174 THE JOHORE SURVEY. 



selves to be both quick and intelligent, and ready to antici- 

 pate one's wishes. It must, however, be understood that, 

 generally speaking, the Malay cannot be depended upon for 

 hard work, as he is by nature indolent, fond of companion- 

 ship, and a lover of bright colours, which he cannot display 

 to advantage in the jungle. The Javanese and Kalantans 

 make good jungle-cutters and chain-men; they do not, how- 

 ever, care to go far into the jungle for reasons given above, 

 and there were signs of defection and actual desertions so 

 soon as the expedition got beyond the limits of civilization. 



To turn to the northern division, to which many of the 

 above remarks apply. Soon after the southern division had 

 entered camp, the northern division, with Mr. F. G. Slessor, 

 Mr. Garland, Commissioner of Public Works, and a staff of 

 servants and chain-men, proceeded by the yacht Pantie to 

 Muar, on the west coast, thence up the Muar River by 

 launch, and then by sampans and on foot to Segamat. At 

 Segamat they were to meet with the jungle-cutting con- 

 tractor and his men, who had contracted to cut the jungle- 

 track for the traverse line from Segamat southwards towards 

 Johore. 



Having determined the astronomical position of the 

 starting point, and the true bearing of the initial line, the 

 traverse line was run south until the middle of October, 

 when the northern division returned to headquarters soon 

 after the southern division. The hardships undergone by 

 the northern division and the difficulties encountered by 

 them were much greater than in the case of the southern 

 division, their isolation being almost complete. Thus, for 

 instance, it took ten days for communications to reach the 

 northern division, while the southern division could at any 

 time receive word within two days from their base of opera- 

 tions the headquarters at Johore. 



