10 DUTCH BORNEO-EXPEDITION. 



months in Borneo before my arrival, had just returned 

 from a trip to Sambas, where he had ascended Mount 

 Semedoem with Dr. Nieuwenhuis, and paid a short visit 

 to the Island of Lemoekoetan ^). 



Mr. Tromp , the organisor of the expedition , did his 

 utmost to insure the success of the enterprise. As he was 

 just starting on a trip up the Kapoeas to Poetoes Sibau, 

 he proposed to take us up to Smitau, which place was to 

 become the head-quarters of the expedition. A few days 

 after my arrival at Pontianak we left this place , Dr. Hal- 

 lier on board of the Government steamer »Djambi", and 

 myself, as the guest of the Resident, on board his steam- 

 launch »Karimata". The rainy season, lasting in this 

 region from October to April , had set in very vigorously, 

 and consequently the water was very high, covering the 

 lowland to a great distance on both sides of the river. 

 Steaming throughout the day and night, we reached 

 Sanggau at the mouth of the Sekajam River the next 

 morning, and, late in the evening of the following day, 

 Sintang, at the mouth of the Melawi River. At this 

 very important place the Dutch Government is represented 

 by an Assistant Resident , then Mr. Snellebrand , and a 

 small garrison , established in a fort which dominates the 

 Kapoeas as well as the Melawi River. 



The next morning we steamed on again. The river had 

 become much narrower, its water was as brown as coffee 

 and milk , and we had to keep a sharp look-out day and 

 night for the numerous floating logs of wood coming down 

 the river with the current. The landscape began to look 

 hilly , and every now and then at a turn of the river we 

 had a glimpse of Mount Klam, a very steep, bulky and 

 flat-topped mountain not very far east of Sintang. The 

 monotonous forests on the banks were now and then in- 



1) Some rejitiles and insects were collected on Mount Semedoem, and a few 

 marine shells on Lemoekoetan. The latter have already been mentioned by 

 Schepman in his treatise on the MoUusca of the expedition. (N. L. M. Vol. 

 XVII, p. 162). 



Notes from the Leytlen Museum, Vol. XIX. 



