I do not understand the great discrepancy in the land journey, except that the Adangs have removed farther inland. It is certainly a voyage of discovery, but my only anxiety is with respect to the provisions. From the amount of water that was in the river above Madalam, I cannot think it so far. Busoi appears to mean a cataract, and there, they say, the river falls over rocks, and the boats have to be dragged along the shore for a distance which varies with the stories from fifty yards to a mile. Enormous overhanging rocks occur at the cataract, almost shutting in the river, but above it the water is smooth, and the pulling easy for seven days; this is not very likely. The river is said to abound in fine fish. The story of the wild goats is beginning to fade away, and is replaced by tame ones in the possession of the Muruts. One of the greatest curiosities, the natives say, is the formation of two mountains, which rise from the plain in lofty peaks of the shape of needles; they have never been to them, but have seen them from a distance; they are the pillars of the gate of some enchanted palace, and I heard it whispered to one of my men that all were not privileged to see even these pillars; it requires some incantation; so that there is a chance of the needle mountains vanishing into thin air. I may remark that when the natives speak of the journey sometimes occupying two or three months, they mean for a Murut party. The reason is that they start with, perhaps, two days’ provisions, and trust to hunting for their food. If they find a spot where game is plentiful, they stay there till it is exhausted; if the jungle produce no sport, they live on the cabbages taken from the palms, on the edible fern, on snakes, or anything, in fact, that they can find. If they come across bees’ nests, they stop to secure the wax and honey. Time is of no value to them, as they generally start after the harvest, and many parties are said to have taken six months. It is curious to hear the Islam-converted old Pakatan Japer talk. He says dreams were sent by God to be a teaching and a warning to us; when he is going up a river on an expedition, if he dream of his wife or of his children, or of ascending a river, it is good; if of descending a river, or of fire, or of anything disagreeable, he is sure to meet an enemy or some misfortune. If his añgei, or omen bird, cry to the right, it is good luck; his cried to the right when he left Kanowit eight years ago, and he has not had a misfortune since. I asked him how it came to pass then that his house was plundered and burnt down by the Kayans last year; he was silenced for a moment, and having waited till the men had had their laugh, he said his people considered it a punishment for living among the bad Tabuns;[3] however, the Pakatans have avenged him by burning down a Kayan village.