He tied
it to the stern railing until night, when he put it on top of the cargo,
apprehending that it might try to dive if tempted by the constant sight of
the water. When asleep it curled itself up in an extraordinary manner, the
long neck at first glance giving it a serpent-like appearance. It cried
for fish and showed absolutely no fear.
On August 22, 1916, we arrived at Samarinda. The custom-house authorities
permitted me to put our numerous packages in the "bom." The lieutenant and
Mr. Loing went to a new Chinese hotel, while I, in a prahu, paddled to the
pasang-grahan, a spacious building with several rooms. Our journey through
Central Borneo had been successfully concluded, and during nine months we
had covered by river 1,650 kilometres, 750 of these in native boats.
During my absence the great war had become more real to the Archipelago
through the occasional appearance in Bornean waters of British and
Japanese cruisers. I heard of a German who walked from Bandjermasin to
Samarinda because he was afraid of being captured if he went by steamer.
The journey took him six weeks. It was my intention, while waiting here a
few days for the steamer, to visit a locality farther down the river which
is marked on the map as having Hindu antiquities.
