AN EXPEDITION TO MOUNT KINA BALU. 6 5 



Friday, April 7th. I collected more corals, and De Fon- 

 taine went out shooting' birds and squirrels. There were strange 

 rumours about : trouble was expected with the natives in the 

 neighbourhood, and rough defences, consisting of breast-high 

 boarding with sand between and plenty of barbed wire outside, 

 were erected around the offices. We noticed several little 

 colonies of natives settling down on the shore of the bay just to 

 the north of Gantian, having left their homes out of fear. 



Saturday, April 8th. We spent the day in packing and 

 preparing for our return to Singapore. 



Sunday, April 9th. Messrs Tower and Pavitt arrived here 

 at 8.45 a.m., and informed me of the arrival of their steam-launch 

 in Gaya. I reached Gaya at 12.15 p.m., and we all left for 

 Labuan at 4.40 p.m. 



Monday, April 10th. We anchored during the night off 

 Pulo Tiga, reached Labuan at 10.53 a.m. and put our luggage 

 on board the k Hecuba'. I went to see Mr. Little, made two 

 or three calls and returned to the 'Hecuba' which was to sail 

 at 4 p.m. On my way clown to the boat I found the place in 

 great excitement as Governor Beaufort was leaving by her for 

 Singapore, bound for Europe. The natives expressed their fare- 

 well good wishes by firing off crackers, and by music and 

 processions. Also a large party of Europeans came on board to 

 see H. E. off. The boat left at 5.15. p.m. 



Tuesday, April 11th — Thursday, April 13th. At sea. Plea- 

 sant passage. 



Friday, April 14th. We anchored off Singapore soon after 

 midnight, and landed at Johnston's Pier at 7.15 a.m. 



General Remarks. 



Barter and Coinage. When preparing for my expedition I 

 was in doubt as to whether I should take with me a supply of 

 barter, as Spenser St. John, Whitehead, and others had done, but 

 was afterwards glad that I had abandoned the idea. The things 

 I would have taken would certainly have been almost useless. 

 What we were asked for in every village to and from Kina Balu 

 was kerosine oil, and the natives always annoyed us by bringing 

 large vessels in the hope of sharing our little supply. Next in 

 demand were soap and matches. Only once in Kiou were we 



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