6,000 feet above the sea. To the south the Eowan, and
further off the TJntowan Mountains in the Dutch territory,
appeared equally lofty. Descending from Menyerry we
again crossed the Kayan, which bends round the spur,
and ascended to the pass which divides the Sadong and
Sarawak valleys, and which is about 2,000 rfeet high. The
descent from this point was very fine. A stream, deep in
a rocky gorge, rushed on each side of us, to one of which
we gradually descended, passing-over many lateral gulleys
and along the faces of some precipices by ¡means of native^
bamboo bridges. Some of these were ..several hundred
feet long and fifty or sixty high, a single smooth bamboo
four inches diameter forming the only pathway, while
a slender handrail of the same material 'was often so
shaky that it could only be .used as .a guide rather than
a support.
Late in the afternoon we reached Sodos, situated on a
spur between two streams, but so surrounded by fruit
trees that little could be seen of the country. The house
was spacious clean and comfortable, and the people very
obliging. Many of the women and children had never
seen a white man before, and were very sceptical as to my
being the same colour all over, as my face. They begged
me to show them my,.arms and body, and they were so
kind and good-tempered that I felt bound to give them
some satisfaction, so I turned up» my trousers and let them
see the colour of my leg, which they examined with great
interest.
In the morning early we continued our descent along
a fine valley, with mountains rising 2,000 or 3,000 feet in
every direction. The little river rapidly increased in size
till we reached Senna, when it had become a fine pebbly
stream navigable for small canoes. Here again the up-
heaved slaty rock appeared, with the same dip and direction
as in the Sadong Eiver. On inquiring for a boat to
take me down the stream, I was told that the Senna
Dyaks, although living on the river-banks, never made or
used boats. They were mountaineers who had only come
down into the valley about twenty years before, and had
not yet got into new habits. They are of the same tribe
as the people of Menyerry and Sodos. They make good
paths and bridges, and cultivate much mountain land, and
thus give a more pleasing and civilized aspect to the
country than where the people move about only in boats,
and confine their cultivation to the banks of the streams.
After some trouble I hired a boat from a Malay trader,
and found three Dyaks who had been several times with
Malays to Sarawak, and thought they could manage it
very well. They turned out very awkward, constantly
running aground, striking against rocks, and losing their
balance so as almost to upset themselves and the boat;
offering a striking contrast to the skill of the Sea Dyaks.
I 2