A TRIP TO GUNONCi BLTTMUT. 95 



himsplf, drawing' from the Malay the remark "Ah China 

 piila bangau," hinting at his instinctive feeling* that he was 

 once more within reach of his countrymen. The Pcnghulu of 

 the place > Che Husain, came to see us a few minutes after 

 we landed; we handed him the Maharaja's general letter 

 and another addressed to himself ; after reading them he 

 said he would have men and boats ready for us by 1 p. m. 

 next day, a sign of promptitude as pleasing as it was novel. 

 Found more men who had been to Bliunut with Hill and 

 Che Gayha, and did not gather from them that there were 

 any great difficulties in the way ; thej r evidently looked upon 

 Mr. Hill's walking powers with an uncomfortable sort of 

 respect, and devoutly Loped we should not drag them along 

 at such a pace, regardless of supplies. Quinine was highly 

 appreciated and was given with other medicines to parties 

 complainiug of various ailments. At 8.15 p. m. thermometer 

 was 78° . At 6.3J a. m. next morning 73", this morning, 

 Sunday the 26th, Ave increased our supply of rice to 4 pikuls and 

 got a tew luxuries for the Malays. The river still as high 

 as ever; in December, 1877, it was supposed to be very high, 

 but ic was not as high as this by 8 or 9 feet, which is said to 

 be the greatest rise for the last 8 or 10 years; the fact that 

 this was the second rise during the present rains was given as 

 a reason for not expecting any more really heavy rain. The 

 general opiuion Avas that the rains would continue till the 

 close of the Chinese New Year. This place, Scluang, forms 

 the starting-point of the traveller bound for G. Mcntahak, 

 the way lies through jungle and a Avhole string of deserted 

 tin -mines, the last of Avhich is close to the foot of the 

 mountain, being separated from it by one of those delight- 

 ful sandy-bedded streams Avhich are happily not rare in these 

 jungles. The ascent of Mentahak is not an undertaking of 

 any great difficulty; the path, as in most other mountains, 

 follows the ridge, there is one stiffish climb more than half 

 way up, but that does not take long. If it is not practica- 

 ble to reach the summit in the same day, the best place to 

 encamp is at a dip in the ridge at about 1,000 feet, where 

 there is water close at hand. A distinguishing feature in 

 this mountain is the prevalence of the " daun payong " a 

 gigantic leaf from 10 to 15 feet long and from 1\ to 4 feet 

 or more broad ; you have simply to cut a dozen, stick them 

 in the ground by their stalks, and scatter a few on the 

 ground for a carpet, and in two or three minutes } r ou have a 

 luxurious green roofed hut giving complete shelter; I brought 

 one or two of these leaves to Singapore with me, and they 



