FIVE DAYS IN NANINGU 
410 
herself to his senses and, that attained, to live on unthinking 
and content, or seeks incessantly a deeper intimacy that he 
may lead an ever wiser life, she still cherishes him as a 
mother, and surrounds him with a home. 
We descended the north side of Bukit Panchur, and, 
emerging from the jungle, looked down on a slope co¬ 
vered with a strong crop of hill rice which the * ilsisi 
had planted for the matamata. This helped to explain the 
sort of fatherly regard he seemed to entertain for them. A 
deep hollow clave the face of the hill, and its steep sides 
were, loaded with rocks, so that it resembled the easterly 
face of Bukit Birtam in Pinang. Half way down we rested 
in a hut raised on high posts, from which the crop is.wateh- 
ed. This spot overlooked Malacca Pinda, which is seen 
as a narrow line of coconut tops in the expanse of jungle. 
In front nothing is seen but densely wooded hills, a consi¬ 
derable proportion of the jungle being blukar, over which 
Gunong Tampin rises superbly.* Beyond and to the left 
of it Gunong Ratnbftu comes into view. Many hill ranges 
of considerable height are seen ; one of these on the left ia 
called Bukit M ugi. The Surigei Ujong hill ranges on this 
si le appear to be a continuation of the R&mbftu range. The 
whole landscape was swathed in jungle, with the exception 
of a very few strips and patches of open plain or coconuts 
in front and on the right. On the N, E, by N., and at a 
greater distance than the R ft mb an mountains, a range is seen, 
which, from its colour, must be of considerable height. 
At the foot of the HU we crossed a very narrow flat which 
received the stream from the deep hollow on the face of the 
hill, and had probably been gradually excavated by it. 
We now turned our steps towards Ayer Pan as but by a 
different road from that of the morning. A walk of some 
hours along the margins of rice plains, through kampongs, 
and over some broad tracts of jungle, brought us to the 
village of Padang Sabang near Ayer Panas. Here there are 
several Chinese shops, which supplied an ample stock of fish, 
samsu &c to entertain my guests. w . . 
On arriving at Ayer Panas I found that the other Besisi 
had been true to their promise, so that they now mustered 
nine men and two women. The greater part of the time 
they remained was occupied in writing down w'ords, as their 
language is of great importance as an element in the 
* Why the abruptness of the change from low hills to mountains ? Why 
isolated mountains instead of a broad uphefcvsd continental mass ? The solution 
of this question would mm! much. 
Gag 
