We were very glad to get clear of this Trusan, and enter into an open space, a sort of long narrow lake connected with the main river by diminutive passages, enclosing the island of Pandam, a dense mass of sagotrees. Here there is some sign of life, many houses are scattered on the banks whose inhabitants are busy preparing the pith of the palm for transmission to the capital. We saw them to-day going through every stage, some were felling the tree, others clearing it of all its leaves and branches and dragging it to the water’s edge; rafts of prepared palms were floating down alone, but with certain marks to distinguish the owners. We landed at one spot and inquired the reason of this unusual bustle; the price had risen, and every one was anxious to take advantage of the market. We had around us about a dozen men working; the trees, some of them fifty feet in length by two and a half in diameter, were first cut in sections of about a fathom, then split in two; the pith was scooped out, or rather chopped out with a scoop, as it was very hard and required great exertion to get it out; the women and children carried it to the river’s banks to a prepared framework, and threw the rough sago on a platform of split bamboos: here a man stood who, after wetting the stuff with pails’ full of water, trod out the flour into a receptacle below. It seemed a very wasteful process. The coarse sago is put into leaf cases and sold to the Chinese, who turn it into the flour and pearl of commerce. Leaving the island of Pandam we joined the main stream, which was here about a hundred yards wide; the banks as we advanced presented the same features, low, with occasional hills to be seen, cultivation very rough and careless; the sago and rice the most valuable; the gardens were but poorly looked after, the chief attention being given to the banana. Occasionally there are very extensive groves of fruit-trees, but even these are choked with brushwood. Tame buffaloes are very numerous on the lower part of this river; we also saw a few cows, but until lately little attention was given to breeding them; now, however, that a steady demand has arisen in Labuan, many of the natives have been induced to collect herds. After passing the Trusan no more Malay houses are to be seen; the inhabitants being the aborigines, the Bisayas, Muruts, and a few Kadayans; their villages occupy nearly every reach. A glance at the map will show what a winding course this river takes; the soil being alluvial offers no obstruction to its changing its direction, and there are many signs of its having altered its bed.