IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



unpleasant flavour. Acid juices are unusual in the genus Ficus, 

 and this is the only species to my knowledge which presents such a 

 peculiarity. Amongst the notable trees in the vicinity I 

 must not forget to mention the handsome Dillenia indica and a 

 Dipterocarp, the " mengkabang chankie " of the Malays (Isoptera 

 Borneensis, Scheff, P.B. No. 2,795). This tree produces an 

 immense quantity of small fruits similar to hazel nuts, sur- 

 rounded by a calyx with five rounded lobes. These fruits ripen in 

 the rainy season, and falling in large quantities into the water are 

 carried by the current down to Kuching, where they are collected 

 by women and children, being highly prized, for the best quality 

 of mengkabang oil is obtained from their seed. A short distance 

 beyond Riam Lidong the river bifurcates again. The left branch 

 (for those who ascend) leads to Senna. On the right one, houses at 

 once come into view. These belong partly to Chinamen, who have 

 gardens here, partly to Malays, small traders, or diamond washers. 

 This place, which we had taken five hours to reach from S'bungo, 

 is named Pangkalan Ampat, which means the landing-place {ftang- 

 kalan) for four (ampat) villages, and several Dyak tribes come here 

 for trade. 



Having asked the Malays at Pangkalan Ampat if coal 

 or " Batu aran" (charcoal-stone) as they term it, existed 

 in the neighbourhood, they asserted that it was to be found 

 on the banks of a small stream which ran into the river 

 just below the nearest rapid. Several hours of daylight were 

 still available, and we decided to go there at once and 

 see how far the assertion was true. Taking a small boat 

 and two men well accustomed to descending the Riam Lidong, 

 an operation much more dangerous than the ascent, we reached in 

 a few minutes a place named Batu Ujong, where on the left bank a 

 small stream enters the river. Ascending this streamlet for five 

 or six hundred yards we came upon the so-called coal deposit. 

 It was merely a seam about three feet thick of a carboniferous- 

 looking schist having in certain places the aspect of graphite, inter- 

 posed between the sandstone and the limestone. Our informants 

 told us also that diamonds had been got in this stream. I picked 

 up fragments of silicified wood, which was apparently that of a 

 species of Cycadoxylon. 



On November 18th my companion was obliged to return to 

 Kuching ; but I remained, awaiting the Senna Dyaks, whom I 

 had sent for to fetch my luggage, and to guide me to Mount Pennerris- 

 sen, of which I wished to attempt the ascent. But as they did not 

 turn up, I pursuaded two other Dyaks, who had come down to 

 Pengkalan Ampat from Tappo Kakas to buy salt, to accompany 

 me to their village and carry my luggage, which I had naturally 

 reduced to the smallest possible dimensions. They willingly 



124 



