IN BORXEAX FORESTS [chap. 



Among the greatest pests of these forests are the leeches (Hemi- 

 dipsa) known to the Malays as linta ; they are very numerous in 

 some localities and excessively troublesome. There are two species : 

 one keeps on the bushes and attaches itself to the passer-by on the 

 slightest contact, getting especially on the hands and neck ; the other, 

 which is still more frequent, lives on the ground, and gets on the 

 feet and legs. There is no way of avoiding them ; they get into the 

 shoes and under the stockings, and, fastening especially round the 

 ankle, gorge themselves with blood before one is aware of their 

 unwelcome presence. In Sarawak there are also other kinds of 

 leeches — large aquatic ones. I was told that one species {Limnotis 

 lowei, Baird) occasionally gets into the intestine of persons bathing, 

 depositing its eggs there, and causing death, but I cannot guarantee 

 the truth of the assertion. I can only say that the leech in question 

 is very swift in its movements, and adheres strongly to the part 

 where it attaches itself, soon getting enormously distended with 

 blood. It frequents clear running water, and in certain localities 

 on the Upper Sarawak river the natives abstain from bathing on 

 its account. Another species of leech said to be equally dangerous 

 frequents the turbid waters around Kuching. I did not, however, 

 succeed in getting specimens of it. 



Our first excursions in the forest were necessarily short, for we 

 very soon collected a sufficient number of specimens to occupy 

 us several hours in their preparation. But I very soon felt impelled 

 to penetrate farther, and one morning I made up my mind not to 

 be tempted by anything along the road, but to reach Siul. I took 

 my gun and went alone, so as to enjoy fully the beauties of the forest. 

 I had now some days' experience in travelling over the tree-trunks, 

 and I confess that I was surprised and gratified to find how rapidly 

 I could get along. Success, however, made me less cautious, and 

 I had several falls before, after about an hour's tramp, I reached 

 the foot of the isolated cone of Siul, happily with no bad conse- 

 quences. Here, from a solitary hut built in the midst of a small 

 plantation of pineapples, a native came out to meet me. He was 

 dressed in a short jacket and trousers reaching only to the knees, 

 and a long knife or parang hung at his side. I thought at first that 

 I had met with a Dyak head-hunter, but I was very much mistaken. 

 How easy it is for the inexperienced traveller to commit such mis- 

 takes, and how many such are transmitted to posterity as first 

 impressions in new countries ! On my return, during luncheon with 

 the Tuan Muda, I learnt that my Dyak was no less than a " Sereib " 

 or " Tuan-ku," the title given in Sarawak to supposed descendants 

 of the Prophet. 1 But on meeting him at Siul I fully believed him 

 to be a Dyak, and eyed him with a certain amount of diffidence, for 



1 " Tuan-ku " in Malay is in reality a title given to persons of high rank 

 and to princes. " Tuan " merely means sir or master. 



10 



