148 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



called from the ladangs. Children lighter than the 

 parents is a usual phenomenon in black and brown races. 

 There was, however, one four-year-old boy conspicuous 

 for his light hair and general blondness, who was different 

 from the ordinary Dayak in frame and some of his move- 

 ments; he was coarsely built, with thick limbs, big square 

 head, and hands and feet strikingly large. There could 

 be no doubt about his being a half-breed, neither face nor 

 expression being Dayak. One hare-lipped woman and 

 a child born blind were observed here. Other kampongs 

 in the inland neighbourhood, mentioned in the same re- 

 port, were not visited. 



On our arrival at Puruk Tjahu the low water at first 

 made it doubtful whether the Otto would be able to pro- 

 ceed further, but during the night it rose five metres, con- 

 tinued rising, and changed into a swollen river, as in 

 springtime, carrying sticks and logs on its dirty reddish 

 waters. After a foggy morning the sun came out and 

 we had an enchanting day's journey, the movement of 

 the ship producing a soft breeze of balmy air after the 

 rainy night and morning. We passed a timber float 

 stranded on high ground, with Malay men, women, and 

 children who had been living there for weeks, waiting for 

 the water to rise again as high as where it had left them. 

 They evidently enjoyed the unusual sight of the steamer, 

 and followed us attentively. 



In the afternoon we arrived at Poru, a small, oppres- 

 sively warm kampong, deserted but for an old man and 

 one family, the others having gone to gather rattan in the 

 utan. This was to be our starting-point, where our bag- 



