THE ULU-OTS 343 



unsettled state. The "onder" at Braui confirmed this 

 opinion when telling me of the fight he and thirty other 

 Duhoi once had with Penyahbongs from whom he cap- 

 tured two heads — for they are Ulu-Ots, he said. 



Before all my things were cleared away from my 

 camping-place and taken to the prahus, the kapala and 

 three women, one of them his wife, came and seated them- 

 selves in a row close together in a squatting position. 

 With the few words of Malay he knew he explained that 

 the women wanted to say good-bye. No doubt it was 

 their way, otherwise they have no greetings. At the 

 landing float the "onder" and his Kahayan assistant 

 were present to see us off. When leaving I was on the 

 point of wishing I might return some day to the unso- 

 phisticated Duhoi. 



On our arrival at Kuala Samba we found ourselves in a 

 different atmosphere. The Bakompai, although affable, 

 are inquisitive and aggressive, and do not inspire one with 

 confidence. The cheerful old Kahayan who lived on 

 board our big prahu to guard it had just one measure of 

 rice left, and was promptly given more rations. On ac- 

 count of the low water and the difficulties attending my 

 use of the Selatan it had long been evident that I 

 should have to give up my tour to the head of the Katin- 

 gan River, but before returning I desired to make the 

 ascent as far as to the first renowned kiham in order to 

 see more of the Upper Katingans. 



My prahu leaked so badly that we had to bail it out 

 constantly, and the men were the worst in my experience, 

 lazy and very inefficient, only one of them being strong 



