NORTH BORNEO. 
21 
suitable and cleanly situation they could choose, though probably first adopted as a means 
of greater security from their numerous enemies. The Bruneis are also well known in the 
East as experts in the art of working metals. 
The Sarawak Dyaks are only visitors to Labuan, using that island as their head-quarters 
when they come to the North Bornean rivers in search of gutta-percha or rattan-canes. 
The Dyaks are a fine race of men, short of stature, clear-skinned, often with good features; 
they are, however, fond of fighting and bloodshed, cutting off heads being their greatest 
pleasure. For the most part they retain their native dress, a band of cloth round the loins 
known as a chawat. Their teeth are blackened and ornamented Avith small gold stars let 
into the enamel; their ears are bored all round the rim with numbers of holes into which 
fine brass wire rings are inserted,—both most painful operations ; but it is astonishing what 
pain mankind will suffer, only to be fashionable! As the Dyaks do not inhabit the parts of 
Borneo visited by me, I shall not write further about them ; but of their somewhat nearly 
allied tribe the Murats I shall be able to say something later on. I prefer to write more 
about Labuan in the chronological order of my visits; so we will return to the narrative of 
the ill-fated ‘ Spaniel.’ 
On the 9th we started northwards once more, passing the islands of Pulo Tega about 
mid-day; during the afternoon we entered the most splendid natural harbour of Pulo Gaya. 
The ‘ Spaniel ’ was getting along first rate until suddenly she ran well on to a coral-reef; 
the reason of this mishap being that one of the kerosene-oil tins which acted as beacons 
had fallen off its tripod stand, and the authorities on shore had neglected to replace it, so I 
do not think Ave could blame our captain. Anchors Avere let go in all directions, engines 
backed, but all to no purpose—the ‘Spaniel’ evidently was fast, and meant stopping. We 
landed at the end of some hundred yards of rickety nebong pier, Avhich is necessary for 
connection AAuth the shore, the coral-reefs preventing vessels of even light draught approach¬ 
ing closer, our dirty little steamer forming an interesting proof of this fact. 
The Resident of Pulo Gaya kindly invited the feAv European passengers to visit his 
bungalow, AAdiich Avas perched on the top of a steep hill, added to which the broiling sun 
made the ascent no easy task. It was not until late Avhen Ave returned to our steamer : it 
being noAv Ioav tide the corals Avere above Avater round nearly half the ship; but to me this 
more stable state of things was quite a relief, and I passed a comfortable night. The 
coolies were busy nearly all night shifting the cargo to the stern; this eventually, Avith the 
aid of stern-anchors and the donkey-engine, helped the vessel off, Avhen she triumphantly 
came alongside the pier-head shortly before mid-day. That same evening Ave left for 
Sandakan, steaming along a mountainous coast; but the hills inland were so hidden by the 
clouds that we Avere unable to get a glimpse of them until almost opposite the mountain 
of Kina Balu, Avhen a rift in the clouds disclosed for a few minutes to our wondering eyes 
the summit of this truly magnificent mountain. I was so struck by its appalling height 
that I almost feared that the work of ascending to its rocky summit Avould be more than I 
could accomplish; but years later Avhen camped far above the clouds Ave were able to watch 
the steamers, perhaps this very boat, as they plied betAveen the Bornean ports. 
The ‘ Spaniel ’ was noAV going well, and it was not until the folloAving morning that Ave 
had another mishap, which might have proved serious. On passing the island of Bjvnguey 
