START FOR CENTRAL BORNEO 159 



men will dive under the prahu and put their backs to it 

 from the other side. 



There was little chance of more paddling, the prahus 

 being poled or dragged by rattan, and many smaller ki- 

 hams were passed. We entered the Busang River, which 

 is barely thirty-five metres wide at its mouth, flowing 

 through hilly country. The water was low at that time, 

 but is liable to rise quickly, through rains, and as it has 

 little opportunity for expansion at the sides the current 

 flows with such violence that travel becomes impossible. 

 The most diflicult part of our journey lay before us, and 

 the possibility of one or two, or even three months' de- 

 lay on account of weather conditions is then taken as a 

 matter of course by the natives, though I trusted to have 

 better luck than that. 



