THROUGH THE MALAY JUNGLE 29 



haps some future Sultan of Perak. The group made 

 a decidedly oriental picture and in my interest at 

 observing it I did not for the moment realize how 

 unconventional my presence was. As the doctor 

 turned and saw me, his jaw fell in surprise, for he had 

 in reality motioned me to wait outside. He was, 

 however, to be credited with much diplomatic tact, 

 for without a moment's hesitation, having salaamed 

 to the Sultana, he presented me as a noted foreign 

 physician who had come especially to advise con- 

 cerning her health ! I bowed low, my presence was 

 approved, and what might have been an embar- 

 rassing situation turned out happily. 



Kwala Kangsar is, so to speak, the outpost of 

 civilization : the railroad from the coast ends here, 

 and to go farther one must arrange transport for 

 one's self. Our plan, briefly, was to push on through 

 Upper Perak to the state of Pahang, make the head- 

 waters of the Pahang River, build a raft of bamboo, 

 and float down-stream to the eastern coast of the 

 peninsula, where we should trust to find some sort 

 of boat to Singapore. As Malay life centres chiefly 

 around the great rivers, our plans promised no little 

 interest. 



A clear starlit night saw us packed in three bul- 

 lock-carts at the rest-house at Kwala Kangsar, one 

 of us and the luggage in the first, the other two in 



