CH. V.] 



A Dusun Cottage. 



85 



miles from this village, in some patches of rice and 

 gourds, but he had been too frightened to answer our 

 inquiries as to the route, and rushed down the hill just 

 as the first few drops — big, heavy, solitary drops — fell 

 from the black rain-clouds over head. Fortunately, I 

 had struck the right road a few yards further on, and 

 followed it up, when in turning a rocky corner, where 

 two roads merged into one, I came across the man again 



PLAN OF A DUSUN COTTAGE, N.W. BORNEO. 



face to face. He was so surprised at my sudden reap- 

 pearance, that he fairly shook with terror, and he rushed 

 down the rocky ledge, which served as a path around 

 the hill-top, with the speed of a startled deer. I had 

 yelled after him to stop, but he ran all the faster ; and 

 when afterwards we entered his house, our men had a 

 little trouble to reassure him that we meant him no 

 harm. 



We soon put the old boy at his ease, however ; and 



