6 A JOURNEY ON FOOT TO THE PATANI FRONTIER. 
tributary stream—the Serdang, on the Kedah side of the river. At 
this place there are a few Malay huts, the inhabitants of which 
made us welcome. Here a fine fish (called tapa* by the Malays) 
of ten or twelve pounds weight was shewn tome. It had been 
caught with a night line in a deep pool. 
The greater part of the day was spent on the river, the scenery 
being much the same as on the previous afternoon. About 3 F. M. 
we reached Salama, the terminus of our river journey. 
Salama consists of two substantial villages, one at the mouth of 
the Salama river (a tributary of the Krian) where the tin produced 
from the mines is stored and shipped, and another higher up 
on the Krian river, where Cuz Asput Karr and the bulk of the 
mining population live. We landed at the former and took tem- 
porary possession of some wooden buildings, erected originally for 
the accommodation of a small body of police, who were stationed 
here until the outbreak of hostilities in Perak. 
Cue Aspun Karim soon made his appearance with a few fol- 
lowers, and offered me the hospitalities of his own house. I was 
obliged to refuse, as much had to be done in preparation for next 
morning’s march, but promised to pay him a visit next day before 
leaving his village. 
He was a bright and intelligent little man, rather dark for a 
Malay, and with a larger share of moustache and whiskers than ~ 
usually falls to the lot of his race. He came over from Sumatra 
in his youth, and spent several years in the employment of the 
Mantri of Larut and of his father Cuz Lone Jarar. 
This night the arms, ammunition and rations for the next three 
or four days were distributed. Out of forty men, about fifteen 
carried smooth-bore carbines, others had spears or ladings (a for- 
inidable short sword) ; all carried the national kris. They arranged 
among themselves who should carry the cooking pots of each mess; 
the betel-nut, sirih, tobacco and other luxuries were entrusted to 
the leaders. It may be useful to the future traveller in Malay 
countries who has to trust to his own legs for means of locomo- 
* Tapa, the recluse, or ascetic. (Sanskrit, tapasya, religious penance.) 
This fish is said to be found, always alone, in the deepest and darkest 
pools. 
