IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



too, famous in the wars of the Tuan Muda, boldly dominates the 

 landscape. All the hills near and around us were under rice culti- 

 vation, or covered with lalang. For miles and miles around there 

 was no old forest, or only small patches on the steeper slopes of 

 some hills. It was in one of these patches that I found a shrub 

 whose leaves when rubbed emitted a strong smell of lemon-scented 

 verbena (Aloysia citriodora). It is the only plant which I found in 

 Borneo with that kind of scent. It was without flowers or fruit, 

 and from the leaves alone I could not even attempt to guess its 

 systematic position. 



We descended the hill by a very steep path, and from the clayey 

 nature of the soil slid down the greater part of the way, it being 

 most difficult to stand erect and preserve one's footing. The sun 

 was in the zenith, and I felt as if I were in a furnace. I endeavoured 

 to shield my head with the broad leaves of wild bananas, whenever 

 we came across these plants. A few pieces of the leaves folded 

 and placed on one's head inside the hat are an excellent defence 

 against sunstroke. We reached the right bank of the Sakarrang 

 at a place called Rantu N'karas, about two hours after noon. 

 Travelling, as I did, Dyak fashion, constantly in and out of the 

 water, or drenched to the skin with rain, it was useless to carry a 

 watch ; it would very soon have been hors de combat. But in a 

 country so near the equator the division of the meridian circle into 

 twelve equal parts is no very difficult matter, and with a little 

 practice it is easy to tell the hour during the daytime within an 

 error of fifteen to twenty minutes. Even the length of one's 

 shadow can be easily and with considerable accuracy turned to 

 account in ascertaining the time. 



Just opposite the spot where we had struck the Sakarrang 

 we could see the village we were bound for. Its name was Ruma 

 Sale, and, as usual, it consisted of one large and very long house, 

 for many families lived under its roof. It takes its name from that of 

 the headman or Orang Tua, which was Sale, and it was once a famous 

 nest of pirates. Ruma Sale is built on a kind of land-spit or pro- 

 montory, which commands a sudden curve of the river, and thus 

 dominates the stream on both sides ; it is, therefore, impossible 

 to approach it without being seen from a good distance. The big 

 house is partly hidden by fine pinangs and big fruit-trees. I also 

 saw there several upas trees and fine kadjattao sago palms, grown 

 from seeds brought from the forest. 



The Sakarrang is a large and rapid river, which here describes 

 a tortuous course amongst picturesque hills. From Rantu N'Karas 

 it can be ascended in boats for three days, after which in one day's 

 overland journey the Katibas basin can be reached. The hills 

 which form the dividing range between the Katibas and the Sakar- 

 rang are probably under 3,000 feet. 



336 



