TBANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 661 



vidth, depth, and slight current of the river appear to favour steam navigation, and 

 thougli the branch starting near Yiin-Nan-Fu is much the longer, this one is con- 

 sidered the principal by the Chinese, who give the preference to the one having the 

 greater number of junks. Trade therefore was probably more prosperous here in 

 former days. Ascending the river to Liu-Cheng-IIsien (Lioo-Chin), where it again 

 forks east and west, the traveller chose the Yung-Ho or eastern branch, reaching 

 Yung-Hsien on the fifth day from Liu-Chou-Fu. This is a flourishing city, and 

 would make a first-rate terminus for steam navigation from IIong-Koug. Still 

 ascending the Yung river, the shallows and rapids of which began to obstruct 

 navigation, Ku-Chou-Ting, an important frontier city of Kwei-Ohou, was reached 

 in ten days, the country traversed being entirely inhabited by a peculiar tribe of 

 Miau-Tze" called Tuug-Kia, subsisting principally on a very glutinous kind of rice 

 called No-Mi, and li\ing in two-storeyed houses, of which the lower storey is occu- 

 pied by cattle, and the upper is almost destitute of furniture. 



At Ku-Chou-Ting, the smallest boats obtainable had to be used, and iu eight 

 days the head of all navigation was reached at San-Kio, or Li-Miao-Chou, as it is 

 called officially. An overland journey of eight days brought the traveller to Kwei- 

 Yang-Fu, entirely through the country of the ]\Iiao-Tze, who are gradually being 

 displaced by Chinese immigrants, who follow the water-way, and drive the natives 

 further back into the country. 



Mr. Mesny considers that steamers might ascend from IIoug-Kong to Yung- 

 Hsien in three or four days without going to Canton, and that a railway might be 

 laid from Yung-Hsien to Kwei-Yang-Fu, via Li-Po-Hsien, Tu-Shan-Ohou, Lo-Hu, 

 and Tein-Fan-Ohou. This would, in his opinion, be remunerative if the mines of 

 the province were opened, and the establishment of a trading line in this direction 

 would also tend to the opening up of the extensive and rich copper mines of Y'iin- 

 Nan, to which the direct road is by the Hsi-Ho. 



Mr. Mesny gave some interesting details of the habits, customs, and superstitions 

 of the people amongst whom he travelled, e.ff. Miao-Tze, with a piece of board fixed 

 with resin to their crowns for a three years' period ; Yao-Shun, with their temples 

 quite bald ; and Chuug-Kia of two tribes, Lo and Wei, agriculturists, excessively 

 devoted to whiskey distilled from the glutinous rice No-Mi, and with hard-working 

 women, whose morals until the birth of their first child iu wedlock are peculiarly 

 lax, and who sacrifice bulls and dogs to appease the manes of their ancestors. 



5. The Dutch Indian Government Exploring Expedition in Borneo. 



By Cakl Bock. 



In June 1879, Mr. Bock was commissioned by the Dutch Indian Government 

 to explore the east and south parts of Borneo. In the beginning of Julj- he 

 arrived at Tangarong, the residence of the Sultan of Koti, to whom he at once 

 made known his plans of exploring the northern and southern parts of Koti, 

 and of attempting the overland journey to Banjermassin (the latter journey had 

 been in vain attempted three times). 



The Sultan, after some demur, furnished him with an interpreter for the 

 Uyak language, and .also put at his disposal a large prau, or canoe. Mr. Bock, 

 with his twenty-five followers, left Tangarong on August 10, and navigated 

 the great Mahakkan river up as far as Moeara Kamau. 



The banks of this river are very thinly inhabited, and only by the Malays and 

 Bugis. The great drought, which visited parts of Borneo and other islands two 

 years ago, had made terrible havoc in the forest. For miles the trees were killed 

 by it, and nothing but their dead trunks was visible — a strange sight in the tropics, 

 where the eye is accustomed to behold an everlasting summer. From Moeara 

 Kaman he went up the Moeara Klintjow river. The country is here less inha- 

 bited ; for a whole day, and even more, rowing along the banks of the river, no 

 hut was visible ; and the only sign that occasionally enlivened the scenery was a 

 graceful snake-darter or a group of inquisitive monkeys. On the 21st, Longwai, 

 the largest Dyak village, was reached. 



