JUNGLE HUNTER 255 



In a week's trip up the Kampar we passed sev- 

 eral little settlements, usually huddled at the mouth 

 of a small river, of which there were a great many ; 

 and here and there we saw paths extending back 

 into the jungle to other little settlements from 

 three to five miles inland ; and now and again came 

 upon a partial clearing where had been planted a 

 small patch of padi. Other than these threads of 

 trails hacked out of the jungle, nowhere are there 

 roads leading inland, for the country is swamp- 

 like for the greater part, and mostly the people 

 catch fish, which, with the fruit, serves as their 

 main sustenance. Lining the rivers, whether they 

 narrow or broaden, are great stiff spears, standing 

 out of the water from six to seven feet, with palm- 

 like leaves, which maintain a width of two inches 

 except at the end, where they become a sharp, 

 strong point. Other palms along the banks bear 

 a poisonous fruit as large as a small watermelon, 

 and are shunned alike by men and birds. 



As we paddled along, every now and again one 

 of my men broke out in a most doleful, dirgelike 

 wail, which rather disturbed my peace until Uda 

 assured me he was singing his prayers. Later we 

 passed canoes with several paddlers singing 

 prayers together; and once, at one of the settle- 

 ments, two men sang prayers and six others joined 

 them to an accompaniment of heavy drums. We 



