CHAPTER IV

.

MY LIMBANG JOURNAL--_continued_.

Start on the Land Journey--Our Course--Ascend the Rawan Torrent--Attacked by Hornets--Native Remedy--Severe Effect of Sting--Disturbed by Ants--Japer left behind--Fresh Traces of Strangers in the Forest--Appearance of the Country--Water Snake killed--Our Adventure with One--The Swimming Cobra--Romantic but timely Meeting--Story of Pangeran Mumein and the Murut Concubine--Malay Revenge--Punishment of an Offender--Cause of the Borneans being converted to Mahomedanism--Capturing the Daughter of Johore--Independent Position of the Pablat Borneans--Reach the Wax-seekers’ Hut--Flesh of the Wild Boar--The Adang Muruts--Their Sumpitans--The Poison on the Arrows--Melted in hot Water--Weapons purchased, not made by them--Dress of the Muruts--Japer rejoins us--Continue our Journey with new Guide--Method of catching Fish--Effect of Loss of Blood by Leeches--Extraordinary Insect--The Freshwater Turtle--Its Description--Curious Fly--Poisoning the River--Getting short of Provisions--Galton’s Method of dividing Food--Adopt it--Improvidence of the Malays--Cry of the Wahwah--Rejoin the Limbang--Omen Bird--Prepare for Enemies--Quarrel among the Guides--Divide the Party--Hard Walking--The Otter--A Fight with my Dogs--Still beyond the Mountain--Find good Huts--The Stragglers--The last of the Food--Ascend the Mountains--Exhaustion of the Guides--The Remains of the Ham--Its Effects--Reach the Summit--Descend to the Farms--Meet the Adang Muruts--Hearty Welcome--Names--Recent History of these Villagers--Kayan Attacks--Driven from the Limbang--The Geography of the Country--The Houses--Cold, and Fire-places--Arrival of my Followers--Sir James Brooke--The Friend of the Aborigines--His Fame had preceded me--How Reports spread--The Tigers’ Cave--Curious Story.

_10th._--I was so stung by hornets yesterday that I was unable to write in my journal, and even now it is a work of difficulty. After some trouble, I got the sampirs hauled up on the bank, to be beyond the reach of freshes; and all the things we intended to leave behind were carefully stowed away. The sago we left in the boats, none of the men choosing to burden themselves with any of it, though I warned them not to take less than seven days’ provisions, but all warnings were useless.

Having divided the packages, we got away at 9.15, and started in an easterly direction for about an hour and a quarter, then southerly for about two hours, when we joined the small stream of Rawan. Our course led us from one bank to the other of the Madihit, crossing and recrossing it nearly every reach, a most fatiguing operation, and trying to one’s feet, over slippery sandstone rocks and pebbles. The forest, though principally consisting of small trees, is tolerably clear, and presented no particular difficulties, nor was it so infested by leeches as in the neighbourhood of Molu. At 12.30 we began to ascend a steep valley (easterly), generally making the bed of the Rawan our path. A mountain torrent never affords very easy walking, and three of our men were so fatigued that at 3.15, after six hours’ walking, I consented to encamp.

It was in following the bed of the Rawan that I was stung. Notice was given by the guide to leave the direct path, and we all did; but I suppose some one disturbed the hornets, as they attacked me with a ferocity that appears incredible: many flew at me, but two fixed on my arms and stung me through my double clothing. They poised themselves a moment in the air, and then came on with a rush that it was impossible to avoid. The pain was acute, but I saved my face. I tumbled down the steep bank in a moment, and, throwing aside rifle and ammunition, plunged up to my eyes in a pool, until the buzzing ceased, and the hornets had returned to their nests.

Some of my men were also stung; they squeezed a little tobacco juice on the wounds, and they say they felt no further inconvenience. I tried it about an hour afterwards, but it did me no good. I had no idea that the sting of this insect was so severe: my right arm swelled up to double its natural size, and was acutely painful; now, on the second day, it is much less so, but as the swelling continues, it is impossible to use it much. In the night we were again unfortunate, being attacked by the selimbada, a most poisonous ant, which quickly drove us from the tents, and compelled us to take refuge on a small pebbly flat near the stream. Fortunately for us it was a fine star-light sky, as we had to spend the remainder of the night there. I have called the sting poisonous; it is scarcely that, as, though the pain is acute, it has but little permanent effect. The little sleep I had was due to the last bottle of porter that remained. My men were so heavily laden, that had I brought a stock of drinkables, I could not have had them carried. I have with me but a couple of bottles of whisky and one of brandy.

Having put my right arm, the most painful, into a sling, I was enabled to make a start with the rest of the party, except Japer, who had an attack of elephantiasis. So leaving two volunteers with him, we continued our course; they promising to follow as soon as possible after the fit was over; they will easily catch our loaded men. I would gladly have stayed behind myself, as my arms were in a very unfit state to be used, and I was compelled to carry my rifle in my left hand; but the fear of running short of provisions made me push on. Having left the tents at 7.30, we soon commenced ascending hills. Our course was at first S.W., but on reaching the summit of a ridge, we followed it to the S.S.E. The guides had some difficulty in discovering the path, which was completely overgrown. We found traces, however, of recent visitors.

Leaving the ridge, we descended a stream called Patra, where the guide said he wished us to remain while he went ahead to look for the path; so that, very unwillingly, I brought up at twelve, and our guide started to explore. One of the traces we found in the course of our walk was quite fresh, a human footstep in the mud, not a couple of hours old, and many broken branches. This caused as great excitement as ever Robinson Crusoe could have felt when he discovered the one on the sand; and the whole party collected to examine it. One man ventured to observe, “Perhaps there are enemies in the neighbourhood.” At this I laughed, and suggested it might be a wax-hunter, who, having caught sight of us, has started off to give notice of the approach of our formidable party: the twenty muskets must make it look formidable to him.

Our path to-day was rather difficult, as we had to ascend many steep hills, and sometimes to move along their faces, which is tiresome walking: it is only on the ridges that our advance is pleasant. We had a view of the Molu range through the trees, and also saw many other mountain ranges, but no sign of those extensive plains that we were promised; perhaps, however, we have not penetrated far enough into the country. No portion of Molu appears to drain into the Limbang, except through the Madalam, the waters of its southern and western faces being carried off by the Tutu and the Millanau into the Baram. I have been trying to find some flowers for Mr. Low, but we have as yet seen none, except of the most trifling description. The waters of the Patra are very muddy, there evidently having been a landslip in its upper course, in fact I observed one to-day that left the surface of a whole hill quite bare. Our Muruts have just killed a large rock snake; they are now cleaning it preparatory to its forming a portion of their dinner.

They surprised their snake basking in the sun and cut off its head: but some time before we were ascending a waterfall, and while looking at some flowers, a friend accidentally touched a gray rock-snake that lay lazily extended across our path; I saw him spring aside, and had but a moment to get out of the way, as the reptile dashed past. On our return, while choosing a good pool to bathe, we observed the snake, which was about twelve feet long, vainly endeavouring to escape up a rock, and finding it could not, it made a dash at us. We thought at the time that it meant to attack us, but probably it was only an endeavour to effect an escape. We drove it back with boughs to the deep pool before us, and then hurled large stones at it till it seemed to be dead; but on descending to the water to get out the body to examine, it had disappeared, diving into some hole or crevice in the rock. The Malays have a great dread of most kind of snakes, but this they especially dislike.

The cobra is, however, the most disagreeable one, particularly when met with in the water; one tried to swim across the river just below our boat; as soon as he saw us, he directed his course our way, not, I believe, to attack us, but simply as something to rest on; but my men in great alarm gave way, and escaped the beast. I have heard men say, that the cobra will not be frightened back by beating the water with the paddles, but must be killed, or it will enter the boat; if it succeed in doing so every Malay would instantly spring into the water and leave their canoe to drift away.

4 p.m.--Our guide has just returned, and brought with him the man whose traces have kept us on the _qui vive_. Our guide says that after walking about half an hour, he was hailed, and after a distant parley, the man approached, and to their mutual astonishment they found that they were countrymen, and that it was, in fact, his brother-in-law, in order to visit whose sister he had joined our party, the gay gentleman having left his young wife to go and seek his fortune and another wife in the neighbourhood of Brunei. Such meetings sometimes take place in romance, but seldom in real life. The stranger is one of a large party who are now pig-hunting in the neighbourhood, so that my chief fear--that we should not find our way--has left me. We may get a deer, as these hunters have just secured a pig. The new comer says he thought we were a party of head-hunters, therefore, did not make himself known to us. He followed us for some time, and felt a great inclination to send a poisoned arrow amongst us; but that we were too strong. Very fortunate for him he did not do so, or it might have fared ill with him.

_11th._--Our guide left us again last night to join the wax-seekers, and we are now waiting his return. I will enter the following story while fresh in my memory. The Pañgeran Mumein, the Shabandar’s eldest son, took a Murut girl as a concubine; she, however, was to stay with her father up country. He paid, as a bri-an or marriage portion, a pikul of bedil (133 pounds of brass guns). When she had had her first child, he, as usual, got tired of her, and told her father he did not want her any more, unless she liked to follow him to Brunei. This was objected to. A few days after, he said he should fine the father for not allowing him to take the girl to Brunei, where he would have sold her as a slave. He made the father pay him back the pikul of guns, as well as two more pikuls, and then said, “Your daughter may marry whom she pleases.”

After some time, she married one of her own countrymen. Pangeran Mumein hearing of this, in a most unaccountable fit of jealousy, determined to kill them all, and gave orders to Orang Kaya Upit to seize them. The Orang Kaya hid himself, so the Pangeran was obliged to employ the Bisayas, who caught the husband and brought him to the noble. He had him tied up to the Orang Kaya’s landing-place, and there cut him to pieces with his own hand, taking his head and giving it as a present to the Gadong Muruts. The father and girl escaped. The Pangeran remains unpunished, probably unblamed. Of course, there are two sides to the story: he declares he had not separated from the girl.

The following is an instance of the punishment of an offender:--Salam, of Bukit Manis, together with his brother and his son, was accused of stealing buffaloes, and doubtless had done so, but acting generally as an agent of Mumein’s in his rascalities. The Sultan, wearied of the constant complaints against Salam, gave orders that he should be put to death: his house was immediately surrounded and fired into, and his brother and son killed. He then came out into his garden, begging that he might be taken to Brunei to be executed; but after they had induced him to throw away his sword, and fasten his own hands with his handkerchief, so that he could not immediately seize his weapon, they rushed in and cut him down. Difference of rank, difference of treatment.

There is an old Pablat man with us named Bujang: he says that the people of his kampong, or parish, as well as those of Burong Piñg-e, descend from Muruts, and that they turned Mahomedans shortly after they captured the daughter of the Sultan of Johore. This is the tradition or history: they were, as usual, cruising down the Gulf of Siam, looking out for prey, when they observed a prahu, gaily dressed out with banners, pulling along the coast. They gave chase, and soon came up with her, and found the daughter of the Sultan of Johore, surrounded by a bevy of pretty attendants; they seized them and carried them off to Brunei, and presented the lady to their chief, who married her.

When the father heard of it, he sent a great deputation of nobles to entreat the Murut to turn Mahomedan, and marry his daughter according to the custom of that religion. He made no difficulty, but, on the contrary, invited the nobles to remain and take wives in the country. Many did, and it soon became a great rendezvous for the Malays; in fact, the other twenty kampongs are descended from odds and ends of strangers, together with their wives, taken among the aborigines. The rajahs all say they are of Johore descent.

Bujang affirms that the Pablats muster nearly a thousand fighting men; and that, with the Kadayans, or Mahomedans of the Hills, they have an offensive and defensive alliance, which enables them to hold their own, and not be treated as the other kampongs are. He was very proud that they would not suffer the rajahs to take their women, except with the parents’ consent. It is a fact that an unbetrothed girl, of decent appearance, can never be kept by her parents. A rajah sees her, and orders her to be sent to his harïm, that he may honour her by taking her as a concubine. They, therefore, betroth their children in childhood, and then they are usually safe. He says, and the Bisayas have a similar tradition, that Brunei was formerly a lake, that burst through into the sea near the island of Iñgaran.

3 p.m.--We have only walked two hours and a half to-day, as, when we arrived at the hut of the Adang hunters, our Muruts were unwilling to go farther, hoping to come in for a very good share of the flesh of the wild pig that was hung up around: so we stopped, though anxious to get to a river. It is a great luxury, after a walk, to get a bathe in a fresh, running stream. Now we are encamped on an elevation of 3,000 feet, with only a very tiny spring of water near. With the party of Adang Muruts there is an old chief who has agreed to return with us to his village, leaving his young men to gather honey and wax. The few Adangs that we have met have rather a heavy, forbidding appearance, except the old chief and another.

Nearly all of this party of hunters were armed with sumpitans, which were as usual of dark hard red wood, and had a spear-head, lashed on very neatly with rattans on one side of the muzzle, and an iron sight on the other. The arrows were carried in very neatly-carved bamboo cases, and were themselves but slips of wood, tipped with spear-shaped heads cut out of bamboo. The poison looks like a translucent gum, of a rich brown colour; and when dipped into water of a temperature of one hundred and fifty degrees, it began to melt immediately; but on being withdrawn and placed over the flame of a lighted candle, it instantly became hard again. The butt of the arrow is fixed in a round piece of the pith of a palm, which fits the bore of the blow-pipe. The natives say also, that the juice from one kind of creeper is even more virulent than that of the upas. On inquiry, I find that none of the people of these countries can manufacture the sumpitan themselves, but purchase them from traders, who procure them at Bintulu and Rejang from the wild Punans and Pakatans, and are therefore very dear, and highly prized, and no price offered will induce a man to part with a favourite sumpitan.

These Muruts were furnished with war jackets and helmets. The former were well padded, and thickly covered over with cowrie shells; the latter was of the same material, with flaps hanging, so as to protect the wearer’s neck from poisoned arrows. I heard that the supplying of cowrie shells formed a sort of trade in the Trusan districts. These Muruts, like those seen near the coast, often wear their hair tied in a knot behind, and keep it in its place by a great pin, fashioned something like a spear-head both in size as well as in appearance, which is made, according to the means of the wearer, either of brass or of bamboo.

Our walk to-day presented no feature of interest: a stiff climb to a narrow ridge, and then along it rising gradually to the hunter’s temporary hut. We but occasionally got glimpses of the country through the trees, and it presents one general view of forest, covering hill and valley. If we are to take such short walks as these, the journey will be an easy one indeed. I did not regret our little progress to-day, as it enabled old Japer to come up with us, his acute attack having left him. I never was in such a country for bees: they everywhere swarm in the most disagreeable manner, and ants and other insects are equally numerous.

_12th._--There was much thunder and lightning last night, with rain; but, notwithstanding the continued drizzle, I got away before seven, the chief sending his son. Our walk was more direct to-day, as the path was well known to the guide, he having just used it. The course was generally in a S. by E. direction; on the whole, over a very similar country to yesterday; got no view whatever. We crossed numerous streams, as the Sañgin, Ropan, and Gritang, and have now stopped at a very pleasant one, the Lemilang, encamping on a high bank about 100 feet above it (900 feet above the level of the sea). We have done more work to-day, walking more than six hours. Noticed some tracks of the tambadau. The Kalio hills, perhaps 5,500 feet high, have been on our left all day. The most active man I have ever seen is a young Murut, who walked part of the way with us to-day: he had a perfect figure, and is the only pleasant-looking man besides the chief that belonged to the party of hunters.

_13th._--I have little to enter, except that we walked five hours south-east, then four east, then another north, passing over the same kind of country as usual. The only noticeable event was catching some fine fish in the Madihit, just below the junction of the Rapaw and the Obar. The operation is simple: stones are hurled into a pool in the river; the fish fly for concealment under the stones and to the holes in the rocks; the men jump in and soon bring them out of their hiding-places. They caught five large and above a dozen small fish; one was eighteen inches long, and very fat. Ahtan was successful in getting a fine one, which he is at present engaged in cooking, so that we shall each dine off half of it to-night. The scales are very large; it is the same kind as I have previously noticed in the Madalam and Tampasuk.

After this good fortune, we crossed the river, and ascended the steep hill of Pakong Lubfing, till we reached a little rivulet running into the Obar. I really believe that the great loss of blood from leeches is the cause of the faintness I feel to-night; I have pushed off hundreds, and the wounds continue to bleed for some time. Perhaps this, and the very heavy day’s work, may account for the strong disinclination I feel to write my journal. The Muruts are beginning to be full of dismal stories of enemies, saying they have suffered much lately from the attacks of neighbouring tribes, who have shot at them with their poisoned arrows, many dying, including some women and children. However, there is not much reliance to be placed in such stories when told in the woods. During the evening a very disagreeable-looking insect kept attacking my candle. It looked like a dead but branched twig, and an ordinary observer would scarcely notice the difference till he saw it move; its legs are represented by four dead branches. There is another more common, that has wings like a couple of bright green leaves. (Our camp 1,500 feet.)

The Murut guides are but scantily provided with food, and search eagerly for snakes, tortoises, and fresh-water turtle. The last would be a grand find, as it is often three feet long, without including the head and neck: its upper shell and chest are covered with a soft skin, large openings being left for the limbs, each of which has five fingers, three of them armed with thin but strong claws, those on the thumbs being the largest; the fourth and fifth fingers have no claws, and their joints are such as to admit of much movement in a lateral direction, particularly the fifth, which, when the fin is distended, is at right angles to the first three. The back is of an uniform dark gray; the upper part of the head dark olive green, mottled with yellow spots; the nose is prolonged into a non-retractile, pointed soft snout, about an inch in length, and the nostrils are rather large; the tail is about three inches long and very fleshy. Its stomach, when opened, often contains many kinds of fruits, particularly wild figs and some large kernels, which, though not harder than filberts, pass unbroken through his horny jaws, which appear, however, well adapted for cutting up food of this consistence. I may add, that the lower part of its neck is covered with a fold of loose cartilaginous skin, into which it withdraws its head, with the exception of the pig-like snout.

_14th._--Walked to-day seven hours in a general east-north-east direction; in fact, from the range that separates the Madihit waters from the Limbang, the Adang mountains were pointed out, bearing east-north-east. We had a distant view of some high peaks, bearing due south, said to be those in the interior of Baram. We had also a tolerable view of the Molu range, which enabled me to fix our position. I found to-day, just as we were crossing the ridge, one of the most curious insects I have ever seen; it appeared like a gigantic moth, above four inches in length, and was of a brown colour, with a band of bright green just across its neck; although it had the look of a moth, on closer examination it looked like a great horse-fly. I have little to enter to-day, as the walking has been over the same style of ground, and there has been no incident to vary the ordinary routine. We pass a good many abandoned huts, with an occasional deer-skin hanging up to dry, the mark of the hunter; and, to our great disappointment, we find the same men have been poisoning the river with the beaten out roots of the tuba plant, capturing all the good fish near the encampment. Some of the hungry ones strayed farther down, and saw several of a very large kind, but they escaped into such deep holes that it was impossible to get them out.

I am afraid our provisions are drawing to a close. I see some hungry looks and other symptoms of uncomfortableness among about half the men--all their own fault. The careful have still two days’ rice; three, if they did not assist their companions: the greedy ones have been trusting to my biscuits. However, as I could not sit down to my dinner of plain boiled rice with so many envying me, I told my servant to take sufficient for ourselves, and then divide the remainder of the biscuits into twenty-three heaps. I remembered Galton’s plan, and making one of the men turn his back to the little piles, I pointed to a heap, and he cried out a name; so that they were fairly and without favour distributed.

The non-careful men were very disappointed with this plan; they thought I should have only given those that had no rice a share, but that I explained to them would be encouraging improvidence. A similar thing occurred when I lost my boat at Molu. The men, rather than carry rice, preferred trusting to jungle produce, vainly hoping we could do three days’ work in one. We are encamped on the Urud, a tributary of the Limbang. The highest point crossed to-day was 2,500 feet: our present elevation is about 1,400 feet, after many ups and downs. One of the most melancholy sounds in the forest is the cry of the wahwah, and after sunset it sounded near us, to be answered by a disconsolate companion not very far off.

_15th._--An hour’s walk brought us to the Limbang, whose bed is here, perhaps, seventy yards wide, very shallow, not reaching to the hip. It flowed from the Siliñgid mountains, and is said, after skirting their western face, to turn to the south-east to its sources in Lawi. Si Nuri, one of our guides, pretended to hear a bad bird, and wanted to return, though we were all struggling against the stream in the middle of the river. As this was the second time he had done it to-day, I would not stand it, so ordered him over; however, to satisfy timid minds, I had the guns discharged, cleaned, and reloaded. He said his añgei (omen bird) told him there was fighting at his house. We then continued to Suñgei Kapaw, where we stopped to eat our breakfast. The old chief’s son was very much astonished by the rapidity and accuracy of fire of one of the revolving carbines. He had never seen any fire-arms, unless they were common flint muskets.

Shortly after again starting, I observed a commotion among the guides, and was told that the new man and Si Nuri, his brother-in-law, wanted us to take a roundabout way, to avoid a country swarming, they said, with enemies, who would shoot at us from the jungle. This would entail the loss of another day, and the climbing of an extra high mountain. We preferred the enemies to the extra work, as our food will be all finished to-morrow; so the two guides left us, and one of the remaining Adang men undertook to find a road. It struck me afterwards that it was merely a dispute about whose house we should go to first. The Orang Kaya Upit and four followers wanted naturally to go to their relatives, while Si Nuri was anxious to get as quickly as possible to see his wife and relations; but as he could speak little Malay, I did not understand his explanation.

Our new guide, turning north for a short time, soon brought us to the Ropo, a branch of the Limbang, which is, perhaps, a third less than the main stream. From thence we continued our course north, climbing up a steep mountain, about 2,500 feet in height; then turning to the north-east, we continued that course till 4.10 p.m., when we reached the Bapangal stream. Including all stoppages and petty rests, we walked about six hours and a half, and made about eight miles. From near the summit of the high hill we had a view of some fresh clearings which appeared about seven miles off in a north-east direction. The villages are said to be on the other side of the clearings, beyond a low hill. As we must have approached these farms three miles, we cannot have more than eight miles of walking before us; at all events, I shall do my utmost to reach the houses to-morrow night, whether the men follow or not, as after the biscuit division last night I have only rice for to-morrow, coffee, and the remains of a bad China ham. Just as we were crossing the Ropo, an animal slipt quietly into the water, which I think was an otter. A few days before leaving my house, I was witness of a desperate fight between my dogs and a very fierce female otter. They had surrounded a pool, and kept her in it, but as it was very shallow a dog would dash in and make a snap at her; at last she seized one by the nose, and would not let go; the dog, a very small English terrier, did not utter a cry, but struggled towards the bank, when the whole pack fell upon the enemy, and tore it to pieces. Yet in death, it did not let go its hold, and to free the dog’s nose its jaws had to be forced open with a spear-head. (Resting-place 1,300 feet.)

_16th._--Walking on till 4.30, after eight hours of regular hard work, we have not reached the Adang villages, but have a prospect of doing so to-morrow. We have only the range of mountains to cross: yesterday’s clearings and low hills we have passed. When at 4.30 I sat down on a rock, with the rain pouring down in torrents, and the men standing shivering around me, I could not but feel a little despondent when I asked the guide where were the houses, and he replied over that high mountain: but observing the men were watching me, I burst out laughing, a very unnatural sound it seemed, and said I thought the Adang dwellings had vanished in the clouds.

Presently the Orang Kaya Upit came stealing back and said he had found two fresh huts that belonged to a Murut tribe with whom they were at war, that we must instantly retrace our steps half a mile at least, and pitch our tents there. I was in a very bad mood to receive such a proposition and told him that if the devil himself lived in those huts, I would make him give me a share of them to-night, and told him to lead the way. Tired as he was, I could scarcely persuade him that I was in earnest; but, calling on my Malays to follow, we soon made an advance towards the dreaded spot, and then, after twice attempting to lead us astray, the Orang Kaya brought us to the huts, which had evidently not been vacated many hours; perhaps after they had got a distinct view of our party. The ashes of the fires were still warm, and we had no difficulty in rekindling them.

As the rain continued to descend in torrents, we were pleased indeed to find warm dry quarters, and having extended the tent from one of the huts, there was room for all. As old Japer and four of the men had not reached us by half-past five, we discharged our fire-arms one after the other to give them notice of our whereabouts, in case they were wandering within hearing. It likewise served the purpose of intimating to the Muruts concealed about that we were not head-hunters, these seeking concealment and not publicity. My best men having assisted the improvident have but a poor meal to-night. Our walk to-day was over very uneven ground, steep hills and numerous streams, among others the true Adang. The last candle is going out, so I finish.

_17th._ and _18th._--My journal did not reach me till this evening, so I must enter the two days together. Japer did not make his appearance during the night. At dawn, finding I had a small biscuit a-man left, I shared them out, and then started off at 6.30, hoping to reach the houses, and from thence send assistance to the stragglers. I gave notice that I expected no man to wait for his neighbour, but to push on and do the best he could for himself. Our route at first lay over the low ground that skirts the foot of the mountain, then up a tolerably easy ascent, one of the spurs of the Adang range, that appears to run north and south. After half an hour’s walking, I observed the guides dart to an old tree; I followed, and we were soon occupied in devouring mushrooms; after this slight repast, we continued our course.

About 10 a.m. four of the Muruts dropped their heavy burdens, intending to return for them next day, and started off at a running pace. I was following when I heard Ahtan’s soft voice say, “May I come too, sir?” I said, “Yes, if you can keep up.” This was very well for a few hundred yards; when, to my surprise, I found a Murut drop behind, then the Orang Kaya; at last the remaining guide stretched himself on his back, and said he was done up. I tried all I could to rouse them, but with no effect, until the arrival of the fifth Murut, who was one of the baggage train, with half a ham, the last of the provisions, and not good food unsoaked, without a drop of water for miles, but I told the Muruts that if they would try and reach the top of the mountain I would then cook and divide it.

This roused two, and after much trouble we arrived at the first peak, there we stopped; a fire was lit, and with a chopper we divided the ham into great bits. While cooking we shouted to the other three Muruts to make haste, and presently we heard the Orang Kaya begging us not to begin till he arrived. As none of the Malays would touch it, we divided the meat into seven portions, and they were soon devoured skin and all, and the bones crushed for the marrow, Ahtan and myself eagerly joining in the meal and securing our share. For a fortnight we had lived on very unsubstantial food, and the great exercise we were taking gave us appetites that scorned being satisfied with simple boiled rice.

A few minutes after the meal was over, the Muruts gave a grunt of satisfaction and started off, and continued ascending till we had reached the height of 5,000 feet; where we struck off to the north-east, down to a dashing torrent, one of the feeders of the Trusan river; here we bathed, then off again up a very steep hill. This was too much for Ahtan. He turned an imploring look on me, and seemed ready to burst into tears; but I spoke to him very angrily, asking him if at the last moment he intended to disgrace himself, and relieving him of my sword, he pushed on, and in a few minutes we were at the summit. Here we sat down for half an hour; then on, generally descending, sometimes excessively steep, and it was with the greatest pleasure that at 5.30 p.m. I found myself at the edge of a great clearing, still burning, with two village houses at its eastern verge.

Our guides had a short consultation as to how we should announce ourselves to the people, whom we could perceive working on the farms. At length Orang Kaya Upit shouted out. There was immediately a great commotion among the Muruts, but they soon recognized the voices, and, as we forced our way through the tangled trees that were felled in every direction, they came forward to welcome my companions. They soon explained who I was, and I was received with great civility and with symptoms of much curiosity. No wonder; they had often heard of the white man, but I was the first specimen that had ever reached their country. Half way across the clearing we met crowds of women and children collected to hear the news, all of us being supplied with sugar-cane to amuse us while a meal was prepared.

At 6 p.m., just at sunset, we reached the houses, and pleased was I to be able to stretch myself alongside of one of their fires. This was the hardest day’s walking we had had, ten hours of actual work, crossing a double range of 5,000 feet in height; and I was both hungry and tired, and exceedingly enjoyed the meal they prepared for us. The only drawback was, that there were but Ahtan and one Malay to enjoy it with me; two, however, came in afterwards, but fourteen succumbed to the fatigue and did not show themselves. However, I was relieved of much of my anxiety by the Chief promising to send out a party at early dawn with provisions.

The Adangs were rejoiced to see my companions, plenty of arrack was produced, and the news freely given and received. They kept it up to a very late hour. One family heard of the death of a near relative, and their wailing in the next room was very painful. Gradually, however, the spirits they drank began to have an effect upon my companions, and they all dropped off to sleep, in which I was but too glad to join them.

The only one of my Malay followers who kept up with me, and who, though one of the most improvident, had yet refused to touch the ham, although no other Mahomedan was present, was called by his companions Si Kurap, on account of a skin disease which covered his body. The Malays very often give nicknames, referring to some personal quality or defect, which, as in the above case, takes the place of the real name. One man I knew, who lived at the town of Sakarang, was called Sauh Besi, the iron anchor, on account of his great strength, and immense muscular development. Others are called from their low or high stature: Si Buntak, Mr. Short, or Si Panjang, Mr. Long, or Si Juling, Mr. Squint, from having that defect in his eyes. A very stout Chinese trader went always by the name of Baba Lampoh, or Mr. Fat. The women are called after the same fashion. Si Buntar, or the round, was the name given to a baby, on account of its plump appearance; and when she grew to be a woman and became thin, she never had another name. Some are called Sulong and Bongsu, the eldest and the youngest born, to the day of their death, never receiving any other appellation. They have also the same custom as the Dayaks of taking the name of their first-born, as Pa Sipi, the father of Sipi.

According to the Orang Kaya’s agreement, a party started off at daylight to search for my missing followers; and I went out and sat upon the stump of a gigantic tree, to view the surrounding country, a little anxious about my men. The recent history of the Adang people is a good illustration of the injury done by the Kayans to the surrounding tribes. They formerly lived near the Adang river, but extended their farms to the entrance of the Madalam; but they have been gradually driven back, until they have abandoned the Limbang waters, and now drink those of the interior of the Trusan, the whole country from the Madalam being now jungle. I do not imagine they are nearly so numerous as they were, as in the last great Kayan foray they suffered awfully. They were, I believe, all collected in their villages at some great feast, when the Kayans, about 3,000 strong, set upon them; the first village was surprised, the fighting-men slain, the rest taken captive; the few fugitives were followed up so fast as almost to enter together the second village with their pursuers, where the same scene again took place. The burning of these villages, and the beating of gongs and talawaks gave notice to the rest, and all who could fled precipitately over the Adang range, followed by their relentless foes, who killed and captured a very great number.

The view from the clearings at the back of the houses is extensive. To the east three lines of hills, backed in the distance by a long range of mountains, where the salt springs are found; to the north there is a fine valley, descending on either side in easy slopes to the banks of the Trusan, and as a background there is a fine range of mountains. They say the highest is Brayong, which rises opposite Labuan, and is one of the loftiest peaks visible from that island--direction east of south; so that if these people be not mistaken, I know my position tolerably well; in fact, this morning, before I heard the name, these heights reminded me of the Lawas mountains; but they appear so close, that all my bearings and map must be utterly wrong if the Muruts have not made a very great mistake; it is only one of the guides that calls it Brayong. The distant eastern range is said to shed its waters to the opposite coast.

The village at which we are staying is but a very ordinary specimen of a Dayak location. The houses are poor, though effectually closed in, to avoid, they say, the poisoned arrows of their enemies, who are continually haunting this neighbourhood, a very great exaggeration evidently. From the clearings that are seen on every side, there must be a very fair population assembled around these hills; but their continual petty quarrels have no doubt a bad effect on their prosperity and their power to resist their great enemy. There are about fifty families in this community, and like many of the other inland Dayak tribes, each family occupies but a small space; the front verandah, closed in like a long room, is filled with fireplaces, showing that the Muruts of the plain find an elevation of 3,500 feet very cold. I had no blanket last night, and had to get up about three, and have the fire replenished, for I felt too cold to sleep; they use very large logs as the chief stay, and with a little care they remain in all night.

I notice here many beads and akiks (agate beads), but little brass wire. About twelve to-day nine of my followers made their appearance, five Muruts bearing their burdens for them; they said that the two lads of the party were quite exhausted, and many of them, from eating the cabbage of the rattan, had been vomiting. They only managed to reach the river in which I bathed, and were found there by the party of Muruts I had sent out; five Muruts continued the search for old Japer and the original missing four. I am afraid I shall not see anything of them before to-morrow, as old Japer’s legs are very much swollen. I had scarcely written the words, when the report of two muskets told me that they were not far off, and all are now here but Japer, who is slowly coming on behind. At sunset he arrived, utterly exhausted.

So suspicious had my men become from hearing the Muruts describe the treachery of the head-hunters, that when the relieving party approached them, they warned them off, threatening them with their guns; the Muruts fortunately shouted out Orang Kaya Upit’s name and then they were trusted. While sitting round the fires this evening, I noticed a sound like Brooke, and listening more attentively I heard “Tuan Brooke! Tuan Brooke!” continually repeated. I asked what it was they were referring to. One of the interpreters explained how delighted they were to see the adopted son (for so I found I had been introduced) of the great Mr. Brooke, the friend of the aborigines, the fame of whose good deeds had reached even this very secluded people; and their only surprise was that he who had given peace and happiness to the “Southern Dayaks” should neglect to extend his benefits to the Northern. They thought that a word from him would stop all the invasions of the Kayans, and enable them to return to their own regretted country.

I was very anxious to trace the means by which intelligence was conveyed to these Muruts of the peace and plenty that now reigned among the Dayaks of Sarawak, and the way in which it reached this tribe was very simple. When their communities broke up on the Upper Limbang, some fled to the interior, while others made their way down the river to the country at present inhabited nearer the sea. At rare intervals, a party would start to visit their relations, and though, as I have shown, they occasionally suffered heavy losses as at the Naga Surei rapid, yet the practice was kept up. Sir James Brooke’s name is of course very familiar wherever the Malays extend, and, although many would try to prejudice the minds of the aborigines against him and every other Englishman, yet the effect would not be permanent, as they all remember and ponder on that great event, the capture of Brunei by Sir Thomas Cochrane’s squadron.

To those unaccustomed to these oppressed aborigines, it would appear incredible--the awe and fear inspired by the Sultan and his nobles in former times; and the idea was universal that the Bornean government was the greatest and most powerful in the world; but our navy gave a rude shock to that belief, and the joy among the aborigines on hearing that the court was obliged to hide itself in the jungle, and afterwards humbly apologize for its conduct, spread far and near. They now began to give more credence to the stories which had been spread by men like Japer of the power of the English, and of the justice with which our countrymen ruled men. Adang visitors carried back to the far interior imperfect versions of these affairs, but what dwelt in their minds was, that there were some of their countrymen who were happy under the rule of Tuan Brooke.

Though they knew something of him in this way, similar stories reached them from other sources; slowly the news spread through the villages bordering on the Trusan, and were carried up against the stream to meet the same tales brought over by the Kayan envoys, who declared that Tuan Brooke was their great ally, and therefore the Adangs were anxious to secure his influence to put down the Kayan forays.

The highest peak beyond the houses above 5,500 feet is called Lobang Rimau, “The Tigers’ Cave,” about which they tell this story: that formerly a tiger killed a woman; the people turned out, and gave chase; the tigers, eight in number, took refuge in a cave near the peak; the hunters lit a great fire at the entrance, and smoked them to death. Since then there have been no tigers, but the place has been called “Tigers’ Cave” to this day; and it is worth noticing that the Muruts of Padas have a great dread of ascending to the summit of some of their highest mountains, on account of the tigers which still, they say, lurk in the deepest recesses of the forest.

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