tremendous struggle getting stones and kajangs to
Kinoram in two prahus up the Kinoram River. The
river is quite unnavigable, full of rapids and waterfalls,
a certain sheriff who resided in that neighbourhood. After a hard
row and a pleasant sail—a favouring breeze having sprung up in the
afternoon—we reached the mouth of the river, and, taking in sail,
proposed to row and punt our way up. On reaching Bongon, to our
surprise, we heard that Frank was much farther up in the country,
and that he had gone into the bush. We determined to follow him up.
However, during the night, rain commenced to fall, and by morning
the river had become a torrent, and we had nothing to do but bolt,
as our supplies were running short. I t is wonderful the way the river
filled up in the short time that elapsed from the time the rain
commenced to fall. The next morning we started, but took such a
long time getting to the mouth of the river that by evening, instead
of being near Kudat—owing to a strong head-wind—we were not halfway
across the inner portion of Marudu Bay, opposite the mouth of
the Bongon River, having rowed all the way. And then night fell,
and our crew began to crack up. They certainly at first were trying to
pull, but soon we saw that they were simply ‘ going through the motion ’
of pulling—dipping the heavy oars into the water and not putting any
back into the stroke. We decided to rest for the night, and having got
into shoal water, we dropped our anchor and wished for day. A more
miserable night I never passed, every pitch of the boat over thè heavy
running sea nearly sending one over the side. And then as hour after
hour went by we wondered would day ever appear. Sleep was impossible
for us though the natives slumbered peacefully, as if reposing on the
most comfortable of French beds. The lucky black can sleep anywhere,
at any time, and in any position. At length morning broke, and we
rowed to the shore, to a little village (inhabited by Bajows, I think),
where we got some fowls and cooked a breakfast—luckily having a
tin of cocoa and milk left. I never relished a meal more, being desperately
hungry-i-^our dinner the evening before consisting of half a
tin of 1 sweet biscuits, washed down by some Hollands strong waters ’
not the sort of dinner one would order as a rule. After our breakfast
we said adieu to the Bajows, and put off again ; and a fair wind
having sprung up, we hoisted our sail and got back to Kudat about
midday, completely done up, and utterly disgusted at the failure of our
attempt to visit Frank and. his new station/’ ............
and subject to the most sudden floods. No prahu has
ever navigated the river before, but with my usual
good luck I got all the things u p ; nothing lost and
no one hurt.
My subsequent proceedings in Kinoram will appear
at length in my Kinoram report. Suffice it to say
here that I have obtained an excellent specimen of
native copper from the Kinoram river near Kias, and
that sulphide of antimony has been brought to me from
the Marudu river, to which place my steps will now be
directed.
I have been in the Bornean bush from March 1st
until June 15th, and travelled several hundred miles
by land and river.
KINA BALTT, EROM GHINUMBAUR (EVENING).