Ch. XIV.] 



BOAT-SONaS. 



233 



lantern to the ground it was seen to be swarming with large 

 ants. I had great fear of a visit from them during the 

 night ; but although only 18 inches below my couch, they 

 fortunately abstained from climbing up the posts, and left 

 us unmolested. 



The following morning we quitted this spot, and formed 

 a procession of boats down the river. The boatmen, as 

 usual, enhvened the way with their songs, some of which 

 were wild and musical. They aU joiaed in the chorus ; and 

 one of them, of which they appeared particularly fond, had 

 a refrain which ran as follows, the staccatos being strokes of 

 the oar : — 



Keeping time with their paddles, the song was cheerful and 

 inspiriting, and seemed to help them along. There was no 

 end to their good-humour and spirits, and they dehghted in 

 a sharp race on the smooth reaches of the river. At the 

 slightest challenge they would ply their paddles at a prodi- 

 gious rate, skimming along with shouts and cries of en- 

 couragement, and at a speed which would have done credit 

 to " dark blue." 



Soon after mid-day we halted, that we might land and 

 inspect a fine limestone cavern, of whose existence we had 

 been informed by some friendly Dyaks. Under the guidance 

 of one of them we proceeded along a well-trodden path 

 through the wood, and in about ten minutes reached the 

 skirts of a Dyak village. A deep, narrow gorge between 

 limestone rocks had at the bottom a pool of clear water, 

 being all that remained at this season of a torrent which 

 had evidently, in course of time, worn away the chasm; 

 and in this pool a Dyak woman and some children were 



