56 
A JOURNEY IN JOIIORE. 
if it could be cleared of the trees by which it is obstructed,, 
I remarked that the jungle which covers both banks of the 
river abounds in rattans, chiefly in the upper part; there is 
also much dammar and garni wood. These several commo¬ 
dities are to a small extent collected by the Malays, but in 
a much greater quantity by the Jakuns, who exchange them 
with the Malays for rice, cloth, &c. They are brought by 
the Malays to Johore, where several Chinese traders buy 
them and* bring them to the market of Singapore. The 
banks of the Johore river are almost desert, a few Malay 
houses are the only habitations met with, and these ordina¬ 
rily at a great distance from each other. The traveller 
proceeds some times half a day or an entire day without 
meeting any of them. There is nothing like a village except 
that of Johore. But in the absence of human beings, a 
great number of wild beasts are met with on both sides of 
the river. We perceived several tigers; and the many places 
where we observed their prints near the water, cannot 
leave any doubt as to the presence of this ferocious animal, 
which must be found here in great numbers. This fact is 
also confirmed by the Malays ; several of whom assured me, 
that during the last six months proceeding my visit five Ma¬ 
lays had been devoured by tigers on the banks of the river, 
and one in a boat on the water, for they assured me, that 
one of the five Malays above mentioned had been taken out of 
his boat by the animal while he was asleep during the night. 
On the 14th X left the house of the Batin in order to reach 
the extremity of the Banut river. The Batin had for a long 
time tried to dissuade me from going further, assuring me, 
that there were several places where a gentleman could not 
pass. I asked him if he had never passed there. As he 
answered that he was accustomed to do so, “well/’ said I, 
u wherever another man can pass, I can pass also,” and we 
started. 1 was obliged to take five Jakuns to carry my 
baggage, trifling as it was, because each man could only 
carry a very small load, on account of the difficulty of tra¬ 
velling. Part of the forenoon we spent traversing a country 
covered with rank grass, which reached to the height of eight 
or ten feet; the ground was low and covered with water, in 
which grew the above mentioned grass. We proceeded on 
our journey, having for long time muddy water up to the 
knee; a little after it reached as high as the thighs, and 
finally we found ourselves in mud and water up to the waist. 
Then I began to believe, that what the Batin had told me was 
true, but before turning back, I asked my guides if th* 
