* * * * * _Brunei, February 8th, 1861._--Above two years have passed since I wrote this journal. The scheme of building a fort at the Madalam mouth did not succeed, as the Sultan, after the shabandar’s death, was very unwilling to assist any of the aborigines. I was away during the year 1860, and in the course of that time, a party of the Muruts, from the upper Trusan, came over and encamped at the mouth of the Salindong stream, and from thence sent on three men in a bark canoe to tell their friends of their presence. These men met the Orang Kaya Gomba, a Bisayan, at Batang Parak, and were treacherously slain by him. The Muruts waited a long time at Salindong, hoping to be fetched away by their friends. They could not walk the whole distance, as they had their women and children and all their worldly goods with them, intending to remove to the lower Limbang, and live with the Orang Kaya Upit. While thus detained, they were surprised by a large party of Kayans, and every one taken or slain. However, one of the prisoners afterwards managed to get away, and reached his friends, bringing this sad tale. The Orang Kaya Gomba declares that he mistook the three for Kayans, which is almost impossible, as no head-hunter would have been found paddling down a hostile stream in a bark canoe. Neither the Sultan nor any of the viziers will make the least inquiry into this affair, but the memory of it is treasured up in the hearts of the Muruts, and Orang Kaya Gomba may yet meet with a bloody death. I have remarked that during all our wanderings near Kina Balu we only at one place found the dried heads of enemies hung up in the villages there, and during my journeys up the Limbang, I do not remember noticing any, and yet Orang Kaya Gomba’s murderous action shows they do value them, which is confirmed by pañgeran mumin making a present of the head of the man he killed to the Gadang Muruts; and during my stay in Brunei, I have met small parties of head-hunters, but seeking only the heads of their real enemies. Yet I have always avoided spending a night in their immediate neighbourhood, and have kept our arms ready for instant service. One evening, during a heavy squall, we took shelter in a little river to the south of Point Kitam, in the Limbang Bay, and to our exceeding discomfort found a Murut boat with eighteen armed men in ambush round a short turn of the stream; we knew they were not waiting for us, but having only four men, and a couple of fowling-pieces, we did not feel secure in their neighbourhood. As we rowed past them they took no notice of us, but no sooner had we anchored, than they pulled off towards our boat; but we should have felt little discomfort, had they not had their mat coverings stowed away, while all the Muruts had their arms ready for action. I told my men to show no sign of alarm, but keeping our guns within reach, waited their coming.