_28th._--Last night a heavy squall, which appeared to spring from the south-east, but soon veered round to the south-west, made me fear a fresh in the morning, but (7 a.m.) as yet it has not come down upon us. There is much matter held in suspension by the water, as every glass of it we take from the river proves; this, however, appears its normal state, as I have seen it the same at different seasons, as in October, November, December, May, and now, August; not exactly the same, as the water after heavy freshlets is muddy. The banks appear to be generally formed of alluvial deposits; occasionally only have I observed hard banks of clay, and nowhere are there rocks, except where a hill abuts on the river. At the entrance of the Limbang there are many alluvial deposits, and two low islands called Pulau Bharu, or the new islands, are said by the natives to have been formed within the memory of their old men; they are but little raised above high-water mark, and are excellent rice grounds. A glance at the map will show the serpentine course of the Limbang, and how the river is eating into its banks; in several places they are nearly worn through. I imagine (and examination almost confirms it) that the origin of the numerous ponds to be found a short distance from the banks arises from the alteration of the river’s bed. There is in the Sarawak river a short cut between two reaches, which appears within a few years likely to become the main stream--nature assisted by man: sandbanks are already forming, which yearly tend to increase the force of the current through the short passage, and will doubtless ultimately close up the old channel, leaving a lake of a couple of miles in length on the right bank. I may here notice, in order to test the value of native geographical information, the various accounts I have received of the journey before us. Casting aside the stories of its being one, two, or three months’ distance, I will simply enter what I have reduced to something like reason. They say from Blimbing to Madalam is two days’ pull; to Salindong, two; to Madihit, two; to Busoi or Saledan, three; to Adang, seven, or sixteen days from the last inhabited village (since abandoned) to the Adang landing-place: from that to the houses, from one to six days.