IvINA BALK. 
113 
history collections and expeditions amongst the spurs of Kina Balu; and as it was not 
until the following year that I Avas able really to ascend to the summit of the mountain, 
I prefer to recount that part of my travels separately. 
10th February.—I began to inquire for porters to carry my baggage to the mountain. 
Billio did all the talking, which lasted nearly a day, the Dusuns wrangling over their Avages 
until I Avas heartily sick of them, and, as usual on these occasions, I took a long walk. 
When I returned to the house the Dusuns had settled to accept 2 fathoms of trade-cloth, 
either red, blue, or Avhite, 5 needles, 1 reel of cotton, 1 looking-glass box, 2 boxes of 
matches, 10 buttons, or, in all, about Is. per diem to carry our baggage for tAVo days 
up the Panataran, by Avhich route they said Ave could reach Kina Balu. 
The next day it took seven hours to pay off these fifteen Dusun porters ; they, always 
expecting you are trying to cheat them, examine every article most minutely, and measure 
and remeasure the lengths of cloth Avith one another. If all is not of exactly the same 
length and quality, the man Avho has an inch less than his felloAV porter has to be propitiated 
Avith an extra needle or a few buttons, othenvise he will most certainly refuse to go. 
The measuring of cloth is rather an amusing occupation. All cloth is measured by 
the fathom or “ dapah,” which is seldom more than 5 feet 10 inches, often less, being the 
length that a Dusun can stretch while holding the cloth between the tips of his fingers 
across his chest. The villagers invariably hunt up their longest “ dapah ” stretcher, and he 
measures the first length, which is cut off—all eyes during this operation being bent 
on the cloth to see that it is just slack and not stretched in the least. After the first length 
has been cut, it is best to mark an equal measure on the floor and work from that. The 
head men generally look on while this is being done, to see that there is no cheating 
by stretching the cloth, and to secure for themselves any lengths that may have an inch 
or tAvo over; it is policy on the part of the traveller to let them have these extra lengths. 
It is a great mistake to have more than one quality of cloth of the same colour, as 
this only leads to disputes, all naturally Avanting to have the best and refusing the inferior 
quality. 
There are several species of interesting birds in the vicinity of this village, besides the 
tAvo species mentioned. A very handsome greenish-yelloAV Jay Avith claret-coloured Avings 
(Cissa minor ) frequents the growth on the old rice-clearings ; this bird is called “ Tonkakis ” 
by the Dusuns, “ Tonkakis ” being the note of the bird. Another species, a bronzy-blue 
Drongo Shrike, may be seen frequently close to the village ; this bird belongs also to the 
true highland fauna of Borneo, and is called the “ Limbas ” by the Dusuns, and Chibia 
borneensis by ornithologists. The most numerous species about the village is Ianthocincla 
ireacheri, the “ Lahoie ” of the Dusuns. This bird is quite one of the ornithological 
features of the mountain; it may be heard every day Avhistling in the bamboo-clumps and 
old paddi-plantations. 
12th.—As the Dusuns AA 7 eighed, selected, and bound up their packages last night, Ave 
are able to leave this morning at daylight; our destination is hardly knoAvn. Sultan is to 
accompany us and is to act as guide; he knows the Avay to the summit of Kina Balu (?). 
Billio goes as interpreter. I am leaving two Kadyans at the village to look after my 
baggage and collect Avhat birds they can : one is a Hadji; but his fingers are all thumbs, 
Q 
