A TRIP TO GUNONG BLUMTJT. 87 



We had to go for about f a mile up the Bukit Berangan 

 River before we came upon Che Jalil, who was very ready 

 and obliging, and who to our great relief made the same 

 boats go on with us, merely adding a couple of paddles to 

 each; we found him engaged clearing ground for a betel- 

 nut plantation; there seemed to be a good many Malay 

 clearings here with fruit trees and good sized houses. 

 We heard that a " Sladang," the bison of the Peninsula, 

 had passed close to the house of a Malay in the out- 

 skirts of this place a day or two before. On leaving 

 this small tributary and getting into the main stream 

 again we found the current so strong that it very nearly 

 carried us away in spite of our two extra paddles, and 

 we actually lost ground for a short time, but ultimately 

 succeeded in making our way into a less impetuous current 

 a,nd making progress. We heard that a Johor steam launch 

 was waiting at Pan Li to bring back Mr. Hill and Che Yahya 

 on their return from Blumut. Close to Gonggong is Sungei 

 Serei (Lemon-grass River), near the mouth of which lies 

 Pulau Sarang Dendang, (crow's nest Island) and immedi- 

 ately after come Berangan Hill and Eiver. J mile 

 further up is Pulau Linau ( a red stemmed variety 

 of befcelnut) just at the mouth of the Seluyut River, 

 on the banks of- which rises a hill of the same 

 name, which would be a capital site for a bunga- 

 low, 6 hours' steam from Singapore ; the strait between 

 the island and the main is called Sel at Mend mah. There 

 are Chinese plantations up the Seluyut River. Just after 

 this point the main river takes a sharp bend to the right, and 

 henceforward its course continues for the most part 

 very winding, resembling in this respect the majority of the 

 Peninsula rivers. About a mile higher up on the left we 

 came to Galali Si Baclang (the punting pole of Si Badang), 

 the execution place of former days and the scene of one of 

 the many notable deeds performed by Si Badang,. the Her- 

 cules of Malay legend. It is said that when the river is 

 low the stump of a tree is to be seen, the stem of which 

 (some 18 inches in diameter) Si Badang broke off and used as 

 a pole to propel his boat against the stream. Nearly opposite 

 is Merdalam, and a little further up Sungei J>!aga Mulor. 



Proceeding another \ mile we reach Sungei Menchok, and 

 i a mile higher on the left the river and hill of Penatih, 

 and about the same distance beyond them Bukit China : on 

 the right again is Pulau Patani, the residence of Patani men, 



