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 en 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 



