58 THROrCII CENTRAL BORNEO 



I may add that besides this chsh my main food was 

 milk and biscuits, especially those made of whole wheat. 

 In the tropics no milk will keep beyond a certain time 

 limit unless it is sweetened, which renders it less whole- 

 some. I found Nestle & Company's evaporated milk 

 serviceable, but their sterilised natural milk is really 

 excellent, though it is expensive on an expedition which at 

 times has to depend on carriers, and in mountainous 

 regions like New Guinea it would be impracticable to 

 carry it. Under these conditions one is content to have 

 the evaporated or the sweetened brand. Sterilised milk, 

 although perhaps a luxury, is a permissible one when 

 travelling by boat, but the fact that it remains sound only 

 a limited time should be borne in mind. However, it 

 helped me to resist the adverse conditions of travel in the 

 equatorial regions, and to return to civilisation in prime 

 physical condition. When I had opportunity I ate the 

 rice of the Dayaks, which is not so well sifted of its husks, 

 and is by far more palatable than the ordinary polished 

 rice. I found the best biscuits to be Huntley and 

 Palmer's College Brown, unsweetened. 



As regards one's native companions, the Dayaks or 

 Malays are quite satisfied as long as they get their full 

 rations of rice and dried fish. This is the food they have 

 always been accustomed to and their demands do not 

 go further, although cocoanut-oil for frying the fish adds to 

 their contentment. Katjang idju was usually given them 

 if tlu-re was sugar enough to serve with it; they do not 

 care for it unsweetened. I have dwelt at some length 

 on the food (jucstion, because information on this subject 



