“So I sent my brother, who is a brave man, and he started in a small canoe, with three men. After a long search, he arrived in their neighbourhood, and heard them talking in the woods. He therefore hid his canoe, and that night walked up close to their village. He then stripped and left his sword and everything near an old tree, and fastening a string to the stump, crawled towards the house like a pig on all fours, but gradually letting out the string behind him; this was to be his guide in returning to his clothes. He found that the house was large. He then crawled back to the place from whence he started. Not satisfied with this inspection, he determined to remain there and have a look at the place during the day. At dawn he concealed himself in a hollow tree, and waited there till all the Punans had gone out hunting; he then boldly went near the house and counted the number of doors--'families’--which he found to be forty. Thereupon, he returned to his companions, and they all together pulled off to Bintulu. “On meeting, I asked what was the news? As this was in public, my younger brother answered, 'Antah,’ (nothing particular); but presently calling me on one side, he told me all that he had seen. That very night I started off with my whole party. When we reached the entrance of the Lambir River, a great alligator rose to the surface, and kept up with our boats the whole way. This was a good omen, and I addressed the animal thus:--'Oh, grandfather, give us good fortune, and we will provide you with a feast.’ We were all in the highest spirits, when the omen bird flew from the right hand to the left, crying 'Trik, trik;’ and immediately another flew from the left to the right, sounding ‘Trik, trik.’ This double crossing was a very bad omen, and portended a fight and much contention; so I said to my followers, 'Let us return to our boats for three days; this omen is very bad.’ But they laughed at me, and said, 'You are becoming afraid.’ 'Very well,’ I answered, 'let us go on; I shall not be the only one to die.’ “Upon this we approached the house, and at break of day commenced hurling our siligis (wooden javelins) through the bark walls. Upon this the Punans answered with a flight of sumpits (poisoned arrows), one of which struck me on the hand. I dragged it out with my teeth, of which I had then a few left, and bound up the wound. The charm I possessed prevented its having any bad effect. When my relations saw that I was wounded, they said, 'Oh, father, you had better retire.’ But I answered, 'No; I did not seek the fight to-day; I shall not retire.’ I tried to discharge a new gun I had bought, but the instrument (may it and he who sold it me be accursed!) would not go off.