Io8 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



found me on my way to Singapore. Here I first arranged 

 for the safe return of my two assistants, who had been 

 left in Macassar, where cholera had broken out. Usually 

 natives, who range under the category of labourers, go as 

 deck-passengers on steamers in the East. Therefore, after 

 I had bought second-class tickets for them, and the Dutch 

 Packet Boat Company had courteously offered to have a 

 man meet them on arrival, I felt satisfied tliat they 

 would have no trouble in landing. I then continued 

 my journey over Penang to Madras. 



In spite of the continuation of the war and the great 

 fascination of India, in April, the following year, 1915, I 

 decided to return to the Dutch Indies and undertake an 

 expedition to Central Borneo, parts of which are unex- 

 plored and unknown to the outside world. Briefly, my 

 plans were to start from Bandjcrmasin in the south, 

 ascend the Barito River, and, branching hence into its 

 northern tributary, the Busang, to cross the watershed 

 to the Mahakam or Kutei River. Following the latter 

 to its mouth I should reach the east coast near Samarinda. 

 This journey, I found, would take me through a country 

 where were some tribes never before studied. 



At Colombo I took the Dutch steamer GrotiuSy which 

 gave me a very pleasant week. The Dutch are a kindly 

 nation. There were fifteen children on first-class play- 

 ing on deck, and I never heard them cry nor saw them 

 fighting. After more than nine months* absence I again 

 found myself in Batavia, and from there I went to Buiten- 

 zorg to ask an audience of the Governor-( General. He of- 

 fered to give me all assistance in furthering my project, 



