14 DUTCH BORNEO-EXPEDITION. 



ains of Sarawak , such as Mount Mulu , Mount Penrisen , 

 Mount Dulit and others. 



On February 3rd. we left Mount Keuepai and returned 

 to Smitau , where I dried and packed up my collections , 

 which had suffered very much from damp , and sent them 

 off to Europe. 



In the meantime the other members of the expedition 

 had arrived , and on February 26th. we removed altogether 

 to Nanga Raoen on the Upper Mandai River. 



Our five bidars (large rowing boats provided with roofs 

 of palm-leaves) and a few native sampans formed a res- 

 pectable flotilla , taken in tow by the Government's steam- 

 launch »Poenan". The current of the river being very 

 strong, we proceeded but slowly, and did not reach the 

 mouth of the Mandai River before late in the next night. 

 The water being too shallow for the steamer, we had to 

 take to the oars, and our Malay and Dyak rowers had 

 hard work, especially higher up the river, where the cur- 

 rent was sometimes very strong, and we had many anxious 

 moments in traversing the roaring rapids we met on our 

 way from time to time. 



After five days' steady rowing we arrived at Nanga 

 Raoen , a settlement of Oeloe Ajer Dyaks , consisting of 

 two large houses, situated on the left bank of the river. 

 The larger of the houses , supported by 568 very high 

 posts and having a length of nearly 500 feet, is inhabited 

 by the respectable number of thirty-nine families , the 

 smaller one by nine families only. 



After being introduced to the people by Mr. van Velt- 

 huysen , who had kindly accompanied us up the river, we 

 immediately built a house of our own on a suitable place 

 on the high river-bank. Here it was understood that Dr. 

 Nieuwenhuis would take up his abode to look after the 

 large stock of provisions and to form a center for us all 

 during our stay in the Mandai-region , and to enable us 

 to take advantage, if necessary, of his medical assistance. 



The surroundings of Nanga Raoen are very picturesque. 



Notes froixi the Leyden IMuseutri , "Vol. XIX. 



