OF THE SARAWAK RTVER. 397 



stone, the sky can be seen. There is a hanging bridge 

 at this village, but not so fine a one as that of Sempro, 

 or any of those on the western river, in the territory of 

 the Sow Dyaks. The river we have passed to-day is 

 still confined within its limestone barriers ; but so much 

 has it undermined the rock, and overhangs in many 

 places so much, that two or three larger boats than 

 mine might lie abreast of each other protected from 

 the weather. Rapids from rocks and fallen trees have 

 been frequent, and karangans, or gravelly shallows, 

 numerous. Generally, the limestone tracks, traversed 

 by the river between two rapids, are very deep, and the 

 water still, a current being only perceptible at the angles 

 of the stream. Here small aligators and large fish are 

 sometimes seen. 



We collected the Dyaks, and requested them to show us 

 the cave in the mountain Si Budah, which we had been 

 informed existed there. After some delay, the Dyaks were 

 got together, and we walked along the base of the mountain 

 and bank of the river about three hundred yards, till we 

 came to a small brook, up the course of which we turned, 

 and were soon at the entrance of a large cave from which 

 the stream came. Having lighted our torches, we 

 followed the gravelly stream of pure and cold water 

 through a lofty passage into a very large and high 

 chamber of a tent-like form, the stream running through 

 the centre of it. 



It was a magnificent apartment, the walls being 

 hung with stalactites, which are all in a decaying 

 state : we passed on among limestone, through 



