TO SEREKEI. 357 



Nipahs, from the ashes of the leaves of which it is made. 

 It is much used by the Milanowes and Dyaks, but is 

 very bitter and of an unpleasant flavour, and very dirty 

 appearance. 



On my arrival at the boat in the evening, I found 

 that Williamson had received a dinner from Mulana. 

 It consisted principally of rice cakes, and sweetmeats 

 of rice flour, and curries in small dishes. Spoons 

 which were also sent, were made of the young leaves 

 of the useful Nipah, which being folded into the proper 

 form, were secured in it by small pegs. In the evening, 

 many people visited Williamson, and some sent 

 presents. Mulana sent fowls and ducks with a fine 

 sarong for the manufacture of which this place is 

 celebrated for each of us. Pafigeran Alla-ed-din had 

 the impudence to send a similar cloth in the evening for 

 Williamson's acceptance. 



April 20th. Weighed anchor at three A.M., under a 

 salute of I cannot tell how many guns from the 

 impertinent Pafigeran and Nakodah, who were, doubt- 

 less, glad to get rid of us with the expense only of a 

 little powder which did not belong to them. During 

 the morning we coasted along to the eastward with a fine 

 breeze, until we opened the mouth of the western 

 branch of the great Rejang river. There are four 

 or five other larger mouths to the eastward, but none 

 of them so deep as this. Egan is the furthest to the 

 east, but is very shoaly, not having more than nine feet 

 on the bar at low water. The natives assured us that, 

 in the channel, the branch we had entered was six 



