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.