AN EXPEDITION TO MOUNT KIN A BALU. 6 7 



route to Kina Balu. After Kiou the path continued in the usual 

 way. became somewhat indistinct after we had left the Kada- 

 maian River, but was more noticeable here and there from old 

 camping' places and traps for birds and smaller game set at 

 intervals. 



Life amongst the Natives. We found the Dusuns very good- 

 natured and harmless people, and quite honest until the last day 

 in Pan jut when our kerosine oil disappeared for a few hours and 

 some other trifling things for ever. They were certainly 

 somewhat lazy in the morning, and there was generally a great 

 deal of grumbling before they took up their loads, but when 

 once started, they left little to be desired, and showed themselves 

 splendid carriers especially on hilly ground. Very annoying was 

 their intense curiosity : when we arrived at a village, not only 

 our carriers and the people of the house with their immediate 

 friends, but all the village came and stood there, several rows 

 deep, around us. We could not change our socks or any other 

 part of our dress without themselves and their women and 

 children taking stock of every movement and every article. It 

 was the same when the cook prepared my meals or when I 

 partook of the same, when I wrote my notes or bottled speci- 

 mens, when I undressed at night-time and disappeared behind 

 the mosquito-curtain, everything formed food for their admira- 

 tion and amazement. Sometimes when I sat perfectly still 

 without doing anything, their attention relaxed, but my slightest 

 movement had the effect of the curtain rising at the Pantomine, 

 the eyes and open mouths of all present were directed to one 

 point. Xo box or portmanteau could be opened without every 

 one rushing to see what it contained. When I awoke in the 

 morning I was sure to find people squatting round my camp-bed 

 who had apparently been anxiously waiting for signs of my 

 awaking. The worst was that it was impossible to escape from 

 it : as, once arrived at a village at about 2 o'clock in the after- 

 noon, we changed, and as we nearly always had rain from that 

 hour and the neighbourhood of the houses was a mass of filth, 

 accumulated ever since the houses had been built, we did not 

 care to go out and get wet and dirty again. The inside of the 

 houses was at least dry and fairly clean, the floor, raised about 

 five feet above the ground, being formed of split bamboo, in 



