THE ENDAU AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, 109 



skin was rugged, and of a blackish-brown colour, developing a 

 yellowish tint towards the hind quarters, he had 4 toes in the fore 

 feet which were not webbed, while the hind feet, containing 5 toes, 

 were webbed. All the Jal'uns, on being questioned after dinner, 

 professed complete ignorance of the route via Blumut or Chimun- 

 dong, but, I am afraid, suspicions as to the duration of the rice sup- 

 ply had something to do with their ignorance, as the route in 

 question involved one or perhaps two days* additional travelling. 



otli September. — Though eight and a half hours elapsed from the 

 time of starting in the morning to our anchoring in the afternoon, 

 some idea of the slowness of our progress may be formed from the 

 fact that we were in motion little more than half of the time, over 

 four hours being spent in getting on to and off snags, and cutting 

 through them, and grounding on shallows. Caught ikan pdtong, 

 and ikan umbut-umbut or kawan as it is also called : the former 

 run to the size of about eight to the Tcati, the latter to about four to 

 the hati, and have a dark brownish-black upper part, belly of a 

 white hue, tail pinkish-red. The pelandok hunt was going on 

 in tbe morning, and the finish of one of the chases took place close 

 to our boat : the victim, being hard pressed by the dogs, in 

 hopes of spoiling the scent, took to the water, only keeping its 

 head just above the surface in a hollow in the bank : it was suc- 

 cessful in its object : the dogs were puzzled and passed the spot : 

 but the prey was not to escape, for Che Mrs a got into the water 

 and dived, coming up just at the right spot, and captured the 

 wretched animal while still intent upon the dogs, whose yells of 

 excitement were still audible. 



Saw the first bertam plant in these parts. Jungle a good deal 

 more open the last day or two, at all events for some distance from 

 the river banks, otherwise the pelandok chase would hardly have 

 been practicable. 



7th September. — To-day again out of b+ hours' boating, more than 

 4^ were taken up with snags, shallows. &c, though part of the 

 remaining time we travelled a fair pace. 



On stopping for the night, found one of the boats had secured a 

 line toman or tuman of some five Jcati in weight; it was very good 

 with chili, though having little flavour of its own. This fish runs 

 to forty Tcati in weight and devours its own young. 



