An Expedition to Mount Batu Lawi. 
By J. C. Mouton, F.1.s., ETc., CURATOR OF THE 
SARAWAK MusEUM, 
PREFATORY. 
Far, far away up the Limbang River, more than a month’s 
journey from the mouth, there exists a wonderful unknown country, 
consisting (so rumour has it) of one vast plain high above the 
sea-level.and surrounded by great towering mountains whose white- 
faced cliffs may be seen from many distant points. This enchanted 
land is inhabited by a great and powerful race, who own allegiance 
to none but their own appointed chief—the dread Rajah of the 
Interior and Ruler of many thousands of fierce warriors; rumour 
details further how these people have a wonderful system of irri- 
gation by which they always live in plenty since they gain a second 
crop of paddy during the year; how by means of natural salt- 
springs they obtain salt—their chief necessity of life, and. so 
become entirely self-supporting and have no need of intercourse 
with the outside world; how further they make their own gun- 
powder, and how they keep large herds of a curious kind of goat. 
To this country, situated right in the centre of northern Borneo 
—the source of all the great rivers of Sarawak, viz., the Trusan, 
the Limbang, the Baram and the Rejang, whence rise also two great 
rivers of Dutch Borneo, viz., the Batang Kayan and the Koti— 
to this country, but few from the Limbang district. ever penetrate, 
and, absit omen, whence fewer still return. 
Thus the gist of the various native yarns to be gathered from 
those living on and about the lower waters of the great Limbang 
River, a branch of which runs through the ancient city of Brunei, 
at one time, as we all know, the flourishing capital of Borneo. 
Many of their tales centred on one particular mountain, Batu 
Lawi by name, which was said to stand up smooth and straight like 
the post of a house, towering to an enormous height, without 
a vestige of vegetation on it, and with its glistening white cliffs 
rising sheer, thereby presenting an unclimbable surface to any 
fool-hardy explorer. “But surely,’ I protested “there must be 
some small ridges or inequalities which would afford one a foot- 
hold or hand-grip so that one could at least get up a little way?” 
“Oh no,” they said, “and unless the Tuan can walk up the wall 
of a house like a fly, he won’t be able to get up Batu Lawi!” 
Added to which there were of course numerous stories relating to 
the power of this wonderful mountain, how few people were. ever 
allowed to get there, how those that did either met some dreadful 
fate there or else died shortly after their return, while others went 
Jour. Straits Branch R. A. Soe., No. 63, 1912 ; 
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