the banks of some rivulet.

Though certain they had obtained captives, opinions were divided on the subject of heads. I could find no traces, and old Japer agreed with me that it was uncertain; but it would only be accidentally that we could have discovered indications. They had left a mark, however, to show their countrymen that they had been up the Salindong: it was a long pole, ornamented with three tufts pointing up that stream. The three tufts were supposed by many to show that they had obtained three heads or captives; it might mean either. There were evidently two parties out, and it is more than probable that there is one ahead of us; but we should have little to fear from the crew of one tamui, even if they took us by surprise. However, the men are taking every precaution; the muskets are nightly inspected, discharged if suspected of being damp, and kept ready at hand to be used at a moment’s notice. I have little fear but that the heavy volley we could pour into an enemy would drive them off without trouble.

Our course to-day has been principally through a limestone district, though occasionally there is sandstone, as at the mouth of the Tuan River. The general dip is to the E.N.E.; sometimes very steep, varying from 21° to 53° and 56°. Though we worked to 3.45 p.m., staying only an hour and a half for breakfast, we made comparatively but little progress--not, perhaps, more than six miles, as last night’s rain raised a sort of fresh, which was hard to contend against amid the limestone rocks and steep banks. In fact, the last half mile took us nearly two hours to accomplish: the limestone rocks were excessively steep, and the river, being confined to a narrow bed, rushed like a mill-sluice in many places. Now we found the use of our long towing-ropes. After vainly endeavouring to pole along, we all but two got out, and, crawling on to a tolerably even spot, passed the tow rope round a tree, for fear the rush of waters should be too great for our strength, and then hauled. At one place it took our whole united crews to get my garei past a deep though dangerous rapid.

After two hours’ severe work, we managed to reach a spot which the men considered we might safely bring up under; it is a point about forty feet in height, that promises shelter in case of a heavy fresh, and we may have that to-morrow, as the rain is pouring now. The advance of the last half mile was entirely the men’s doing, as at the mouth of the Tuan, by mismanagement, we got across the stream and came broadside on to a sunken rock, which nearly upset us. After this I had no desire to face the rush of waters ahead with tired men, and proposed stopping at the Tuan, but they said it was not safe. I thought it the perfection of a resting-place; rocks rising on either side, crowned by noble trees, whose branches met above, forming a most beautiful and extensive bower. Of course I was very unwilling to stop, when my followers wished to go on: so I let them have their own way; but they said afterwards, had they known what work was before them to get over the next half mile, they would almost have run the risk of staying at the spot I pointed out. It did, indeed, strain our muscles to make the advance.

We had a very narrow escape, also, from the stupidity of Orang Kaya Upit. At one of the worst rapids that we were attempting to pole up, he got across our bows; and, in trying to avoid running his frail sampir under water, we let go our hold, and were swept back by the current at an awful pace. The rebound of the waters from the rocks prevented our going on them, and saved us from the smash most expected. The Orang Kaya and his Muruts were very unpopular after this, and my men showed great unwillingness to aid them; but, as they had assisted us in our heavy work to get my garei past the rapid, I insisted upon doing the same for them. To insure the execution of the order, I took the end of the long towing-rope myself, and passed it round a tree, and put my Malays on a grassy, but rocky point, which was completely free from brushwood. There was no difficulty in hauling this light sampir up; but the two Muruts left in it were clumsy, and, just as it was clear of the rapid and approached the bank, nearly got their boat across the stream; though it was swept against the rocks, it was too elastic to receive much damage.

[Illustration:

T. Picken, lith. Published by Smith, Elder & C^o. 65, Cornhill, London. Day & Son, Lith^{rs}. to the Queen.

THE LIMBANG--HAULING PAST THE RAPIDS]

The wind has been from south-west all day, and therefore from Molu. We have been advancing through very hilly country, which rises abruptly from the bank: masses of rock continually overshadow the river, which is now always confined to a very narrow space; it is therefore deeper and more rapid. Occasionally there were dark pools, with no bottom with our four-fathom poles. Old Japer missed, or only slightly wounded, a kijang, a species of roe. Most unlucky sportsman!

_6th._--The expected fresh came on about one a.m.; and as it has rained all the morning, the water will increase for many hours yet. There is very good protection where we have secured our boats, though the river has risen six feet since yesterday, and is now running like a mill-sluice. We have met with so many obstructions and delays from these freshes, that I begin to fear we shall not accomplish the object of our expedition. I shall persevere until we have only three days’ provisions left. Food is the only difficulty, otherwise I would spend three months in trying to reach the Adang Muruts. The rocks near our encampment are both limestone and sandstone, the latter uppermost; their dip is east, angle 82°. There appears to be too much disturbance of rocks here to render any observations of much value, either with regard to the stratification or the angle; the rocks are constantly laminated. My men are employed in making towing-ropes of twisted rattans; the one for the garei is strong enough to hold a schooner, but we may want them in the bad rapids. Yesterday we trembled once or twice, fearing our tow-ropes would part.

At 4 p.m.--The river has not fallen more than two and a half feet since I marked it at nine a.m. If it rain to-night, we shall lose another day.

It is a cold evening; the gusts of wind occasionally driving the drizzly rain before it; so I have asked the Muruts to come and have a glass of whiskey with me. We have had a couple of hours’ talk, and they have told me innumerable anecdotes of their own lives. Orang Kaya Upit mentioned an event which occurred to himself not many years ago. His father and mother-in-law were invited to a feast by the Orang Kaya Apo: there was great drinking, and at night most of the drunken guests slept in the house. After some hours, Apo got up and killed Upit’s two relations in their sleep; perhaps, in revenge of some old injury.

Upit immediately brought his complaint to the Sultan, but no attention was paid to him. At last one of the men about the court said, “Why don’t you revenge yourself?” The Sultan laughed, and repeated, “Ah, why don’t you?” Upit upon this went home and prepared his arms, and for two years lay in wait in all sorts of places, but he could never find Apo off his guard. One day, however, he met him in the Trusan river, returning from the Sultan’s palace, and shot him through the body, and took his head. Upon this, the Sultan fined him a hundred pikuls of brass guns (3,000 dols.), not for killing Apo, but for disrespect to him in shooting a man who had lately left his palace, though the deed took place twenty miles away. Upit, by great exertions, and by the assistance of all the neighbouring villages, paid a portion of the fine. It is an illustration of Bornean government.

_7th._--It appeared a beautiful night, but towards morning it rained heavily. I turned round in my bed, and made up my mind to lose another day; but at dawn, finding the river not so rapid as I expected, I pushed off a few minutes after six a.m., and after an hour’s heavy work, was rewarded by finding the hills gradually receding from the banks, thus allowing the river freer scope. As might be imagined, this was a sign that we had passed the limestone district; gradually it gave way to sandstone, and with it a more open country. The river soon became broader, but shallower; and though it necessitated hard work, it was not to be compared to the difficulties we overcame on the 5th.

During our progress up this river we have kept very much along the banks, and have had to take great care not to shake snakes into our boat. These reptiles are constantly found concealed amid the foliage of fruit-trees, or lying quietly along the branches to catch unwary birds which seek their food there. In fact, their colours so much resemble those of the trees, that it is often difficult to distinguish them. Musa one day pointed to a tree and said, “There is a large snake.” I could not see it, but on his pointing to it with his sword, I noticed a brown creature thicker than my arm, coiled round a bough, with its head resting near a bunch of fruit, waiting the arrival of some unwary Pargam, the splendid green pigeon of these forests. It looked exactly of the colour of the bough on which it was resting, and the green snakes are equally difficult to detect. There is one with large regular scales, and a triangular head, which is the dread of the native, and if its poisonous qualities equal its offensive look, it must be a venomous one indeed. These unpleasant neighbours are, however, rarely seen, though pretty green flower snakes may be occasionally noticed among the bushes, or gliding over the blossoms on the look out for insects. One of a bright green with yellow stripes down its sides is no doubt a beautiful object, but I dislike snakes of every kind. My men, who appear to have as strong an antipathy to them, cut at them on every occasion with their swords.

Land tortoises are continually dropping from the overhanging trunks of trees as they hear the noise of our paddles. We were once much startled by a large animal springing from a high bough, and falling with a heavy splash within a few feet of our boat: it turned out to be a huge biawak, or guana, which, being alarmed, thus made his escape. The guana is a species of lizard, growing to a great length, and is the enemy of our poultry. My dogs once killed one in Brunei which measured six feet six inches in length. The whole pack attacked it; and while it was endeavouring to save its tail, a bold dog seized it by the throat, and held it tight, while the rest of the pack destroyed it. It is the only instance I have known of dogs facing so large a biawak; but they were of English breed, and all were ultimately killed by their unwary attacks on the wild pigs.

The biawaks used very often to pay us a visit at Sarawak, as there was an extensive poultry yard, and their presence in the day-time was always announced by the loud cackling of the fowls; if it were a small one, the cocks and hens would gather round it, and make feigned attacks upon it, and the beast, almost bewildered by the cries of the circle of enemies, would raise its head high and take a survey of them, as if choosing which he should seize. We once succeeded in approaching almost close to one, thinking we could catch him, as the ground was free from brushwood, but it quickly outran us, disappearing down a neighbouring ravine. The Chinese are very fond of its flesh, considering it very delicate eating.

I have also often been disturbed by the cackling of the fowls, and going to discover the cause, have found them attacking a snake which has unwarily ventured in their neighbourhood. I one day saw about twenty large Cochin cocks and hens surrounding some object, and approaching near, saw it was a fine cobra, about six feet in length. The reptile had its head raised nearly a foot, and was making slight darts at the fowls which ventured near, but unable to do much, for as soon as it attempted to move, several pecks were made at its tail. A friend who was standing near, knocked the snake on the head, and immediately all the inhabitants of the poultry-yard set upon it and tore it to pieces.

After nine hours’ severe poling and hauling, we came to a stop for the night at 4.25 p.m. I was desirous to reach the Madihit, but the men were too exhausted to proceed farther. We have not had a bearing of Molu for some time; we are anxious for it, in order to determine our position. I got out all the salt fish that was left, and divided it among the men, to whom it was most acceptable, as they had had nothing but rice for many days.

After we had finished our supper, I called the whole party together to discuss our future proceedings. I explained to them the information I had been enabled to collect from the Muruts; that we might reach the Adang landing-place by water, but that as we advanced the country became more difficult; and that, in the present state of the river, it was impracticable to face the rapids; that if we attempted the water way and failed, we must return home, as it was quite impossible to walk along its bank; the hills were too lofty and far too steep; in fact, no one would ever attempt it who knew anything of the country. The second plan was to ascend the Madihit, which could not be very far off--a mile or two--then leave our boats, and walk across, the Murut guides assuring us that we could do the distance in seven days. I put it to the whole party to consider. Musa, after a short consultation, said they would prefer walking to facing even seven days of such work as we had had; and as it was two or three days from the Adang landing-place to the houses, it was better to start at once from the Madihit, leaving the principal portion of our heavy baggage with the boats. My heart was slightly despondent yesterday, but to-day’s progress has completely cheered me up.

Just at sunset, we noticed a few flying foxes far up in the sky; they seemed very numerous, but were almost beyond view. Sometimes, however, they fly low, pursuing their onward course with steady flapping wings. For two hours I watched them at the entrance of the Sibuyau river, passing us by tens of thousands, and all flying in one direction, doubtless towards some place where they rest at night. While preparing their tents, my men disturbed a huge frog that appeared about nine inches long; it was of a dark gray colour. I was assured, however, that a full-grown frog was double this size, and if one could judge of their dimensions by their noise, when they are heard in a marsh, one might readily believe the Muruts’ account. I remember hearing the late Mr. Hayes of Siam say that he had seen them there with bodies as large as a full-sized dinner plate.

_8th._--We found the Madihit to be two miles farther up on the left bank. The main stream continues broad, and is furnished with islands and immense pebbly flats, reminding me of the portion near the Madalam at very low water. The hills are now at some distance apart, allowing broader and flatter strips of cultivatable land along the banks. Our last night’s resting-place was quite a level point; we brought up a little above it, under a jutting portion of the bank, which was higher, and near it was a beautiful natural bower which would have afforded shelter for all our boats, had the stream risen high; some of the men encamped in it. The Madihit, a short distance from the mouth, is but a shallow, pebbly torrent; and a little more than half a mile up we were obliged to leave our large garei, and take to the sampirs, most of the men following along the banks; and now, less than two miles farther, we have to leave our boats, and take to walking.

We noticed a very handsome tree, whose trunk shoots out almost horizontally from the banks: its branches rise perpendicularly into the air, but let fall on either side rows of long drooping twigs, covered with elegant foliage. It was loaded with fruit, whose long wings are of a beautiful pink colour, and amid this forest it had a gorgeous effect. I believe it is of the order _Dipterocarpæ_. There is another very remarkable one which grows on rocky soil; its bark strips naturally from the trunk, leaving a brightish brick-red stem.

We have passed yesterday and to-day much young jungle; indeed, except where the hills are steep, there are few old trees. The fish are very plentiful in the river, but the rapidity of the stream prevents the net from acting properly. Just before entering the Madihit, I noticed a range of high hills, bearing south-east, said to be called the Paya Paya in Malay, the very difficult hills, and round their base the Limbang ran.

No rain last night or to-day. I find it impossible to continue writing, from the cloud of sand-flies that are tormenting me. Having made a smoky fire, I am at last rid of them. I have divided the remainder of the rice, and find that the careful men have enough for seven or eight days, while the improvident have not enough for five; so that they must carry sago; and, to my regret, Ahtan reports that all my tinmeats are left at home, but I have enough biscuit for seven days; in fact, I shall leave some behind me for the journey back. Our sportsmen again missed both a deer and a pig; so that, after having had every day many chances, nothing has been secured, though we have with us two of the most famous hunters in the Limbang. I never had a shot myself, as my heavy boat was generally behind the others. The rock that forms the base of many of these karañgans or pebbly rapids is a dark gray sandstone. By the barometer, we are 637 feet above the level of the sea, and as we have been toiling up rapids since we left the Damit stream, it accounts for this elevation.

The men have been working away, forming a cache for the things that we must leave behind: it is raised on four poles, so as to be quite secure from pigs.

To show how extensively the Chinese formerly spread over the country, I may notice that they had pepper plantations even up the Madihit as late as the remembrance of some of the oldest Muruts.

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