START FOR CENTRAL BORNEO 157 



as near land as possible and tossed like toys on the an- 

 gry waves, and pushed in and out of small inlets between 

 the big stones. In three hours we effected the passage 

 and in the afternoon arrived at Tumbang Djuloi, a rather 

 prettily situated kampong on a ridge along the river. 



I was installed in a small house which was vacant at 

 one end of the little village, the greater part of which is 

 Malay. There were two houses belonging to Ot-Danums 

 which I found locked with modern padlocks. Nearly all 

 Malays and Dayaks were at the ladangs, where they spend 

 most of their time, remaining over night. Coal, which 

 is often found on the upper part of the Barito River, 

 may be observed in the bank of the river in a layer two 

 metres thick. It is of good quality, but at present cannot 

 be utilised on account of the formidable obstacle to trans- 

 portation presented by the kiham below. 



Our Malays soon began to talk of returning, fifteen 

 of the twenty-four men wanting to go home. Payment 

 having been refused until the goods left below had been 

 brought up, a settlement was reached and the necessary 

 men, with the sergeant, departed for Telok Djulo. In the 

 meantime we began to convey our belongings higher up 

 the river, above the next kiham, where they were stored 

 in the jungle and covered with a tent cloth. 



After the arrival of the luggage which had been left 

 behind, there was a universal clamour for returning 

 home, the Malays professing great disinclination to pro- 

 ceeding through the difficult Busang country ahead of 

 us. Even those from Puruk Tjahu, who had pledged 

 themselves to continue to the end, backed out. Though 



