128 OK THE PATANI. 



through this performance without a stoppage or a hitch, present 

 rather a graceful spectacle ; the action is rythmical and calls to 

 mind one of the figures in Sir Eoger de Coverley. Where the cur- 

 rent is strong, there is a great strain upon the men, and every 

 muscle shews out in bold relief, their eyes seem starting out of 

 their sockets, their bodies are bent forward until almost horizontal, 

 and with toes and hands they grip and clutch at every projection 

 they can lay hold of to help to push and pull themselves along, of- 

 ten uttering all the while wild and unearthly cries, which are 

 rather startling to the nerves when heard for the first time ; it is 

 tremendous labour, yet they will keep it up for hours, only stopping 

 occasionally to refresh themselves with a quid of sirili ; this pres- 

 sure upon the chest, however, frequently brings on pulmonary com- 

 plaints, yet the men who have once fairly gone in for this life will 

 not settle down to any other kind of work. 



During all the time this poling is going on, the passenger is 

 " cabined, cribbed and confined " in the low deck-house ; for he 

 can't go out forward, or he would interfere with the polers, nor 

 aft, lest he disturb the "man at the wheel" or the genius of the 

 dapor (i.e., cook). However, at meal times, when theprahu stops, he 

 has some respite, and at the close of day, when mooring for the night, 

 comes compensation ; a clean gravelly beach has been selected for 

 the camping ground, the sun has sunk behind the jungle parapets, 

 but the glorious tints with which he paints the sky as he retires to 

 rest are mirrored and multiplied in the peaceful river and framed in 

 the tracery of the primeval forest, presenting a picture of ethereal 

 beauty ever changing under some fresh combination of coloured 

 light, until purple shades and sombre hues begin to eclipse the rud- 

 dy tints and finally the view dissolves and Queen Night asserts her 

 kingdom. Now the camp fires are alight, the damars* are flaring, 

 swarthy groups are gathered round the friendly blaze discussing the 

 evenino- meal, the piercing ring of the cicala has made way for the 

 voices of the frogs, and the night birds and the appropriate music 

 of darkness has begun ; bye and bye the moon begins to rise, and 

 the traveller, having refreshed his inner man and lighted up the fra- 

 grant weed, contemplates the scene with a keen sense of enjoyment. 



* Torches. 



