152 



GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE8 IN MALAYSIA AND ASIA, 



Mr. Scaife had crossed from the Semanten to Kuala Lumpor on 

 foot and accompanied only by a few Malays. In July 18S3, I 

 proceeded from Singapore to the Pah an g river in com|>any with 

 Mr. Scaife and a Mr. James. We intended to explore the river 

 aw far as the gold mines by means of a small steam launch belonging 

 to the gold-mining company that was just formed. Our intention 

 was also to report upon the mines which had been already explored 

 by Mr. Scaife. 



On entering the river Pahang we found the channel to be 

 extremely tortuous and difficult. The town of Pekau which is 

 the sultan's residence and the capital of the state. is about eight 

 miles up the river. It is a Urge town with fewer Chinese inhabi- 

 tants than is usual in these regions. Some of the houses are 

 built upon rafts always floating in the river, but there is a good 

 brick and stone mosque about the size of a small chapel. The 

 sultan's palace is a more pretentious two-storied residence. Tn the 

 centre of I he (own is :i conspicuous shed, under which the prin- 

 cipal nobility and government officers give all the vast resources of 

 their intellects to top-spinning, often led by the sultan himself. 

 The tops are the most effective things in tops outside of Japan, 

 and in all the specialities and refinements of top-spinning they are 

 second only to the Japanese. They can boast of having brought 

 the industry to its highest degree of perfection, having spared 

 nothing that labour or genius could bring to bear upon the subject. 

 The importance of this speciality to the kingdom can be easily 

 imagined. 



As it was the fine season of the year, when the r*ins are compara- 

 tively light, the river was too low for our launch. Though only 

 drawing three feet of water, we found it impossible to proceed, as 

 we grounded almost every mile, even assisted by Malay pilots who 

 knew the channel well. We lost more than three days in 

 advancing about five miles. Than the sultan lent us a large canoe, 

 with a crew of ten boatmen and a pilot. He also gave us a letter 

 of recommendation to the different functionaries on the river, so 

 that we could get help when we needed it. Alt these favours 

 were only obtained after much delay, so that it was several days 



