60 AN EXPEDITION TO MOUNT KINA BALU. 



proceeded along- our former path, and got a view of the pictur- 

 esque village of Lobang, perched on a hill in front of us, 

 and, like most of the villages here, fringed round with coco-nut 

 palms. We passed below the village, and reached the river 

 Lobang at 11.45 a.m. We had to ford it as before, and most of 

 the men as usual took the opportunity of having a proper bath, 

 but, for the first time during the expedition, I felt myself disin- 

 clined for the exertion. Kain set in soon after, and we reached 

 Koung at 1.55 p.m. I developed a strange dry cough in the 

 evening, which, however, disappeared during the night. 



Wednesday, March 29th. I had the usual trouble with the 

 coolies before they took up their luggage. Some were scattered 

 over the village, and with Malagup I had to go to a house 

 on the hill to fetch the last stragglers. Whilst the men were 

 still packing, I left Koung by myself at 8.45 a.m., wishing to 

 proceed slowly and intending to await the others at the ford of 

 the Tampassuk wmich I thought I remembered. But after half 

 an hour's w r alk, I found that I had lost my way , and endeavoured 

 to return, passing through jungle and wet grass, breast high. 

 At last I heard the shouts of the men, and reached the ford just 

 as the last of them were crossing. I felt pretty well exhaust- 

 ed, but undressed and went through the rapid river, requir- 

 ing all my energy to keep my balance. When dressing again 

 I had great difficulty in putting on my clothes which were 

 damp with perspiration and with wading through brooks and 

 tall grass during the last hour. I called out for help and then 

 almost immediately collapsed in a faint, though retaining con- 

 sciousness. I felt as if I had arrived at a very literal ' dead 

 stop,' lying groaning between the boulders on the bank of the 

 river and suffering much from cramp in my limbs. When able to 

 speak again, I got the men to make me a bed of leaves and light 

 a fire, and then to prepare for me a strong soup. After taking 

 this I felt better, and when half-an-hour or so had passed, was 

 able to get up again. A message was sent to the men in front 

 of us to stop. De Fontaine as usual proved most helpful and 

 equal to emergencies, as he had been throughout the whole ex- 

 pedition. All this happened on the left bank of the Tampassuk 

 which, consisting chiefly of sand and boulders, was only a few 

 yards broad and rose at once into the extremely steep Gunong 



