shall find metals. As things were looking serious at Timbong Batu, I
determined to make a rush for Bongon. We had three water buffaloes
with us, so, packing the things on these animals, we struggled through
the pouring rain to Datu Omers, a place one-fourth the distance to
Bongon. Here I got a prahu, so I left Omers at ten o’clock in this
dug-out myself, Abdul, Bahlogan, and my guide Datu Mahomet,
leaving the other men to bring the buffaloes overland. The prahu
we got was small and leaky, and the wicked stream was rushing along
with tremendous force. We went down at nine or ten miles an hour.
One man was on the look-out all the time for floating wood and
overhanging trees, which we encountered’ every moment. Evidences
of the great floods were apparent all down the stream, and by-and-by
we came to a stop before the immense trees which had fallen across
the river. Bamboos and driftwood had stuck there' and formed an
effectual bar to our passage. The water was here, perhaps, thirty or
forty feet deep, and roaring along one vast rapid for miles. At one
place the river had overflowed its banks and rushed into the jungle,
thus getting rid of half the water which otherwise would have gone
on to Bongon. We first tried to cut our way through the barrier,
and while standing with precarious foothold on fallen trees, with the
water roaring underneath and the fear of crocodiles, the rain came on
again. Down it poured in torrents,, and really matters looked serious.
Impossible to go on, equally impossible to go hack, as we could not
have made a mile in a day against such a stream. What to do was
the question. We had no axe to cut our way through, and it was
Friday, and the 13th, and do what I could,.I could not help feeling a
little superstitious. Matters were now at their worst. Wet through, and
with thirty feet of roaring stream below the prahu, which itself was
leaky. On the right, dense jungle; and on the left, tall, cutting grass
swamp. The right was the only chance—to drag the boat through the
tall grass, mud, and water, risking snakes and crocodiles. ’ But four of
us, we found, were unable to pull the prahu. Now an unlooked-for help
came in the.shape of three Sarawak men in a little boat, who, more
daring than their fellows, were coming down trading to Bongon.
With their help, after half an hour’s stiff tugging, we -got the prahu
past the obstacles ; the grass was tall, rank, and cutting like a- knife.
We were now past the worst, but not out of danger—a sharp lookout
had to he kept, as the stream often threatened to hurl us under
some overhanging tree and sweep us into the torrent. However, we
arrived safe at Bongon at five o’clock, and there I learned that such
floods had not been experienced for ten years.
Give my dearest love to mamma, Nellie, Bessie, and my kind
wishes to all my friends. I am afraid travel will make me a
wanderer.
Your ever loving son,
■ Ebank.
VI.
Next came several letters descriptive of his earlier
expeditions, consisting chiefly of notes from his first
diary and extracts from his reports, which will be
found printed at length in Part II. of the present
work. These letters contained the previous and
accompanying rough pen-and-ink sketch.
On February 5th, 1882, he writes from Singapore.'
We. knew later that he had gone there to recruit after a
two months! expedition “ up the coast ” and an attack
of fever. He does not refer to this latter f a c t; but
speaks of the expedition he is organizing “ fromLabuk
to Marudu,” touching which he says he hopes shortly
“ to report something which will make me worthy the
title they give me here of ‘ scientific explorer.’ ” On