of the Blow-pipe--Cold--Ascent to the Summit--Granite Face--Low’s Gully--Noble Terrace--Southern Peak--Effect of the Air--The Craggy Summit--Distant Mountain--Dangerous Slopes--Ghostly Inhabitants--Mist--Superstitions--Collecting Plants--Descent--Noble Landscape--Difficult Path--Exhaustion--Mr. Low not Recovered--Disagreeable Villagers--Recovering the Brass Wire--Clothing--Distrust--A lively Scene--Our Men behave well--Return on Rails to the Datu’s House. [Illustration] To ascend Kina Balu had been an ambition of mine, even before I ever saw Borneo. To have been, the first to do it would have increased the excitement and the pleasure. However, this satisfaction was not for me. Mr. Low, colonial treasurer of Labuan, had long meditated the same scheme, and in 1851 made the attempt. It was thought at the time but little likely to succeed, as the people and the country were entirely unknown; but by determined perseverance Mr. Low reached what may fairly be entitled the summit, though he did not attempt to climb any of the rugged peaks, rising a few hundred feet higher than the spot where he left a bottle with an inscription in it. In 1856, Mr. Lobb, a naturalist, reached the foot of the mountain, but was not allowed by the natives to ascend it. In 1858, Mr. Low and I determined to make another attempt; and early in April I went over from Brunei to Labuan to join him. We waited till the 15th for a vessel, which we expected would bring us a supply of shoes, but as it did not arrive we started. This was the cause of most of our mishaps,--as a traveller can make no greater mistake than being careless of his feet, particularly in Borneo, where all long journeys must be performed on foot.