54 THROrC^H CENTRAL BORNEO 



Long Pangian, our first halting-place, and, as the current 

 of the river is not strong until the last day, the distance 

 may be covered in four days. When low the Kayan 

 River is light greenish-brown, but when high the colour 

 changes to a muddy red-brown with a tinge of yellow. 

 We used the dilapidated pasang-grahans as shelters, but 

 one night we were obliged to camp on the river bank, 

 so I had the tall, coarse grass cut down on the embank- 

 ment, which was a few metres higher than the beach. 

 Underneath the tall growth was another kind of grass, 

 growing low and tangled like a mat, which could be dis- 

 posed of by placing poles under it, lifting it and rolling 

 it back, while at the same time the few r(X)ts attaching it 

 to the ground were cut with swords. In less than fifteen 

 minutes I had a safe place for my tent. 



The Dayaks, however, who have little to concern them 

 except their prahus, in which is left whatever baggage they 

 may have, as usual slept in the prahus or on the stony 

 beach. During the night the river rose a metre, and some 

 of the men awoke in water. The Chinese mandur, not- 

 withstanding my warnings, had tied his prahu carelessly, 

 and in the middle of the night it drifted off, with lighted 

 lamp and two Dayaks sleeping in it. Luckily some of 

 the others soon discovered the accident and a rescuing 

 party brought it back early in the morning. The 

 *' kitchen" had been moved up to my place, and in spite 

 of rain and swollen river we all managed to get break- 

 fast. I had a call from tin' chief of the near-by kampong, 

 who spoke excellent Malay, and had visited New Guinea 

 twice on Dutch ex[)editions, once with Doctor Lorcnz. 



