On the Equator

ASTANA, KUCHING.
THE RESIDENCE OF THE RAJA.
by H. de W.
Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. LUDGATE HILL, LONDON E.C.
To JOHN LANCASTER, ESQ., OF BILTON GRANGE, NEAR RUGBY, WARWICKSHIRE. This Volume IS DEDICATED, WITH THE BEST WISHES OF THE AUTHOR.

Our Plan of Travel Outfitters—​Journey to Marseilles—​Departure—​ The Inevitable —​Journey Out—​Singapore—​Leave for Kuching—​The Aline —​ Talang-Talang —​The Sarawak River—​Kuching—​The Bazaar, &c.—​Comfortable Quarters.
It was on the 13th of April, 1880, that, accompanied by an old College friend (whom throughout these pages I shall call L.), I left London for the Eastern Archipelago, via Marseilles and Singapore, our destination being Sarawak, the seat of government of Raja Brooke in the island of Borneo. Our expedition had been a long-projected one, but it was not until the latter end of March, 1880, that we finally decided to start.
Thanks to the small experience gained from a former voyage to these parts we successfully resisted the efforts of our outfitters to supply us with, in addition to what was really necessary, almost every useless thing ever heard of, from a cholera-belt to a velvet smoking suit. We were, however, resolved to take nothing more than was absolutely necessary, as on a journey of this kind nothing is more embarrassing than a large amount of luggage. A small but complete outfit was therefore got together, which was easily carried in one small overland trunk, one small portmanteau for cabin use on board ship, and a gun-case each. This we afterwards found ample to contain all the necessaries required.
On the evening, then, of the 13th of April, we stood on the platform of the Charing Cross Station, awaiting the departure of the mail train for Dover, and—our luggage duly registered for Paris—we ensconced ourselves in a smoking-carriage, and lit up the fragrant weed, not sorry that we were really off at last.