PERAK TO SLIM. 6S« 



from the water, simply from fear of crocodiles. Eaja Itam also tells 

 me, that we took the wrong turn, as I felt sure we had doue, in the 

 river after the sedges, but, he added, just below the place where I 

 said the river divided into five (they say seven, and call it" Sempang 

 Tuju"), where the river divided again into a right and left branch, 

 if we had there taken the wrong one, which we might easily have 

 done, as both branches were the same size, we might have gone down 

 it for a month without meeting a soul, or coming to anywhere in 

 particular. We certainly have to be thankful for the lovely weather 

 we have had ever since we left Durien Sebatang, last night being the 

 only wet night we have had. If it had rained whilst we were in 

 the jungle, I cannot think how miserable we should have been. 



Eaja Itam and his brother came on board the launch and 

 stayed some time, and again later in the evening. I got all the 

 wood on board at once, and started down the river between 8 and 

 9 p. m. with a nearly full moon. There is a considerable kampong 

 here, and a larger one near the mouth of the river. From this 

 up the river there are about five hundred people, and the same 

 number towards the mouth, making about one thousand souls in 

 the " Hilir." * 



This is certainly a magnificent river. From Eaja Itam's 

 place to the mouth, I call it twenty-five miles, so that would make 

 altogether some one hundred and seven-five miles, in these last five 

 days. At the mouth of the river there is an immense number of fish- 

 ing stakes, fish-curing being the chief occupation of the population. 



There is plenty of water at the mquth of the river, and the 

 steering is easy ; going out you hold slightly towards the Perak bank 

 till free of the stakes, and then you can steer anywhere. 



18th February. 



I left the river's mouth at 5.30 a. m., and was off Selangor 

 (with many stoppages on the way to repair machinery) at 7 p. m. 

 At 9.30 p. m. I had passed Pdlau Angsa, when a bolt broke, and 

 it took five and-a-half hours to make it right, not right, but enabling 

 us to go on. 



Entered the Kwala Klang at 7. 30 a. m., but did not reach 

 Langat till 5 p. m. 



" Down Stream," as opposed to " Ulu" — "Up Stream " or Interior. 



