158 GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES IN MALAYSIA AND ASIA, 



Gaya— After leaving Brunei the 'Pegasus' sailed for Gaya 

 about 90 miles further north where two Europeans, Messrs. 

 Dalrymple and Little, represented the North Borneo Company, 

 administering the government, collecting taxes, &c. This was one 

 of the most iuteresting places that I saw iu North Borneo. First 

 of all the harbour was of great natural beauty, and not more than 

 about 30 miles from the great Bornean mountain of Kina Balou. 

 This is over 12,000 feet high and is a barren granite peak. The 

 very high summits in the Archipelago are usually volcanic. 

 The harbour is inhabited by Malay fishermen and a few Chinese 

 storekeepers. The North Borneo Company have sago works, which 

 were under the direction of the two European gentlemen already 

 mentioned. The sago is obtained from the pith of the palm tree 

 known as Sagint IxeoU. The material was bought from the natives. 

 We then visited the bungalow which was up a steep hill about 

 400 feet high and commanding a lovely view. On our way we 

 visited the prison and police station, situated half way up the hill 

 and protected by a battery of four guns, manned by a eorporal's 

 guard of the North Borneo police force. In the prison were three 

 head-hunters, wild Muruts, lately condemned for killing a poor 

 Malay. One prisoner had a fearful half-healed gash over his head 

 which his victim had given him. These wild men were of low 

 stature, much fairer skinned than Malays, and of somewhat mild 

 expression. They were quite naked except for a waist-cloth, the 

 skin being slightly tattooed in very pretty coloured patterns. 



While at Gaya we made an excursion into the interior among 

 some of the agricultural Dusun tribes. We were six Europeans 

 including three officers of the ship. We were carried across the bay 

 in a small canoe, which was loaded to the water's edge by our large 

 party and rendered very unsafe. Our course was then over some 

 coral reefs between Gaya Island and, the sea-sliore, being exposed 

 at one part to a considerable surf, which required watchful care to 

 keep the canoe afloat. However, we got across without any other 

 inconvenience than being scorched from the frightful glare and 

 .heat of the sun. After skirting along the coast for a few miles 

 we entered the Besagas river, up which we rowed for a short 



