Like Those Noble Animals, I Too Was Used To It,
And It Did Not Affect My Appetite.
The children here were more
shy than at Tabokan, and I could not persuade them to play.
I
therefore turned showman myself, and exhibited the shadow of a
dog's head eating, which pleased them so much that all the
village in succession came out to see it. The "rabbit on the
wall" does not do in Borneo, as there is no animal it resembles.
The boys had tops shaped something like whipping-tops, but spun
with a string.
The next morning we proceeded as before, but the river had become
so rapid and shallow and the boats were all so small, that though
I had nothing with me but a change of clothes, a gun, and a few
cooking utensils, two were required to take me on. The rock
which appeared here and there on the riverbank was an indurated
clay-slate, sometimes crystalline, and thrown up almost
vertically. Right and left of us rose isolated limestone
mountains, their white precipices glistening in the sun and
contrasting beautifully with the luxuriant vegetation that
elsewhere clothed them. The river bed was a mass of pebbles,
mostly pure white quartz, but with abundance of jasper and agate,
presenting a beautifully variegated appearance. It was only ten
in the morning when we arrived at Budu, and, though there were
plenty of people about, I could not induce them to allow me to go
on to the next village. The Orang Kaya said that if I insisted on
having men, of course he would get them, but when I took him at
his word and said I must have them, there came a fresh remonstrance;
and the idea of my going on that day seemed so painful that I was
obliged to submit. I therefore walked out over the rice-fields, which
are here very extensive, covering a number of the little hills and
valleys into which the whole country seems broken up, and obtained a
fine view of hills and mountains in every direction.
In the evening the Orang Kaya came in full dress (a spangled
velvet jacket, but no trowsers), and invited me over to his
house, where he gave me a seat of honour under a canopy of white
calico and coloured handkerchiefs. The great verandah was
crowded with people, and large plates of rice with cooked and
fresh eggs were placed on the ground as presents for me. A very
old man then dressed himself in bright-coloured cloths and many
ornaments, and sitting at the door, murmured a long prayer or
invocation, sprinkling rice from a basin he held in his hand,
while several large gongs were loudly beaten and a salute of
muskets fired off. A large jar of rice wine, very sour but with
an agreeable flavour, was then handed around, and I asked to see
some of their dances. These were, like most savage performances,
very dull and ungraceful affairs; the men dressing themselves
absurdly like women, and the girls making themselves as stiff and
ridiculous as possible. All the time six or eight large Chinese
gongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many young
men, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escape
to the round house, where I slept very comfortably with half a
dozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over my head,
The river was now so shallow that boats could hardly get along. I
therefore preferred walking to the next village, expecting to see
something of the country, but was much disappointed, as the path
lay almost entirely through dense bamboo thickets. The Dyaks get
two crops off the ground in succession; one of rice, and the
other of sugarcane, maize, and vegetables. The ground then lies
fallow eight or ten years, and becomes covered with bamboos and
shrubs, which often completely arch over the path and shut out
everything from the view. Three hours' walking brought us to the
village of Senankan, where I was again obliged to remain the
whole day, which I agreed to do on the promise of the Orang Kaya
that his men should next day take me through two other villages
across to Senna, at the head of the Sarawak River. I amused
myself as I best could till evening, by walking about the high
ground near, to get views of the country and bearings of the
chief mountains. There was then another public audience, with
gifts of rice and eggs, and drinking of rice wine. These Dyaks
cultivate a great extent of ground, and supply a good deal of
rice to Sarawak. They are rich in gongs, brass trays, wire,
silver coins, and other articles in which a Dyak's wealth
consists; and their women and children are all highly ornamented
with bead necklaces, shells, and brass wire.
In the morning I waited some time, but the men that were to
accompany me did not make their appearance. On sending to the
Orang Kaya I found that both he and another head-man had gone out
for the day, and on inquiring the reason was told that they could
not persuade any of their men to go with me because the journey
was long and fatiguing one. As I was determined to get on, I told
the few men that remained that the chiefs had behaved very badly,
and that I should acquaint the Rajah with their conduct, and I
wanted to start immediately. Every man present made some excuse,
but others were sent for, and by hint of threats and promises,
and the exertion of all Bujon's eloquence, we succeeded in
getting off after two hours' delay.
For the first few miles our path lay over a country cleared for
rice-fields, consisting entirely of small but deep and sharply-
cut ridges and valleys without a yard of level ground. After
crossing the Kayan river, a main branch of the Sadong, we got on
to the lower slopes of the Seboran Mountain, and the path lay
along a sharp and moderately steep ridge, affording an excellent
view of the country.
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