As it was my companion’s duty to inspect all the stations, we diverged to the right to visit the antimony mines of Busu. We found there upwards of fifty Chinese apparently working at the rock on the steep face of a hill, burrowing here and there in the limestone. The rocks were very much like those of the mountain of Molu, and climbing over their sharp surface into little out-of-the-way corners, we found two or three Chinese scattered here and there, picking out lumps of antimony from the crevices of the limestone, or perfectly imbedded in it, and requiring much labour to procure. These are not really mines--no vein is found, but merely lumps of ore scattered in every direction. Just at the foot of the hill in the forest we came upon two Malays who had just discovered a lump of antimony weighing several tons which was but a few feet below the surface, and having cleared away the superincumbent earth, were now covering it over with dry wood, in order to split the metal, by first raising the temperature by fire, and then suddenly reducing it by water. Near Bau the reservoirs increased in number and extent, while the population became more numerous, and as at each Chinese house there were several ferocious dogs kept, it was necessary to be perpetually on one’s guard. The town of Bau was much more extensive than I could have supposed; I counted above one hundred shops, and there were many houses besides. Our attention was particularly drawn to one long, enclosed shed, filled with Chinese, who evidently, from their appearance and conduct, were strangers. On arriving at the gold company’s house, we made inquiries respecting these late arrivals, and the principal people positively denied any had reached Bau, which was evidently untrue. These kunsis are regular republics, governed by officers selected by the multitude: a common workman may suddenly be elevated to be their leader. They generally choose well, and look chiefly to the business character of the man put up for their selection. Though, perhaps, gold-working pays on the whole more than other labour, the men are kept so very hard at work that the ranks are not easily filled; yet they are allowed five meals a day, with as much rice as they can eat, a good supply of salt fish and pork, and tea always ready. At their meals the Chinese are very fond of drinking their weak arrack, or samshu, raw, but as nearly approaching a boiling state as the lips can endure. Our tour then led us to the neighbourhood of the antimony mines of Bidi, where the Bornean company are at present working that metal with success. The country here is very picturesque: fine open valleys bordered by almost perpendicular limestone hills, and with an admirable soil. Occasionally the whole length of a precipice is undermined, forming extensive open caves, with huge stalactites hanging down at the extreme edge, giving a beautiful yet fantastic appearance to these natural dwellings.