CHAPTER V. 



KINA BALU, OR CHINESE WIDOW MOUNTAIN. 



Journey to Kina Balu — Visit to Pangeran Rau — Agricultural implements 

 — Sea Gipsies — Datu of the Badjows — Musa — Fertile plain — River- 

 side gardens — Women gardeners — Fording the Tawaran — Bawang — 

 Good scenery — Si Nilau — Kalawat — Rat-traps — A wet journey — 

 Bungol — Koung village — Native traders — Rice culture — Kiau — 

 Hiring of guides — Ascent of Kina Balu — A curious breakfast — Rare 

 plants 01 route — Mountain flowers — Large pitcher plants — A cave 

 dwelling — Scarcity of water — Mountain orchids — Cool climate — 

 Slippery descent — Lost in the forest — Return to Kiau — Native pro- 

 duce — Journey to Marie Parie Spur — Return to the coast — Native 

 women of the interior — Hire of native boat — Return to Labuan. 



On the 29th of November, just as the dry season was 

 commencing in Labuan, Mr. Peter Veitch (who had a 

 few days before joined me after his travels in Australia 

 and the Fiji Islands) and myself started off on a journey 

 to Kina Balu, which we intended to reach by way of the 

 Tawaran river. We had with us twenty-six men and two 

 bird-hunters, so that we formed a rather imposing party 

 of thirty, all told. The men were armed with native 

 parangs or swords ; some had krisses, and eight or ten 

 carried muskets with which we had provided them. We 

 embarked our men, stores, and travelling gear on board 

 a little coast- steamer bound for Sulu, and the following- 

 morning we arrived at Pulo Gaya, and the captain 

 lowered another boat in addition to the one we had 

 brought with us, and put us all safely ashore near 



