CHAPTER XVIII 



A STRANGE MAMMAL — ANIMAL LIFE IN CENTRAL BORNEO — 

 A SUPERB AND SILENT REALM — VISIT TO A SALT 

 WATER EXUDATION — PASSINc; THE DIVIDING RIDGE — 

 A MOUSE-DEER CHASE ON THE KASAO RIVER 



I WAS planning a visit to the headwaters of the Bu- 

 sang River, to be made in connection with our future 

 journey. Few natives, if any, have entered that region, 

 which was described as very mountainous, though the 

 mountains cannot be very high. But all who were ap- 

 proached on the subject, whether Penyahbong or Malay, 

 absolutely declined to take part in an expedition to that 

 country, because they would be killed by an animal 

 called nundun, which is very numerous there. They 

 might be able to tackle one, they said, but as soon as 

 you encounter one there are hundreds more coming for 

 you, and there is nothing else to do but to run for your 

 life. Those regions, although known to be rich in rub- 

 ber trees, are shunned by all natives. Unless this is an 

 altogether fabulous animal, which is hardly likely to be 

 the case, because the Punans and Bukats confirmed its 

 existence, it would appear to be a kind of bear which per- 

 haps in fruit seasons gathers in great numbers, and which 

 is ferocious. 



Nundun, in Penyahbong and Bukat called bohang 

 (bear), is said to run faster than a dog, is killed with the 

 sumpitan at twenty to thirty metres distance, and is eaten. 



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