We stopped to breakfast about half a mile before we reached Tabari’s village, at a house that was literally overflowing with Indian corn. We should have laid in a stock but that they asked absurd prices. Everywhere the people of the country were busy planting, and we continually came upon parties working in the fields. They showed no fear whatever, the news having spread very rapidly through the country that our objects were friendly. From Tabari’s we followed the old path to Ballang Palo’s, where we rested the night. In passing through this village, I had given a man afflicted with sore eyes a little sulphate of zinc: he already had found, or fancied he found, some benefit from the medicine, and in remembrance brought me a jar of arrack, containing about three quarts, which he insisted I must drink. The old jar was a curious specimen of former Chinese work, which had most probably been with the Muruts for many generations. It was blue, with numerous figures of dragons upon it. As the sulphate of zinc had once acted well, I found numerous customers for it, a great many being troubled with sore eyes, perhaps from crowding over their smoky fires during the cold nights. I mention the circumstance of the poor fellow bringing the arrack, as, how grateful soever they may be in their hearts for a kindness, they seldom show it. I have not known half a dozen instances during my whole residence in the East. It is not always quite safe to administer medicine, particularly when the amateur doctor promises that a cure will result from his exertions, as the following story will show. A Bukar Dayak had a son, who fell ill of the small-pox, and a native doctor offered his services, assuring the father he could cure his child; unfortunately for him, however, notwithstanding all the medicine he administered, the child died, when the father, accusing him of having wilfully caused the death of his son, drew his sword and killed him on the spot. As this event took place while the Bukar tribe was still under the authority of the Sultan of Brunei, a fine only was inflicted for this summary act of vengeance. We sat up rather late, but as we had no man with us, who could freely converse in their language, the Orang Kaya Upit having stayed behind on a trading speculation, we could only drink together, and look very solemn. I have noticed the very few marketable articles these people have for sale, but one of them brought me to-day a very large bezoar stone, an inch and a half in length, and two and a half in circumference. They say they procure them from the monkeys, whom they kill to seek for this stone, and while some affirm they find them in the head, others declare they take them from the bladder. The ones I have seen are of a clear brown, highly polished, and not heavier than a similar piece of very light wood.