CUM', v.] SODOS AND SMNNA BYAKS, 73 



four inches diameter forming the only pathway, while 

 a slender handiuU of the same luateriul was <ifteji so 

 shftky that it coxild oixly be used as a guide mther than 

 a support. 



Late m the afternoon we reached Sodos, situated on a 

 spur b'Ctween two streams, hut so surrounded by fruit 

 trctt.^ that little could be seen of the country. The bouse 

 T\'as epaeious clean and comfortable, and the people very 

 obliging. Many of tlie women and children had never 

 seen b. white man before, and were very sceptical as to my 

 being the same colour all over, as my face. Tliey It^ged 

 me to show them my arms and body, and they wert; eo 

 kind and good-tempered tliat I felt bound to give them 

 siiujc satistaction, so I turned up my trousers and let them 

 see the colour of my ],eg» which tliey examined with great 

 interest. 



In the morning early we continued our descent aloutj 

 a fine valley, with mountains rising 2,000 or 3,0U0 feet in 

 every direction. The little river rapidly increased in size 

 till we reached Senna, when it bad become a iine pebbly 

 stream na\i*iuble for small cnnoes. Here again the u|j- 

 heaved slaty rock appeared, with the same dip and ilirec- 

 tion as in the Sadong lliver. On inquiring lor a boat lo 

 take me down tlie stream, 1 was told that the Senna 

 L*yaks, although living on the river-banks, never made or 

 used boats. Tin y were mountaineers who bad only come 

 down into the valley about twenty yeara before, and bail 

 not yet got into new habits. They are of the same tribe 

 as the people rjf Jlenyerry and Sodoy. They make gooti 

 ]iaths and bridges, and cultivate much mountain land, ami 

 thus give a more pleasing and civiliiied aspect to the 

 country than where tlie people move about only in boats, 

 and confine their cultivation to tlie banks of the streanig. 



After some trouble 1 hired a boat from a ^Inlay tradei', 

 and found three Dyaks who bad been sevcj-jd times with 

 Malays to Sarawak, and tliougbt tliey could manage it 

 very well. They turned out very awkwnrd, constantly 

 running aground, striking against rocks, and losing their 

 balance so as almost to upset themselves and the boat ; 

 oliering a striking contrast to tbe skill of the Sea Dyaka. 

 At length we came to a really dangerous rapid wherft 



