xvii. 



It was decided that, as Mr. Wray was still ill, it would be best for 

 him to go back with the returning men, as in his then state of health 

 he could not hope to proceed to the higher camps, even if all went well, 

 for several weeks. Consequently he was carried down the hill on the 

 25th, leaving at 8.20 a.m. and reaching Kuala Teku at 4 p.m. 



One of the coolies was taken ill in the night, with what appeared 

 to be pleurisy, doubtless due to a chill caught while at the upper 

 camp. The next morning Mr. Wray, one Malay servant and seven 

 other Malays, including two sick men, left in a dug-out canoe. This 

 had been badly damaged and gave a great deal of trouble, one man 

 having to be kept at work all the time baling it out. Fortunately 

 there was a good-sized huali available, otherwise it would have been 

 a difficult matter to keep the canoe afloat. On the evening of the 

 fourth day Kuala Tenok was reached and Kuala Tembeling on the 

 evening of the 29th. Here a new boat was procured, with a kajang 

 cover to the after part of it and a fresh crew. A start was made up 

 the Jelai at 8 a.m. the next day (the 30th), Kuala Lipis being 

 reached at 3 p.m. on the 1st July, so that the return journey from the 

 6th Camp was accomplished in seven days. 



After the departure of Mr. Wray, the party consisted of six Pahang 

 Malays, all more or less picked men, the four Dyaks and two Malacca 

 Malays, who were all well aware that it would be impossible for them 

 to desert with any safety to themselves, as only one small dug-out 

 remained, which could not accommodate more than three men ; while 

 the difficulties of the land route were such that sufficient food could 

 not be carried to last until inhabited districts were reached. There- 

 after everyone of the natives made the best of what was doubtless to 

 them a very bad job, and, after a day's holiday, which was devoted to a 

 very successful fishing party, we all started up the hill again on the 

 morning of the 27th June. Turning a sharp corner in the track close to 

 the 6th Camp, I found myself within a few feet of a fine black leopard, 

 which, after leisurely surveying me, made off down the hill and was 

 seen no more. With the exception of a bear met with by one of 

 the Dyaks, this was the only beast in the nature of big game that was 

 actually seen by any of our party while on the hill. By the afternoon 

 of the 29th the whole of the expedition was concentrated at the 8th 

 Camp with stores sufficient to last with care for about six weeks. 



From the 29th June to the 14th July I was occupied in collecting 

 work, in making a rough survey of the Tahan valley and in ascertain- 

 ing what was the easiest route to the summit which was distant only 

 a little over two miles in a direct line. The Pahang Malays were 

 employed in making another camp further up the Teku Kiver, where it 

 was joined by another stream. This was rather a lengthy job, as I did 

 not wish to dismantle the existing camp and the only available 

 building materials — the large fan-shaped leaves of a species of palm — 

 were distant about three hours' walk from the proposed site. On the 

 15th July, leaving two men to look after the 8th Camp, we moved on 



