On reaching Koung, we found the villagers assembled, and crowds occupying the chief’s house. We had intended, if possible, to reach the summit of Kina Balu from this village, as on the last occasion, we were disgusted with the conduct of the Kiau people; but soon ascertained it was not to be done, as the western spurs did not reach above half way up the mountain side; nor was there any rice to be procured in this village. We were also very much astonished to hear the kind old chief asking for black-mail; it did not appear to come from his heart, so we looked round to find who was his prompter, and, at the first glance, discovered the ugly face of Timbañgan, a wall-eyed man--the very chief who had tried to prevent our passing through Labang Labang, in the spring. To give way would have been absurd, as we should have had black-mail demanded of us at every village, and increasing in a progressive ratio. So we called up all the interpreters and made them carefully explain what were our motives in travelling and the objects we had in view; that we would pay for everything we required, or for any damage done by our followers, but not for permission to travel through their country. We then reminded them how their great enemies, the Lanuns of Tampasuk and Pandasan, had been defeated by the English, and how impossible it would be for the Ida’an to fight with white men. A revolver was then discharged through a thick plank, to show the effect of that small instrument, and how useless a defence their shields would prove; and I handed the chief my heavy double-barrelled rifle to examine, that he might reflect on its great power. The effect of the explanations and of the conical balls was immediate, and we heard no more of black-mail; on the contrary, the most friendly relations were established. To show what a curious people they are, and how we appeared to have hit the hidden springs of their actions, I may mention that we now felt the utmost confidence in them, and asked the chief to take care of a fever-stricken servant, and of all such portions of our baggage as we did not wish to carry on with us. He cheerfully agreed to do all we wished, and proved most friendly and useful. We then made presents to his wife to a greater extent than his demand for black-mail, trying to convince them by our actions that the better they behaved to us, the more kindly and liberally we should behave to them.