16 HISTORY OF SANTUBONG, SARAWAK. 
this union, the Upper Sadong river can shew in its many 
tumunggongs some men of high birth. Merapati is to this 
day a familiar name to the Land Dayaks of Sadong and 
near the Moara Rubin they still point out to the visitor a 
stone on which was carved by our hero, a curious token 
mark. But when Merapati learns the bad news from Batu 
Boiak he immediately sets out for home and paddles down 
at record pace. Ashe skims along the river, he is joined 
by the burong bakaka (kingfisher) who challenges our hero to 
a race, agreeing to the stipulation of Merapati that the loser 
must vomit his own blood. The result was that the bird lost, 
and even now the beak of the bakaka kingfisher is stained an 
indelible red as the penalty. On reaching the Batu boiak and 
hearing nothing of his women folk he sets sail and for many 
weeks searched the neighbouring coasts in vain. At last the 
golden dragon appears near the vessel and hails the distracted 
man who now learns that on the back of this dragon the vessel 
of his wife was carried to Brunei: and the dragon after paying 
various compliments to Merapati gives him one of his own 
golden scales—which by the way is still in the possession of 
one of the nobles of Brunei—and then disappears. So Mera- 
pati proceeds forthwith to Brunei and is lucky enough to meet 
the very same fisherman who first offered shelter to the ladies. 
At the happy reunion of our hero with his wife, we must leave 
them for a while. 
After the sad mishap in Johore, the Salta daily expected 
the return of his daughter and son-in-law, but when after 
waiting many months they did not appear, he sent out a large 
search party with strict orders never to return without the 
missing pair. This party which included several mentris and 
other men of rank searched the high seas and scoured the 
islands in vain so that at last they gave up the search and 
settled down in Sirhassen where their memory is still preserved 
by a goodly number of mentris and datus. 
By chance the good fisherman of Brunei finds his way to 
Johore and is surprised to find the place in mourning and decay. 
On enquiry he is told that the old Sultan has died of sorrow on 
account of his lost daughter the Dayong Suri, and immediately — 
Jour. Straits Branch 
