A Few Hours Beyond Jahi We Passed The Limits
Of Cultivation, And Had The Beautiful Virgin Forest Coming Down
To The Water's Edge, With Its Palms And Creepers, Its Noble
Trees, Its Ferns, And Epiphytes.
The banks of the river were,
however, still generally flooded, and we had some difficulty in
finding a dry spot to sleep on.
Early in the morning we reached
Empugnan, a small Malay village, situated at the foot of an
isolated mountain which had been visible from the mouth of the
Simunjon River. Beyond here the tides are not felt, and we now
entered upon a district of elevated forest, with a finer
vegetation. Large trees stretch out their arms across the stream,
and the steep, earthy banks are clothed with ferns and
zingiberaceous plants.
Early in the afternoon we arrived at Tabókan, the first village
of the Hill Dyaks. On an open space near the river, about twenty
boys were playing at a game something like what we call
"prisoner's base;" their ornaments of beads and brass wire and
their gay-coloured kerchiefs and waist-cloths showing to much
advantage, and forming a very pleasing sight. On being called by
Bujon, they immediately left their game to carry my things up to
the "headhouse," - a circular building attached to most Dyak
villages, and serving as a lodging for strangers, the place for
trade, the sleeping-room of the unmarried youths, and the general
council-chamber. It is elevated on lofty posts, has a large
fireplace in the middle and windows in the roof all round, and
forms a very pleasant and comfortable abode.
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