392 TRIP UP THE SOUTHERN BRANCH 



I followed the course of a small rill, in search of a 

 little plant I found at its mouth, which conducted me to 

 a great many holes, dug in the ground, at some distance 

 from each other ; they were about nine feet deep, and 

 all connected by the gravel having been taken out of 

 them at the bottom : these I had no difficulty in recog- 

 nizing as pits for the working of the diamonds. A little 

 further on, I came to the dams and other works which 

 had been employed in cleansing the precious stone from 

 the soil which contains it. These are the works of some 

 Banjar men, who have been caused to desist, as they do 

 not wish to pay any revenue for the jewels they obtain. 

 They are now working successfully in the main river, 

 which is free to them. I was not successful in finding 

 any plants, excepting Scitamince. A scarlet flower of 

 this order was very pretty, and a beautiful Alpinia was 

 growing on the banks of the streams, with its stems 

 drooping towards the water. 



Dec. 4th. Returned early this morning to the boat, 

 and ascending the river, stopped, at 8 A.M., to break- 

 fast, on the left bank, (right, going up), at a place called 

 Bajuk, where was a Dyak farm-house, at which we 

 cooked our rice and fowl for breakfast. Notwithstand- 

 ing the lateness of the season, many men are employed 

 in the river, washing gold. They tell me that they are 

 very successful, though the height of the water makes it 

 more injurious to their health, as many of them stand 

 nearly up to their armpits in water, all day, at this 

 employment. At noon we passed the Rheums Panjang 

 and Besar, meaning long and great rapids ; having passed 



