A few minutes after the meal was over, the Muruts gave a grunt of satisfaction and started off, and continued ascending till we had reached the height of 5,000 feet; where we struck off to the north-east, down to a dashing torrent, one of the feeders of the Trusan river; here we bathed, then off again up a very steep hill. This was too much for Ahtan. He turned an imploring look on me, and seemed ready to burst into tears; but I spoke to him very angrily, asking him if at the last moment he intended to disgrace himself, and relieving him of my sword, he pushed on, and in a few minutes we were at the summit. Here we sat down for half an hour; then on, generally descending, sometimes excessively steep, and it was with the greatest pleasure that at 5.30 p.m. I found myself at the edge of a great clearing, still burning, with two village houses at its eastern verge. Our guides had a short consultation as to how we should announce ourselves to the people, whom we could perceive working on the farms. At length Orang Kaya Upit shouted out. There was immediately a great commotion among the Muruts, but they soon recognized the voices, and, as we forced our way through the tangled trees that were felled in every direction, they came forward to welcome my companions. They soon explained who I was, and I was received with great civility and with symptoms of much curiosity. No wonder; they had often heard of the white man, but I was the first specimen that had ever reached their country. Half way across the clearing we met crowds of women and children collected to hear the news, all of us being supplied with sugar-cane to amuse us while a meal was prepared. At 6 p.m., just at sunset, we reached the houses, and pleased was I to be able to stretch myself alongside of one of their fires. This was the hardest day’s walking we had had, ten hours of actual work, crossing a double range of 5,000 feet in height; and I was both hungry and tired, and exceedingly enjoyed the meal they prepared for us. The only drawback was, that there were but Ahtan and one Malay to enjoy it with me; two, however, came in afterwards, but fourteen succumbed to the fatigue and did not show themselves. However, I was relieved of much of my anxiety by the Chief promising to send out a party at early dawn with provisions. The Adangs were rejoiced to see my companions, plenty of arrack was produced, and the news freely given and received. They kept it up to a very late hour. One family heard of the death of a near relative, and their wailing in the next room was very painful. Gradually, however, the spirits they drank began to have an effect upon my companions, and they all dropped off to sleep, in which I was but too glad to join them.