A PLEASURE TRIP UP THE SARAWAK.. 479 



After coffee, with ]Mr. Everett accompanying us, we set out and 

 walked four miles northwest to see the Chinese gold- washings at 

 Bau. There was a good path all the way, through the second 

 growth of jungle, and the scenery was highly interesting. 



Bau takes its name from a peak close to the washings, from the 

 northern base of which a remarkable pinnacle rises like a gigantic 

 pillar with the top broken off and its precipitous face smooth and 

 bare. 



There are two Chinese companies working gold at Bau, and we 

 visited the works of both. Both pui-sue the same wasteful i:)lan. 

 The gold occurs in very fine particles in a low hill of decomposed 

 porphyry, mixed with a small proportion of blue Hmestone, man- 

 ganese, etc. In appearance it resembles j-ellow clay. A large reser- 

 voir affords a good head of water, and, as fast as the hill is dug down, 

 the earth is thrown into the sluices, some of which are nearly a mile 

 long, and washed away. Three or foiu* times a year they turn off 

 the water and wash up the residuum by hand. It is a very waste- 

 ful process, and the Chinawomen do a very fair business in washing 

 out the dirt at the lower end of the sluices. 



The two gold companies have separate \illages and two sets of 

 shops, both well built and neatly kept. It was here that the Chi- 

 nese insurrection was hatched in 1857, which taught the celestials 

 a fearful lesson, one which it will never be necessary to teach them 

 again. I do not suppose any combmation of circumstances could 

 now induce the Chinese to get up another row with the govern- 

 ment of Sarawak. Like the people of oui* Southern States, they 

 now declare that "rebellion must be put down." 



As we passed through the village of the Sap Long Moon Kunsi, 

 on our way back, we found a table of refreshments had been pre- 

 pared for us in a cool veranda. First, last, and all the time, we 

 were helped to tea of the very best quality (so St. John said), 

 strong, bitter, and wholly innocent of either milk or sugar. To me 

 it was about as palatable as soapsuds, but it was nevertheless re- 

 freshing to the inner man, and, without consulting my palate in the 

 least, I emptied my tiny cup several times. Besides the tea, we 

 had sugared peanuts, candied pumjDkin, a preserved fig-like fruit 

 from China, and big Chinese gooseberries to eat at the finish in 

 lieu of pickles. Strangely enough, none of our hosts could speak 

 Malay, but a very respectful crowd gathered to see the animals 

 feed. At the next village, the above performance was repeated, 

 except that we sat down to tea and fruit instead of tea and sweet- 



