IN SUMATRA. 383 



CHAPTER V. 



SOJOURN IN THE TALEMBAXG EESIDEXCY {continued). 



From Gunung Mogang — ^Liintar^ — ^A siirpiiso — Ilivcr Ogan — Curious ]\\\\% 

 — Ornomental carving — A villnge fair — A cock-fight — Into the Tniia 

 Valley — Muara Iiiim — Lahat — ^Passumah lands— Ceremonial formulas 

 The people — Marriage ceremonies — Illegitimate births — Religion — Death 

 superstitions and rites — Sculptured stones — Interesting visit from Den- 

 coolcn men. 



Taking my departure from Ginning Mogang, and crossing tlio 

 watershed into the Ogan valley at 2000-3000 feet above sea- 

 level, I descended towards Pengandonan. Passing through 

 the village of Liintar, I found the chiefs of the marga and a 

 great concourse of people from all the region assembled on the 

 third anniversary of the death of the Headman's fatlicr, to 

 secure the welfare of his soul by feasts and sports. Here was 

 waiting for me the Pangeran of Pengandonan, which was tlie 

 adjacent marga. After a liberal refreshment of tea, with 

 the ubiquitous Huntley and Palmers' biscuits, and a Palem- 

 bang baked comfit, made principally of sago and the hashed-up 

 flesh of a fish (whose large scales, dyed of various colours, 



are extensively used— and admirably adapted for the pnrpos 

 they are — to cover or " tile " over the large leaf hats used in 

 the district), and some ripe juicy oranges, I set out with my 

 host for Pengandonan lower down on the opposite side of tlie 

 Ogan. We crossed the river on a raft at a very beautiful spot 

 at the confluence of the Laham and the Ogan. On our left 

 were several curiously formed, abrupt hills ; facing us wa^ tlie 

 bare-topped, calcareous peak of the Riang rising sheer from the 

 bank, and just above the ferry was moored a flotilla of rakits 

 those picturesque floating houses by which the produce of the 

 region is transported to the coast, which to the trader are ship and 

 comfortable house for many days together on these great rivers. 



