AN EXPEDITION TO MOUNT BATU LAWI. 39 
wants, i.e., enough to pay the annual tax of $2 to Government and 
to support them on the rare occasion of a visit to a bazaar down- 
river or on the coast. 
Our path led down to a tongue of land formed by the junction 
of two streams, both called Kri according to Penribut, alt. 2850 ft. 
Crossed and camped on the right bank, just succeeding in erecting 
the huts before the rain came on. Examined the provisions with 
Belulok and find they have enough for four days more. Cheery 
prospect, seeing that we are not at Batu Lawi yet and that we have 
taken six days to come so far. However there are some sago palms 
near by, which they will have to utilize together with any animals 
we may shoot. , 
May 28th: (Temp. 7 a.m. 70°). We ascend the hill behind 
our camp and then descend almost immediately to another stream, 
the Limbang again, alt. 2,630 ft., only much smaller than when 
last we saw it at the kuala Madihit. There was a good deal of 
water running and we crossed with some difficulty having a very 
stiff scramble up the high precipitous bank on the other side, 
followed immediately by a weary toil up a thousand feet and down 
again to yet another stream, the Palabar, alt. 2,700 ft. Most of us 
had good cause to remember that steep climb up from the Limbang 
as we had to pass a hornet’s nest. I was bitten through the sleeve 
of my coat and had a swollen arm for the next two days; several 
of the others suffered too. 
The natives of this part refer to the Limbang as the Pa (River) 
Brunei and I[ was told that formerly the main outlet was through 
Brunei; this has become more or less silted up and only a narrow 
ditch remains, while the river has taken a sharp bend to the East, 
flowing out into Brunei Bay at the Limbang mouth, as we now 
know it. Batu Lawi should be very near new and with every hope 
of being on it before night-fall we cross the siream and start 
another steep ascent for the most part pathless, eventually reaching 
an altitude of 4,400 ft. where we have to camp as we are doubtful 
of finding any water further up. The last hour or so in pouring 
rain, and rather than stand about getting cold, Belulok, a Dayak 
and I continue the ascent, leaving the others to make our shelters 
for the night. From the occasional glimpses we have had of Batu 
Lawi I thought we were actually on the lower slopes of it, but 
Belulok thought otherwise and so it proved, for a rough scramble 
up roots and moss-grown boulders brought us to the summit 
4.850 ft. and ihere just opposite to us with a broad ravine between 
stood Batu Lawi emerging for a moment through the driving 
clouds. From St. John’s map I take this mountain to be Selinguid, 
though none of our people know that name and the Kalabits profess 
all ignorance of the name of the mountain. |It struck me after- 
wards that it was possibly no sheer “cussedness” that made the 
Kalabits refuse to utter the names of these places for my inform- 
ation, but more likely that they held the place in such awe that 
mere mention of its name would bring disaster. Thus many 
‘R. A. Soc., No. 63, 1912. 
ee 
” fe. 2 2 oe 
‘SS Sa 1 eee ee.dlC cr. Ulc(“‘(i‘éi a 
