SaRswak TO Mert. 187 
From these gutters the sago is dug out and placed in the sun to 
dry when it is ready for market. 
I find there are a dozen Chinese settled in Oya and perhaps half 
a dozen engaged in trade up the river. 
21st May.—As f wished to get to Siba as quickly as possible and 
having very little kit or impedimenta, I engaged only a small boat 
with a crew of five men, our only arms being a snider rifle and our 
swords. 
I left Oya at about 11 a.m. after some trouble with my crew. 
When off the Mudan, found the stream dry ; so I had to stand off 
with a fair wind, but in a heavy squall of rain, for the mouth of the 
Jean, which I reached at 6 P.M. 
The shore between Oya and Igan differs entirely from that. 
between Oya and Bintulu, the casuarina trees entirely disappear 
and are replaced by jungle down to the very water’s edge, anda 
muddy foreshore replaces the fine sands which exist further north. 
The Igan village is a dirty collection of Malay huts and hovels, 
and it being dead low water J had the full benefit of the smell which 
arises from the accumulation of mud and filth under the buildings. 
I left the village about 8 p.m. and proceeded up-stream with the 
flood tide. 
22nd May.—All day engaged in working my way up the Igan 
stream, one of the most uninteresting rivers it has ever been my 
lot to explore. The shores, low and muddy, are covered with jungle 
to the water’s edge, so much so that it was very difficult to find a 
spot where we could land to cook our mid-day meal. Not a bird 
or beast of any sort to be met with, and not a human habitation 
till very late in the evening when we approached Sibu Station. I 
think we passed only one boat the whole day. Weather very hot, 
but a steady breeze enabled us to make good progress, and I 
reached Sibu fort atabout 7 p.m. 
23rd May.—I heard to-day that the bala or expedition against 
the up-river Dayaks under Anpam, who had built a small stockade 
on the Mujok, had been quite successful, and had only just return- 
ed; one man of the enemy was killed, and a good many wounded, 
our bala losing two men killed, but no heads, and a few wounded. 
The expedition went on to Intiman, and found the Dayaks moving 
to Entabai. Meeting with no resistance, our Chiefs ordered all the 
