368 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



finally obtained information about a place to stop for the 

 night. 



At six o'clock we arrived at the mouth of the Kuala 

 Sampit, where we found it difficult to effect a landing on 

 account of the dilapidated condition of the landing-float. 

 Some distance from the water stood a lonely house, in 

 genuine Malay style, with high-gabled roof. The stairs 

 afforded precarious access, a condition which may have 

 been regarded as a protection, but more likely it was due 

 to laziness and want of care. However that may have 

 been, the interior was surprisingly substantial, with an 

 excellent floor like that in a ball-room. I slept in a 

 detached ramshackle room used as a kitchen, comfortable 

 because of being open to the air. 



In the morning the Malays were again too late. I 

 was ready for a start at six o'clock, but about that time 

 they began to cook. The small river, perhaps twenty 

 metres wide, is deep enough to have allowed a steam- 

 launch of the Selatans dimensions to go as far as the 

 kampong Rongkang, our first destination, and there is 

 little current. At five o'clock we had to stop to give 

 the men opportunity to prepare their rice, and in the 

 evening we arrived at Rongkang. The gongs were being 

 beaten lustily in the darkness; we thought it must be 

 on account of a death, which proved to be the case, a 

 woman having died some days before. The house which 

 was placed at my disposal was more nearly air-tight than 

 usual. 



The kapala said it was difficult to get men, but he 

 would do his best. A strange epidemic had lately ap- 



