CHAPTER XXV 



DEPARTURE FROM THE PENIHINGS — FRUIT-EATING FISH — 

 ANOTHER CALL AT LONG PAHANGEI — A TRIP UP THE 



MERASI RIVER GENIAL NATIVES — AN INOPPORTUNE 



VISIT — THE DURIAN, QUEEN OF ALL FRUITS 



It became expedient to prepare for our farther journey 

 down the river, but first I wanted to take some photo- 

 graphs and measurements of the kampong people; this, 

 however, proved an impossible task because of the ad- 

 verse influence of the reticent and conservative Raja 

 Paron, who spoke not one word of Malay. Recently he 

 had been shocked by the sale to me of two live specimens 

 of the curious spectacled lemur (tarsius borneanus), which 

 had been added to my collections. The raja was in- 

 censed with the man who sold them, because the makiki, 

 as these animals are called, are regarded as antohs, and 

 in their anger at being sold were making people ill. 

 Therefore these new proceedings for which his sanction 

 was asked were regarded by him with disapproval, and as 

 a result of his opposition the people began to disappear 

 in the direction of their ladangs. Fortunately, I had 

 secured good material in both respects from Long Kai, 

 and I began preparations for departure. 



Prahus and a sufficient number of men were secured, 

 and in the middle of July we started. On the Mahakam 

 there never was any difficulty about getting men who 



were eager to gain their one rupia a day. The difficulty 



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