1 70 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. vm. 



there with occasional tufts of vegetation forming little 

 islets in mid river, hills on each bank running clown per- 

 pendicularly to the water's edge and covered with creepers, 

 moss, wild palms, and ferns, magnificent trees on either 

 side stretching their branches into triumphal arches over 

 head. Soon the whole scene was changed, clouds gathered, 

 and thunder rumbled, and down came the rain in a con- 

 tinuous torrent. Towards evening we arrived at our 

 destination like so many drowned rats. In the evening 

 I held service under difficulties, there being no prayer- 

 house, and the long public verandah of the house being 

 the only available place. The dignity of worship suffers 

 terribly in such circumstances. No sooner do we begin 

 than dogs begin to fight, or a child to cry, or an unsym- 

 pathetic heathen at the other end of the house to make 

 some discordant row, or a fighting cock will fly right into 

 the midst of the kneeling assembly, and distract every- 

 one's attention." 



The condition of the natives near the capital is not 

 nearly so good as at Kina Balu, a hundred and fifty miles 

 away, if Ave except the Kadyans, who being Mahomedans, 

 and having powerful friends in Brunei, are able to resist 

 many of the taxes which the Muruts of the Limbang and 

 elsewhere are called upon to pay. I made two visits 

 here to the capital, and made a boat journey up the 

 Limbang and Pandarowan rivers as far as Bukit Sagan. 

 This trip was made in the wet season, and took twelve 

 men three days, owing to the heavy freshes against which 

 they had to pull. The Pandarowan river is small com- 

 pared with the Limbang, of which it is a tributary ; but 

 it is, without exception, the loveliest river I ever saw 

 At the end of the second day after leaving the capital 

 we reached a large house belonging to the Muruts of this 

 district. It stood in a little clearing close beside the 



