EMPLOYING CARRIERS 309 



this official is called in these parts, was obliging and 

 friendly, but he had slight authority and little energy. 

 He personally brought the men by twos and threes, finally 

 one by one, and he worked hard. When finally we were 

 able to start, still a couple of men short, he asked to be 

 excused from accompanying me further, to which I read- 

 ily assented. There were too many pumbakals who 

 graced the expedition with their presence. I believe we 

 had four that day who successively led the procession, 

 generally with good intentions to be of assistance, but, in 

 accordance with their dignity, carrying little or nothing, 

 and receiving the same payment as the rest. However, 

 it must be conceded that their presence helped to make 

 an impression on the next kampong which was expected 

 to furnish another gang of carriers. 



We managed to travel along, and finally reached the 

 last Dayak kampong, Bayumbong, consisting of the 

 balei and a small house. The balei was of limited pro- 

 portions, dark, and uninviting, so I put up my tent, 

 which was easily done as the pumbakal and men were 

 friendly and helpful. All the carriers were, of course, 

 anxious to return, but as they were engaged to go to 

 Kandangan I told them they would have to continue, 

 promising, however, to pay for two days instead of one 

 and to give them all rice in the evening. These people 

 are like children, and in dealing with them a determined 

 but accommodating ruling is necessary. 



The journey was less rough than before, though we 

 still passed gulches over which bamboo poles afforded 

 passage for a single file, and soon the road began to be 



