AN EXPEDITION TO MOUNT KINA BALE. 
63 
wards Kina Balu. He told me that he had left Labuan on 
March 16th, and, on account of trouble with the carriers, had been 
detained on his way. The old Chinaman whose hospitality we 
had enjoyed some weeks ao;o in Bandaian, had turned up in 
Kappa before my arrival, and had informed Mr. Burls that gold 
was to be found one hour’s walk from here. So Mr. Burls sent 
for the Dusun who was supposed to know the spot, and, on my 
advice, asked the man to fetch him a piece of the precious metal. 
The man promised to do so next morning at daybreak. 
Svnclat/ fKasterJ, April 2nd. At 7.30 a.m. Mr. Burls heard 
that the Dusun had not started as yet for the gold, but would 
do so after his breakfast. This was at last over, but then the 
Chinaman came to say that the locality was unsafe on account 
of an enormous snake. 3'lie Chinaman’s arms were just long 
enough to give us an idea of this snake’s diameter. We tried to 
allay those fears, but were then told that the gold was down 
a deep hole, that candles were required, and that at least three, 
men would have to go. To my regret I had to leave Kappa 
in the midst of this interesting discussion, starting at 8.40 a.m. 
It was a nice morning, after pouring with rain all night until 
6 a.m. AVe began the descent at 10.15 a.m., reached the plain 
at 10.50, the vnllage of Menkaladai at 11.30, rested a little, and 
reached the Tuaran Diver at 2.20 p.m., one of the men taking us 
through a most swampy ‘ short cut,’ between padi fields. Here 
we had to wait a little while for a lioat, and I reached Panjut 
somewhat in advance of the others at ;> p.m., with feelings of 
profound relief. Being transplanted comparatively suddenly 
from the hilly interior to Panjut, in the plain and near the sea, 
the people here struck one at once as more comfortable and 
better off: they had more buffaloes, many goats, and sledges, 
which indeed would have been impossible inland, and better 
clothing, and were also oftener intoxicated, a sure sign of 
cPfilization. But there were also more flies and ants in the 
houses, and more mosquitoes at night time, which, however, 
were not very troublesome. We heard that ou the day before 
there had been a large funeral here, on wliich occakon five 
buffaloes w^ere killed. 
Monday^ April 3rd. As I was absolutely in the dark as to 
when and where, whether in €!aya or in Labuan, we should be 
