310 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



level. It was not more than four or five hours* walk to 

 Kandangan, but rain began to fall and the men each took 

 a leaf from the numerous banana trees growing along the 

 road with which to protect themselves. On approaching 

 the village we found two sheds some distance apart which 

 had been built conveniently over the road for the com- 

 fort of travelling "inlanders." As the downpour was 

 steady I deemed it wise to stop under these shelters, on 

 account of the natives, if for no other reason, as they are 

 unwilling carriers in rain. 



The house of a Malay official was near by, and after 

 a few minutes he came forth in the rain, a servant bring- 

 ing a chair which he offered to me. Feeling hungry, I 

 inquired if bananas were purchasable, but without im- 

 mediate result. He was naturally curious to know where 

 I came from, and having been satisfied in that respect he 

 went back to his house, soon returning with bananas and 

 a cup of tea. Hearing that I had been three weeks with- 

 out mail and was anxious to have news of the war, he also 

 brought me two illustrated Malay periodicals published 

 in Amsterdam. Alas ! they were half a year old, but 

 nevertheless, among the illustrations were some I had not 

 seen before. This was a worthy Malay and not unduly 

 forward — he was too well-mannered for that. 



The rain having abated somewhat we soon found our- 

 selves in Kandangan, where the curiosity of Malays and 

 Chinese was aroused by our procession. Neither the 

 assistant-resident nor the controleur were at home, but 

 the former was expected next morning. Many Malays, 

 big and little, gathered in front of the pasang grahan, 



