94 A TRIP TO GTTNONG BLUMTJT. 



stone ; as far as I could see the mass of the hill consists of 

 more or less indurated sandstone, on the side of the hill 

 boulders of very hard sandy brown sandstone are to be met 

 with ; and there must also be granite, for I found granite in 

 the stream half way up the hill, but they were water-worn 

 pieces, the rock there was sandstone. On the way up I came 

 across a tortoise about 18 in. by a foot, but could not find any 

 means of securing him. I forgot to mention the delightful 

 little spring at the top, giving forth coffee-coloured water, 

 which is, notwithstanding its hue, perfectly sweet and «:ood. 

 It is the only hill I know of here which has water actually on 

 the summit. The soil on this hill looks better than any I 

 have seen hitherto in this country, with the exception per- 

 haps of some on the way to Blumut. 



To return to our journey. Having left K. Panti about 

 10 a. m., at about 2 p. m. we reached Chcngkedam 

 on the left, w r here there is a Kangka about 150 yards from 

 the river, the shed on the river bank was submerged to about 

 half w r ay up the roof. When we got to the " Kangka " the 

 towkay, after regaling us with tea and oranges, took us to 

 some rising ground lately cleared, behind the present buildings; 

 there he said he should erect a new Kangka, the site of the 

 present one being too low, considering the height to which 

 the river sometimes rises in the wet season. The new site 

 promises a fine view. The current was very strong, and our pro- 

 gress very slow so far, we put it at not more than \\ miles an 

 hour, at some bend Ave actually lost ground for a time. Be- 

 fore we got to Chcngkcdain, on reaching a turn in the river, 

 where the current seemed to have died away, an old Malay 

 in the bows of our "jalar" remarked "harnnau makan 

 harus " (a tiger is swallowing the stream), to explain the sud- 

 den stillness of the stream, an illustration of the powers po- 

 pularly ascribed to this animal. After having -an easy course 

 for about ten minutes, we came again into the full current, 

 which we found had avoided the usual windings and taken 

 a more direct line through the jungle, these are no doubt 

 the occasions on which a " TanjongPiitus" is formed, the old 

 bed getting silted up, and the new channel worn deeper 

 and deeper. We had tw r o heavy showers after leaving 

 Chcngkcdam, and reached Scluang about 5 p. in., and landed 

 all our luggage and stores in the " surau," the floor of which 

 was only two feet above the water, though in a, previous visit 

 it had been high and diy above the bank. As we sighted the 

 first houses of the kampong, our Chinese passenger bestirred 



