OF THE SARAWAK RIVER. 399 



had discovered previously ; but neither flowers nor seeds 

 of it were procurable. At night I purchased some 

 spears and other weapons from the Dyaks, in exchange 

 for beads and brass wire. Slept in the boats, the houses 

 being small and dirty. 



Dec. 6th. Left early for Sebongoh, and passed 

 through beautiful mountains of limestone. One at the 

 back of Sibudah, which has a reddish and stratified 

 appearance, is in shape exactly resembling the face of 

 a pyramid, and looks as if it had been built, so correct 

 is its outline : it has no trees upon it. One mountain 

 near it had had all its trees destroyed about twelve 

 months since, by a fire which had been ignited by the 

 intensity of the sun's rays on the rock beneath, and 

 which had so dried the vegetation, that it spontaneously 

 took fire, and the whole were destroyed. Nothing but 

 a succession of very wet summers can again restore it. 

 About three miles from the village is the Rheum 

 Sebongoh, a large, but not dangerous rapid. The 

 houses of this tribe are situated on both banks of the 

 river, which here again runs through banks of sparkling 

 sand and beautiful pebbles. Fruit trees surround the 

 village, and, during the day, -we have passed through 

 immense numbers of them, the property of this tribe. 

 The fruits are ripe, and the Dyaks brought me baskets 

 of all kinds in the evening as presents. I did not go up 

 to the houses, but staid in the boat, in which I was 

 visited by the chief people. The Orang Kaya wanted 

 medicine for cataract in the eve, which, if he does not 



