This roused two, and after much trouble we arrived at the first peak, there we stopped; a fire was lit, and with a chopper we divided the ham into great bits. While cooking we shouted to the other three Muruts to make haste, and presently we heard the Orang Kaya begging us not to begin till he arrived. As none of the Malays would touch it, we divided the meat into seven portions, and they were soon devoured skin and all, and the bones crushed for the marrow, Ahtan and myself eagerly joining in the meal and securing our share. For a fortnight we had lived on very unsubstantial food, and the great exercise we were taking gave us appetites that scorned being satisfied with simple boiled rice.
A few minutes after the meal was over, the Muruts gave a grunt of satisfaction and started off, and continued ascending till we had reached the height of 5,000 feet; where we struck off to the north-east, down to a dashing torrent, one of the feeders of the Trusan river; here we bathed, then off again up a very steep hill. This was too much for Ahtan. He turned an imploring look on me, and seemed ready to burst into tears; but I spoke to him very angrily, asking him if at the last moment he intended to disgrace himself, and relieving him of my sword, he pushed on, and in a few minutes we were at the summit. Here we sat down for half an hour; then on, generally descending, sometimes excessively steep, and it was with the greatest pleasure that at 5.30 p.m. I found myself at the edge of a great clearing, still burning, with two village houses at its eastern verge.
Our guides had a short consultation as to how we should announce ourselves to the people, whom we could perceive working on the farms. At length Orang Kaya Upit shouted out. There was immediately a great commotion among the Muruts, but they soon recognized the voices, and, as we forced our way through the tangled trees that were felled in every direction, they came forward to welcome my companions. They soon explained who I was, and I was received with great civility and with symptoms of much curiosity. No wonder; they had often heard of the white man, but I was the first specimen that had ever reached their country. Half way across the clearing we met crowds of women and children collected to hear the news, all of us being supplied with sugar-cane to amuse us while a meal was prepared.
At 6 p.m., just at sunset, we reached the houses, and pleased was I to be able to stretch myself alongside of one of their fires. This was the hardest day’s walking we had had, ten hours of actual work, crossing a double range of 5,000 feet in height; and I was both hungry and tired, and exceedingly enjoyed the meal they prepared for us. The only drawback was, that there were but Ahtan and one Malay to enjoy it with me; two, however, came in afterwards, but fourteen succumbed to the fatigue and did not show themselves. However, I was relieved of much of my anxiety by the Chief promising to send out a party at early dawn with provisions.
The Adangs were rejoiced to see my companions, plenty of arrack was produced, and the news freely given and received. They kept it up to a very late hour. One family heard of the death of a near relative, and their wailing in the next room was very painful. Gradually, however, the spirits they drank began to have an effect upon my companions, and they all dropped off to sleep, in which I was but too glad to join them.
The only one of my Malay followers who kept up with me, and who, though one of the most improvident, had yet refused to touch the ham, although no other Mahomedan was present, was called by his companions Si Kurap, on account of a skin disease which covered his body. The Malays very often give nicknames, referring to some personal quality or defect, which, as in the above case, takes the place of the real name. One man I knew, who lived at the town of Sakarang, was called Sauh Besi, the iron anchor, on account of his great strength, and immense muscular development. Others are called from their low or high stature: Si Buntak, Mr. Short, or Si Panjang, Mr. Long, or Si Juling, Mr. Squint, from having that defect in his eyes. A very stout Chinese trader went always by the name of Baba Lampoh, or Mr. Fat. The women are called after the same fashion. Si Buntar, or the round, was the name given to a baby, on account of its plump appearance; and when she grew to be a woman and became thin, she never had another name. Some are called Sulong and Bongsu, the eldest and the youngest born, to the day of their death, never receiving any other appellation. They have also the same custom as the Dayaks of taking the name of their first-born, as Pa Sipi, the father of Sipi.
According to the Orang Kaya’s agreement, a party started off at daylight to search for my missing followers; and I went out and sat upon the stump of a gigantic tree, to view the surrounding country, a little anxious about my men. The recent history of the Adang people is a good illustration of the injury done by the Kayans to the surrounding tribes. They formerly lived near the Adang river, but extended their farms to the entrance of the Madalam; but they have been gradually driven back, until they have abandoned the Limbang waters, and now drink those of the interior of the Trusan, the whole country from the Madalam being now jungle. I do not imagine they are nearly so numerous as they were, as in the last great Kayan foray they suffered awfully. They were, I believe, all collected in their villages at some great feast, when the Kayans, about 3,000 strong, set upon them; the first village was surprised, the fighting-men slain, the rest taken captive; the few fugitives were followed up so fast as almost to enter together the second village with their pursuers, where the same scene again took place. The burning of these villages, and the beating of gongs and talawaks gave notice to the rest, and all who could fled precipitately over the Adang range, followed by their relentless foes, who killed and captured a very great number.
The view from the clearings at the back of the houses is extensive. To the east three lines of hills, backed in the distance by a long range of mountains, where the salt springs are found; to the north there is a fine valley, descending on either side in easy slopes to the banks of the Trusan, and as a background there is a fine range of mountains. They say the highest is Brayong, which rises opposite Labuan, and is one of the loftiest peaks visible from that island—direction east of south; so that if these people be not mistaken, I know my position tolerably well; in fact, this morning, before I heard the name, these heights reminded me of the Lawas mountains; but they appear so close, that all my bearings and map must be utterly wrong if the Muruts have not made a very great mistake; it is only one of the guides that calls it Brayong. The distant eastern range is said to shed its waters to the opposite coast.
The village at which we are staying is but a very ordinary specimen of a Dayak location. The houses are poor, though effectually closed in, to avoid, they say, the poisoned arrows of their enemies, who are continually haunting this neighbourhood, a very great exaggeration evidently. From the clearings that are seen on every side, there must be a very fair population assembled around these hills; but their continual petty quarrels have no doubt a bad effect on their prosperity and their power to resist their great enemy. There are about fifty families in this community, and like many of the other inland Dayak tribes, each family occupies but a small space; the front verandah, closed in like a long room, is filled with fireplaces, showing that the Muruts of the plain find an elevation of 3,500 feet very cold. I had no blanket last night, and had to get up about three, and have the fire replenished, for I felt too cold to sleep; they use very large logs as the chief stay, and with a little care they remain in all night.
I notice here many beads and akiks (agate beads), but little brass wire. About twelve to-day nine of my followers made their appearance, five Muruts bearing their burdens for them; they said that the two lads of the party were quite exhausted, and many of them, from eating the cabbage of the rattan, had been vomiting. They only managed to reach the river in which I bathed, and were found there by the party of Muruts I had sent out; five Muruts continued the search for old Japer and the original missing four. I am afraid I shall not see anything of them before to-morrow, as old Japer’s legs are very much swollen. I had scarcely written the words, when the report of two muskets told me that they were not far off, and all are now here but Japer, who is slowly coming on behind. At sunset he arrived, utterly exhausted.