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CHAPTER IV. 
START FOR RINA BALU.—VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN FROM ABAI.—DATU TUMANGGONG.—CATTLE-LIFTING. 
—START FOR THETAMPASSUR.—BUFFALOES.—THE DATU’s HOUSE.—BAJOWS.—ILANUNS.—FAIL TO 
FIND PORTERS.—THE TAMPASSUR PLAIN.—DISTURBED STATE OF THE DUSUNS INLAND.—RETURN 
TO ABAI.—DYARS.—SULUS.—ARRIVAL OF THE c RIMANIS.’—RETURN TO LABUAN.—THE LAW AS 
RIVER.—BRUNEIS.—RADYANS.—MURUTS.—VISIT SI’LALANG’s VILLAGE.—HIS TROPHIES.—HEAD¬ 
HUNTING.—VISITED BY MURUTS.—BURIAL CUSTOMS.—TATTOOES.—CAVES.—BARR JACRETS. 
SUMPITANS.—LURUTAN RIVER.—COAST TO BATU-BATU.—WANT OF FELLOW-FEELING AMONGST 
NATIVES.—VOYAGE TO PULO TEGA.—NICOBAR PIGEONS.—RETURN TO LABUAN.—VISIT BRUNEI. 
HE wet season was now advanced, so I remained in Labuan until 
the end of January, making during that period a trip to Singapore 
and back, in order to purchase many necessaries that could not be 
procured in Labuan, and to taste for a brief period the pleasures of 
civilization. 
In the beginning of February I again attempted to reach the 
great mountain of Kina Balu. I had succeeded with the help of 
Nyhan in finding seven other Kadyans to accompany me; and 
having spent several months in Benkoker, coming in contact only with natives, I had 
succeeded in mastering sufficient of the Malay language to make myself understood, so was 
fortunately now able to dispense with the service of an interpreter. 
On the 9th of the month we embarked with all our baggage on board the ‘ Bujang 
Barram,’ a small steamer belonging to the Government of Sarawak, which was kindly lent 
me through my friend Mr. A. H. Everett for a moderate sum per diem. We steamed out 
of Labuan harbour at half-past three o’clock in the morning; but the monsoon, directly 
the sun rose, blew so strongly from the north-east that it was not until after 6 p.m. 
that we anchored under shelter of Pulo Gaya, not being able to reach the pier that night. 
The next morning we again started soon after daylight, and reached Abai at three o’clock 
in the afternoon ; the wind was very high and the sea rough, but the small harbour is 
well sheltered by an island and a headland, which at no distant period was also an island, 
but has now been joined to the mainland by the mangroves and the alluvial deposits from 
the neighbouring hills. It being nearly high-water, the captain managed to get his vessel 
over the bar and landed my baggage without any trouble ; the steamer at once started for Pulo 
Gaya, and I was left alone with my followers and baggage, to make ourselves as comfortable 
l 
