TUBA FISHING. 249 



point that Pawang Duhamat might select as the place 

 for the tuba fishing to end. The building of this 

 barricade was no light task, and upon its stability 

 would depend much of the success of the day. 



They were to encamp upon the river-bank while 

 engaged upon this work, and to remain there when 

 it was completed, to see that no harm befell it 

 before we arrived. 



Upon the day appointed a great throng of boats 

 of all sizes collected round my landing-stage, and, 

 with great booming of gongs, we started up-stream. 

 We found that Ahman had completed the barricade 

 across the river, having left only a small passage 

 for our craft to pass through. When the last boat 

 had squeezed past, the barricade was completely and 

 finally closed, and, until it was opened or broken, 

 no fish or boat could pass it to go either up-stream 

 or down -stream. We were now in clear, shallow 

 water, and urged by the boat-poles the boats made 

 rapid way up the river. On either bank was great 

 primeval forest. Late in the afternoon we reached 

 the sandy spit which Pawang Duhamat had selected 

 as a favourable spot for the tuba fishing to begin. 

 By sunset we had made all our preparations for the 

 night. The little boat in which I came, my house- 

 boat being too unwieldy, was broad enough to hold 

 a jungle mattress, but the majority of the men had 

 come in light dug-outs, in which it was impossible 

 to sleep, and they had to encamp upon the bank. 

 Their preparations were simple : a kajang (palm- 

 leaves sewn together with rattan), four posts stuck 

 in the ground, and a couple of boat -poles across 



