men’s loads of plants more than our men eould carry,
and so we engaged some of the Kiau villagers to carry
them for us as far as Bawang. We had a good deal of
talking, and a grand display of red cloth and brass wire
on the hillside, but eventually “ Musa ” concluded the
bargain, and paid over the goods in advance, as is the
general custom here.
After receiving the goods, they coolly told us they
should not go on with us, as we walked very slow, but
that they would start next day, adding, that they should
reach Bawang before we did. We showed no signs of
wishing otherwise, but passed on with our followers,
after having told the Kiau men to water the plants well
as they crossed the streams, and to protect them from
the sun by means of large leaves, all of which they did ;
and when we reached Bawang, there, sure enough, were
our plants, all safe and in good condition.
After reaching Labuan, both Mr. Yeitch and myself
had bad attacks of intermittent fever, the result of chilling
exposure in wet clothes, and ill-cooked food, accompanied
by more than ordinary exertions. Fortunately our long
and difficult journey had been interrupted by nothing
serious, and we were glad to see our native followers
safe home again. Certainly one of them had a nasty
fall from a rocky path near Bawang and cut his head
badly, but he was a plucky Brunei man, and soon overgot
his trouble. Another of our fellows who had been trusted
with a musket tried to fire it off after he had blocked up
the barrel by pushing it into the ground accidentally!
He succeeded in exploding the thing, and one of the fragments
cut open his forehead, while another piece struck
one of the bird-hunters on the arm. No serious damage
was done. The road from Gaya Bay to Koung is so hilly
and difficult for loaded men to traverse, that I determined
that if ever I went to Kina Balu again I would take the
Tampassuk route. This I did on a subsequent occasion,
but during the wet season, when fording, the swollen rivers
presented great difficulties and dangers. During the dry
season, or say, in January or February, this route would
be by far the best to follow.