114 BORNEO. [chap. v. 



6,000 feet above the sea. To the south the Rowan, and 

 further off the Untowan Mountains in the Dutch territory, 

 appeared equally lofty. Descending from Menyerry we 

 again crossed the Kayan, which bends round the spur, 

 and ascended to the pass which divides the Sadong and 

 Sarawak valleys, and which is about 2,000 feet high. The 

 descent from this point was very fine. A stream, deep in 

 a rocky gorge, rushed on each side of us, to one of which 

 *we gradually descended, passing over many lateral gulleys 

 and along the faces of some precipices by means of native 

 bamboo bridges. Some of these were several hundred 

 feet long and fifty or sixty high, a single smooth bamboo 

 four inches diameter forming the only pathway, while 

 a slender handrail of the same material was often so 

 shaky that it could only be used as a guide rather than 

 a support. 



Late in the afternoon we reached Sodos, situated on a 

 spur between two streams, but so surrounded by fruit 

 trees that little could be seen of the country. The house 

 was spacious clean and comfortable, and the people very 

 obliging. Many of the women and children had never 

 seen a white man before, and were very sceptical as to my 

 being the same colour all over, as my face. They begged 

 me to show them my arms and body, and they were so 

 kind and good-tempered that I felt bound to give them 

 some satisfaction, so I turned up my trousers and let them 



