cfiAr. v.] 



VILLAGE OF BILL DYJKS. 



65 



caunot understand the extensive and costlj preparations for 

 wrtrkiiig coal, and cannot believe it is lo be used only as 

 lui'l when wood is so abundant and so easily obtained. It 

 was evident that Europeans seldom came Iiere, for ninnbei-s 

 of women skeltered away as I walked tlirougli the village ; 

 and one girl about ten or twelve yeai-s old, w!io had just 

 brnusrbt a bamboo full nf water frnm the river, threw it 

 down with a cry of horror and aUirin the ujoinent slie 

 cautjlit sight of me, turned round and jumped intt) the 

 stream. She swam beantifidly, and kept looking back as 

 if espectinj^ I would follow her, screaming violently all 

 tlie time ; while a number of men and boys were laughing 

 at her ignomut terror. 



At Jahi, tho next villaj^e, the stream became so swift in 

 consequence of a floodi that my lieavy boat conld make no 

 way, and I wa.s obliged to send it back and go on in a very 

 small open one. So far the river had been very mouo- 

 tonous, the bunks being cultivated as rice-liekls, and litt le 

 tliatched huts alone breaking the unpicturesque line of 

 muddy bank crowned with t^dl grasses, and backed by the 

 top of the forest behind the cultivated ground. A few 

 honre beyond -Tahi we passed tlie limits of cultivation, and 

 had the beautiful virgin forest coming down to the water's 

 edge, with its palms and creepers, its noble trtiea, its ferns, 

 and epiphytes. The banks of the river were, liowever, still 

 generally flooded, and we had some dilticulty in liuding a 

 dry spot to sleep on, Vjxviy m the morning we reached 

 Empngnan, a small ifal ay village situated at the foot of an 

 isolated mountain which had been visible from the mouth 

 of the Simunjon Piiver. Beyond here the tides are not 

 felt, and we now eutenjd upon a district of elevated forest, 

 with a finer vegetation. Ljir^e trees stretch out their 

 arms across the stream, and the steep, earthy banks are 

 ciothed with ferns and ziugiberaceous plants. 



Early in the afternoon we aiTived at TabcVkan, the fii-st 

 village of the HUl Dyaks. On an open space near the 

 river about hventy boys were playing at a game something 

 like what we call "prisoners base;*' their ornaments of 

 heatls and hni^s wire and their gay-eoloured kerchiefs and 

 waist-cloths showing to ranch advantage, and forming a 

 Very pleasing sight. Ou being willed by Diijou, they imme- 



