batangan. The men have pretty hard times; no fish ;
and Beveridge’s men did not even get salt coming up.
Feb. 14th.—Left up-stream at 7 ; stopped at Tuan
Murrim at 2 to 2.30. Last night Corporal Hassan arrived
with some of my things, which Bongku had fished
out of the Pinungah River. My prismatic compass,
cross-staff, barometer, all got back, but the two former
spoiled. We go about ten miles per hour. I was very
much astonished and pleased, of course, to get my
things, and told the corporal to give two pieces of
panjang tuguli to Bon. At 5.10 got to Tegai.
Feb. 15th.—Left at 5.30. . . . At 4 stopped at
Penglina Sarai’s house. Above Lakam.
Feb. 16th.—At 7.30 left Penglima Sarai, and at 1
entered the Lamag. . . . The country up the river
very like that of the Tenegang, and we shall have
great difficulty in going overland. Darhu says the
path will be grown over and perhaps lost. . . . At
3.5 stopped on left bank. Rain and wind had set in
—a terrible night;
Feb. 17th.—Got up prahus, and at 9.20 got away;
general direction E. (to E.S.E. and S.E.). At 9.40
got on to the Lamag again, and as the river was
flooded, we were obliged to send back for the small
prahu. At 10.55 arrived at a tributary of the Lamag
called Taphar Pahti, which at 11.30, having dragged
the prahu through a fearful swamp, got across the
stream with awful difficulties. A hundred yards
further on another swamp, and got across at 11.40.
At 1.10, Thank God, got past a fearful swamp. No
water, horse-leeches. A terrible elephant swamp.
Elephant dung.
At 3 we stopped, as our way led us on another
swamp. We made a hut, and slept in spite of leeches,
ants, and wet. Rain as u su a l! Our direction to-day
E. to S.E., but out of our way to avoid swamp to
the E.
Feb. 18th.—We found ourselves on a hill in the
midst of an impenetrable swamp. As far as the eye
could see, which we got at by climbing trees, nothing
but swamp, swamp; rolling grass growing twenty
feet high, and as sharp as a knife. Concluded to turn
back, as impossible to go forward, and at 8.30 got
across the swamp of yesterday. We determined to go
across the Lamag again, and try for the third time to
cross to Segama. The swamp which stopped us is,
no doubt, the source of several small tributaries of the
Kinabatangan, and is very extensive and deep. At
10.35, having got back across the Lamag, proceeded
in a D. S. to S.S.E. along right bank (left bank) of the
river. Travelling along, therefore, we were obliged to
go S.W. to W., until impossible to proceed further, as
the stream bends round to the W. and N.W, We
therefore determined to cross again, and a large tree
had to be cut down in order to get across. At 12.30
we began to c u t; the handle of the big axe broke, and
we were obliged to cut the tree down with hand-axes
and parangs. At 1.15 the tree fell. At 2.15 got
back on to the river Lamag again. Travelling
along elephant track, suddenly heard screams in the
jungle and a rush of animals. I tore down the slope
in front, in spite of thorns and spines, but the animals
were too quick for me and got away. At 3.30 we
went into camp for the night. No water, and we
were obliged to drink the muddy water found in swamp-
pools. The stench of it was rank and vile. We have