X. 



depot, at Kuala Teku — the highest navigable point on the Tahan 

 River— and two or three camps on the way to the summit. 



Through the kind assistance of the District and Assistant District 

 Officers of Kuala Lipis, this had been previously arranged with the 

 Penghnlu, and a party of ten Malays, under Dato' To Mimtri Idin, 

 were despatched on this erraud in the latter part of April. 



The Penghulu reported that they had returned, after building 

 three camps : one at Kuala Teku and two on the hills. They had also 

 found a flag, which had been left by Mr. Skeat, on the highest point he 

 had succeeded in attaining on his expedition in 1899, and two of the 

 men had advanced until there remained only two hills between them 

 and a spur of the Tahan itself. A plan was produced, drawn by one of 

 the men, showing the route traversed ; it w r as a most interesting carto- 

 graphic production. 



Rather an alarming account was given of the nature of the hills, 

 and the difficulties encountered in getting along the ridges beyond 

 Skeat's flag. Several said that they were not brave enough to walk 

 along them, and the Dato' declared that it made him so giddy that he 

 was unable to proceed. Some of the men of the advance party accom- 

 panied the expedition. 



On the morning of the 18th May the luggage from the P.W.D. 

 boat was shifted into some small dug-outs and the two big boats, 

 and it was sent back to Kuala Lipis. The two large and several 

 smaller house boats and fourteen dug-outs started up the Tembeling 

 River at 9.30 a.m. The only serious rapid, Jeram Ampai, was reached 

 at about 11 a.m., and took about an hour to ascend. The big boats 

 had to be pulled up with ropes, but there was plenty of water in the 

 river so that they could be got up without grounding. It was near 

 here that Mr. E. A. Wise was killed during the Pahang disturbances 

 of 1894. Kuala Tekai was reached about 6.30 p.m., and the night was 

 spent there. 



Early next morning at 5.50 a.m. the journey was resumed. During 

 the day a place was passed whence the Gunong Tahan range is said 

 to be visible from the river ; but, unfortunately, the hills were obscured 

 by clouds. In the afternoon some small rapids were passed, without 

 any great trouble, and Kuala Tahan was reached at 6 p.m. A camp 

 was made on a sand-bank for the boatmen and to store the provisions, 

 which were being carried in the dug-outs. There was a good deal of 

 rain in the night and the Tembeling Eiver rose about 18 inches. 



On the 20th all the baggage was shifted into fourteen small dug- 

 outs and, after a great deal of trouble with the men who were very 

 unwilling to go, a start was made up the Tahan Eiver at 10.40 p.m. 

 The Penghulu and both the large boats returned down stream to 

 Kuala Tembeling, together with the Forest Range?, as it was found 

 impossible to take him and his baggage in any of the boats. Subse- 

 quent events proved that it was a very good thing that he did take 

 this course. 



