io6 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. v. 



one of the most dreary nights I ever spent in the Bomean 

 woods. 



In the morning we retraced our steps across the rocky- 

 stream, and soon struck the right path for Kiau, hut we 

 had not gone far hefore we met " Kurow," the chief of 

 ■our runaway guides, in a great state of excitement, 

 coming in search of us. He brought us some fine 

 langsat fruit in his bag — presumably a peace offering — 

 and seemed rather surprised that we did not cliide him 

 for his desertion of the day before. As we arrived 

 nearer the village we came across our men, armed 

 with muskets, also in search of us, and the hilltop 

 was covered with Kiau people, who appeared greatly 

 concerned, and doubtless glad to see us safe and 

 well. 



When we reached the house, everybody seemed glad 

 to see our safe return, and sweet potatoes, maize, rice, 

 and kaladi, were readily brought in by the villagers for 

 ourselves and our men. " Musa " and the rest of our 

 followers had arrived at Kiau soon after dark the night 

 before. One man brought a basket of excellent langsat 

 fruit, and a Wman gave us two beautiful oranges from 

 a tree near her door. They were quite yellow, with 

 tender skins and sweet pulp, similar to those of the 

 south of Europe, not green skinned, with tough desepi- 

 ments, as are those of Labuan. I was much surprised 

 at the oranges having grass - green skins when per- 

 fectly ripe in Singapore, and even the brittle skinned 

 Mandarin variety had this peculiarity. 



Our guide, " Kurow," was twitted pretty much by his 

 neighbours for having left us the day before, and at last 

 he retired to his house evidently not well pleased with 

 himself, and, I believe, not a little sm-prised at our 

 treating the matter so lightly. 



