A PLEASUEE TRIP UP THE SARAWAK. 483 



most hospitably entertained by four of them, Messrs, Everett, Har- 

 vey, Gray and, Beecher. Every one was in good spirits, and we 

 had a very merry time until a late hour. An Englishman may be 

 rather rigid and formal on his native isle, but take him in the East 

 Indies, esjDecially in the jungles, and he is certainly the jolliest and 

 best of companions. 



On the following day, St. John and I returned to Paku. At 

 Pankalan we took a boat and had a very romantic ride down the 

 Staat, which saved us several miles walking. The river was low and 

 we had to shoot a number of rapids in consequence. The boat was 

 a small one, and at each end stood a Malay with a bamboo pole to 

 guide the frail craft. It was certainly a charming ride. The bed 

 of the stream was sand, pebbles and bowlders, and the banks were 

 shales and limestone. The branches of the trees met far above our 

 heads, giving us a continuous cool shade instead of the glare and 

 heat of the sun, and in a quiet ecstacy of delight we glided smoothly 

 along with the swift cuiTent, feasting our eyes upon the beauties of 

 rock and tree, flower, fern, orchid, and mossy bank. 



Often when shooting down the rapids at a great rate, with 

 great bowlders lining our narrow way thickl}' on either hand, or 

 with a wall of rock rising directly before us at the foot of the incline, 

 it seemed as if the next instant our boat would certainly strike and 

 be smashed into kindling wood. But no ; just at the right mo- 

 ment, the man in the bow would quickly jam the end of his pole 

 into a crevice or against the rocky Avail, give a quick, strong 

 shove, and send us swinging off at a sharp angle down the middle 

 of the channel. The Malays handled the boat as only skilful and 

 practised hands could ; and it did not touch a rock even once. 



After several miles of this delightful voyaging we came to tha 

 getting-out place, and, with a sigh to think the ride was over, re- 

 luctantly took to the road and walked the remainder of the way 

 to Paku, which we reached shortly before noon. In the afternoon, 

 while St. John held court, Everett and I strolled out to get some 

 specimens of calc spar, antimony, and limestone, and to talk over 

 all Borneo. 



Our last day was to be devoted to an excursion to Serambo 

 Mountain, whither my good friend St. John had invited me, for I 

 should never have dreamed of asking him to do so much hard 

 climbing on my account. We said good-by to Mr. Everett and 

 set out early for the mountain, which rises about two miles east of 

 Paku. There is a good Dyak road, or path, all the way, leading 



