412 TWO YEARS IN THE JUI^GLE. 



flying lemurs (Galeopithecus variegatus) just out of range. They 

 spread theii- parachutes to their Avidest extent, launched boldly out 

 of a tree-top, sailed slowly through the air at an angle of about 

 forty-five degi'ees, and alighted low down on the trunk of a tree 

 about forty feet distant from the one they had quitted. Climbing 

 nimbly up to the top of that tree, they sailed off again, and so on 

 until they were out of sight. 



In the afternoon the growth of screw pines ceased abruptly, 

 and we entered a narrower and more tortuous channel which wound 

 in and out among trees and bushes, just vdde enough for our 

 boats, but with nothing to spare. After four or five miles of this, 

 the identity of the river was completely lost ; but we followed the 

 channel persistently, and at last found ourselves in a little canal 

 not more than eight feet wide, that came down through the forest 

 as though cut by the hand of man. On either side were solid 

 banks and the trunks of gi-eat forest trees beautifully decorated 

 with ferns, orchids and dark-green moss, while the bare stems of 

 creepers, both great and small, hung in many a curve and twist 

 from the branches which met far above our heads. I would like 

 to rave a little over that scenery, and woiild, but for a constitutional 

 objection to emotional descriptions. 



At length our Httle canal led out of the forest and into an open 

 grassy swamp of considerable width, at the edge of which we ar- 

 rived at the head of navigation, and a getting-out place for everj^body. 



There was no house nor village anywhere in sight, but one of 

 our Malays said we could reach one by night-fall, so four of us 

 bundled up our beds, a cooking pot and food for one meal, and set 

 out. Our first half-mile lay across a swamp, through mud and 

 water fi'om one to two feet deep, fi*om which we landed on a bit of 

 dry ground and crossed over to another stretch of morass, worse 

 than the first. The water was from two to five feet deep, but on 

 the top lay a carpet of matted grass which kept us from siuk- 

 ing down out of sight. Onco I had the luck to break through 

 and sink down to my waist before the others could fish me out. 

 After a mile of dreadful floundering we came to some fields of 

 growing paddy and emerged upon terra firma once more. We fol- 

 lowed a path through a bit of fine, dry open forest, crossed a beau- 

 tifully clear running brook, our canal again, or rather the Sibuyau 

 Kiver — and two hundred yards further on, came to a small clearing 

 in the middle of which (welcome sight) stood a Dyak village, or 

 long-house of five doors. 



