xin.] STRANGE FISH 



hours and my men slackened their work somewhat, baing both 

 hungry and tired. We landed at the first place where landing was 

 possible, and cooked our rice. The river hereabouts had lost the 

 aspect of a torrent, the flood of water having found its way through 

 the forest. It was still very deep, however, but the current was 

 less rapid. The trees along the banks no longer met overhead, but 

 formed two high green vertical walls on either side. The light 

 attracts the creepers towards the river, and among them a species 

 of Connaracea (P.B. No. 3,384) was especially noticeable, having 

 magnificent bunches of rosy flowers. Bauhinias and several 

 Anonace^e hung their festoons from tree to tree, giving an aspect of 

 perfect impenetrability to the forest. Even the rotangs spread 

 their great pinnated fronds towards the river, pushing through 

 the dense surrounding foliage. To avoid several big bends 

 and shorten the distance, we left the proper course of the stream 

 from time to time, and cut through the flooded forest. That navi- 

 gation in the deep shade of the primeval trees is a thing never to 

 be forgotten ! We float amidst gigantic trunks as regular and 

 straight as the columns of some immense basilica. It is high noon, 

 and the powerful sun rays fall vertically on the dense cupola of 

 foliage which, hungry for the light and heat, has fought its way 

 upwards from the shade below. If here and there a straggling ray 

 manages to penetrate the thick mass of leaves, it is reflected back 

 by the black waters beneath. 



At three p.m. we reached the Segrat hill, round whose base the 

 river winds. This place is called Ujong Kayu Rattei, and has a 

 Dyak village. The river assumes here the name of Umpanang. 



The instinct which induces certain people to select and prefer 

 marshy places for their residence is certainly strange. The Segrat 

 Dyaks ought for this reason to be of Malay origin, for with the Segrat 

 hill within reach they have built their house-village in the water, or 

 at least in a hollow so unfavourably situated that, during the torren- 

 tial rains that had recently fallen, they were obliged to seek refuge on 

 a big raft made with tree-trunks. The flood had carried away their 

 pigs and poultry, and much of their property as well. In this 

 village not only the children, but the women, young and old, fled 

 as soon as they saw me, and shut themselves up in the pintus. 



The river abounds with excellent fish. One of these, which I 

 think is a Siluroid, called " Ikan pajat" 1 by the natives, is of a 

 singularly beautiful violet colour, and is excellent eating. Fresh- 

 water fish are usually silvery or of dark colours, or more rarely golden 

 or red. I had never before seen a freshwater fish so richly coloured. 

 It must be a forest species, living in the dark but limpid waters 



1 Under this Malay name several brilliantly coloured species are, I 

 believe, included. " Ikan pajat " means " Masked fish," i.e. dressed up 

 for parade or ceremony. 



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