154 TIIROrCH CENTRAL BORNEO 



himself, so I told the sergeant to strengthen the hands of 

 the kapala. I could not prevent the woman's disloyalty 

 to her husband, but the new attraction should not be 

 allowed to stay in the house. This had the effect of 

 making the intruder depart a few minutes later, though 

 he did not go far away. The affair was settled in a most 

 unexpected manner. The kapala being absent, his sub- 

 stitute, honhoinmr vuiis bortie^ and probably influenced 

 by her relatives, decided that the injured husband must 

 pay damages f. 40 because he had vacated his room the 

 night he went out hunting. 



We procured one more prahu, but the difficulties of 

 getting more men were very great, one reason being that 

 the people had already begun to cut paddi. Though the 

 new year so far brought us no rain, still the river of late 

 had begun to run high on account of precipitation at its 

 upper courses. High water does not always deter, but 

 rapid rising or falling is fraught with risk. After several 

 days' waiting the status of the water was considered safe, 

 and, leaving three boatloads to be called for later, in the 

 middle of January, we made a start and halted at a 

 sand slope where the river ran narrow among low hills, 

 two hundred metres below the first great kiham. Malay 

 rattan gatherers, with four prahus, were already camped 

 here awaiting a favourable opportunity to negotiate the 

 kihams, and they too were going to make the attempt next 

 morning. As the river might rise unexpectedly, we 

 brought ashore only what was needed for the night. 



Next day at half-past six o'clock we started, on a 

 misty, fresh morning, and in a few minutes were within 



