36 JOURNEY ACROSS THE MALAY PENINSULA. 
amusement was continued till nearly daylight. 
On the 14th, at 1 p.w., the Yam Taian, the Raja Muda, and 
all the Chiefs came over to our raft to bid us good- bye, the 
Yam Tuan with his usual generosity giving something to 
every member of my party. At 2 p.m. we left in the Sea 
Belle’s launch and boats, while a salute was fred from some 
guns in front of the new mosque, and the Sultan’s flag, which 
he had lowered on our arrival eight days before, was re-hoisted. 
The tide had nearly run out when we started, and we only 
just managed to get the launch out of the river, reaching the 
Sea Belle (lying a long way out) at4 p.m. We arrived at 
Singapore at 8 a.m. on the 15th. 
I cannot close this journal without remarking that, having 
journeyed through nearly all the Malay States, I have never 
met with elsewhere such courtesy as we experienced from 
all classes in Pahang. I could only regret my inability to 
make any adequate return for the hospitality and kindness of 
the Yam Titan. 
It is stated that the mouth of the Pahang River is unap- 
proachable in the North-East monsoon and that Pahang is 
shut off from communication with the outer world ( except by 
a few jungle paths across the main range of the Peninsula ) 
for six months in the year. I cannot say whether that is true 
or not, but it is likely, and even in the best of weather no 
vessel of any size can get near Kuala Pahang, while only 
steam launches of the lightest draught can, in the best weather, 
get up to Pékan at all times of the tide. There is, however, 
-an easy way to open this rich country, and that is by the con- 
struction of a road, one hundred and thirty miles long, from 
Johor Bharu, exactly opposite the Johor end of the Singa- 
pore-Kranji Road, to Pékan. About seventy miles of this 
road would pass through Johor territory, and the rest through 
Pahang. A first class bridle-road could be constructed in 
eighteen months for less than $150,000, and it could at any 
time be widened into a cart-road or converted into a tramway 
or light railroad. This would put Singapore and its resources 
in direct communication with the lower country of Pahang, 
besides tappmg a long stretch of land, both in Johor and 
Pahang, useful for the cultivation of low country tropical pro- 
clucts. | 
