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ON THE EQUATOR
BY
H. DE W.
CASSELL, FETTER, GALPIN & Co.
LUDGATE HILL, LONDON E.G.
JOHN LANCASTER, ESQ.,
OF
BILTON GRANGE, NEAR RUGBY, WARWICKSHIRE.
Uolunu
IS DEDICATED, WITH THE BEST WISHES OF
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Our Plan of Travel Outfitters Journey to Marseilles De-
parture "The Inevitable" Journey Out Singapore
Leave for Kuching The Aline ' ' Talang-Talang "
The Sarawak River Kuching The Bazaar, &c. Com-
fortable Quarters ... 9
CHAPTER II.
Territory of Sarawak History of the Country Raja Brooke
and Muda Hasim Rebellions in Sarawak Brooke pro-
claimed Raja Chinese Insurrection Military and Naval
Establishment Exports Progress of Sarawak Death
of Sir James Brooke .. 24
CHAPTER III.
Kuching Society The Club Amusements The Sarawak
Gazette The Bazaar Health of Kuching Life in
Kuching Rats Preparations for Journey to the Matang
Mountain 36
CHAPTER IV.
Travel in Borneo Travelling Boats Leave for Matang Our
Crew Alligators Mosquitoes Matang Bungalow The
Garden Ascend the Mountain The Waterfall A
Nasty Jump View from the Summit Snakes Return
to Kuching 44
CHAPTER V.
The Rejang Residency Wild Tribes of the Interior Start
for Rejang Timber Ships Sibu Attack by Katibus
v "i Contents.
A Dinner Party The Fireship Kanowit "Jok "
Kanowits' Dwellings Human Heads " Bones " and
" Massa Johnson " ... ... ... -o
CHAPTER VI.
Leave Kanowit Scenery War Canoes Arrive at Kapit
Wild Tribes Kayan Burials Head Feast Lat His
Family Tattooing The Sumpitan Kayan and Dyak
War Dances The Kok-Goo The Bock Expedition to
Central Borneo Cannibalism Return to Kuching ... 75
CHAPTER VII.
Sport in Borneo The Orang-Utan His Habits Start for
Sadong A Rough Journey Sadong The Fort and
Village L. Capsized The Mines Our Cook The
Abang Start for Mias Ground Our Hunt for Orang
Lost in the Forest Leave for Sadong An Uncom-
fortable Night Small-Pox Manangs A Dyak Don
Juan Return to Kuching o^
CHAPTER VIII.
Preparations for Departure Leave Sarawak A Squall A
Dutch Dinner Batavia Weltereoden Life in Java
Bintenzorg Roerapan Dutch Soldiers A Review-
Modes of Execution in the Archipelago The World-
Wide Circus Return to Singapore Leave for Europe-
Gibraltar
114
CHAPTER IX.
Cadiz Custom- House Officers Spanish Courtship Market-
place Leave for Seville Jerez de la Frontera Seville
Pilate's House Las Delicias Triana Madrid Bull
Fighting Espadas " A Bull Fight Frascuelo
Cruelty to Horses Leave for Paris A Stormy Passage
Home Again Adieu ... I2 g
ON THE EQUATOR.
CHAPTER I.
Our Plan of Travel Outfitters Journey to Marseilles Departure
"The Inevitable" Journey Out Singapore Leave for
Kuching The Aline ' ' Talang-Talang " The Sarawak
River Kuching The Bazaar, &c. Comfortable Quarters.
IT was on the I3th of April, 1880, that, accom-
panied by an old College friend (whom throughout
these pages I shall call L.), I left London for the
Eastern Archipelago, via Marseilles and Singapore,
our destination being Sarawak, the seat of govern-
ment of Raja Brooke in the island of Borneo.
Our expedition had been a long-projected one, but
it was not until the latter end of March, 1880, that
we finally decided to start.
Thanks to the small experience gained from a
former voyage to these parts we successfully re-
sisted the efforts of our outfitters to supply us with,
in addition to what was really necessary, almost
every useless thing ever heard of, from a cholera-
belt to a velvet smoking suit. We were, however,
resolved to take nothing more than was absolutely
io On the Equator.
necessary, as on a journey of this kind nothing is
more embarrassing than a large amount of luggage.
A small but complete outfit was therefore got to-
gether, which was easily carried in one small over-
land trunk, one small portmanteau for cabin use on
board ship, and a gun-case each. This we after-
wards found ample to contain all the necessaries
required.
On the evening, then, of the I3th of April, we
stood on the platform of the Charing Cross Station,
awaiting the departure of the mail train for Dover,
and our luggage duly registered for Paris we
ensconced ourselves in a smoking-carriage, and
lit up the fragrant weed, not sorry that we were
really off at last.
Our journey to Paris was pleasant enough a
quick run to Dover, a smooth moonlit passage to
Calais, a sound sleep in a comfortable coupt lit,
and we awoke to find Paris around us, white and
cheerful in the bright spring sunshine. Putting
up at Meurice's Hotel, three days were enjoyably
spent here, and on the i/th we left for Marseilles,
which was reached at 6.30 a.m. on the 1 8th, after a
tedious journey of twenty hours. We at once drove
to the ship, on alighting at the railway station, not
forgetting to purchase on our way through the
town those essentials on a long sea voyage, a
couple of cane easy-chairs.
On the Equator. n
On arrival at the quay we found active pre-
parations for departure going on, as the ship was
to sail at 10 o'clock a.m. ; and, being Sunday, she
was thronged with holiday-makers, who had come
to see her off. Having got on board, we dived
below and installed ourselves in a comfortable and
roomy cabin (which we were lucky enough to get
to ourselves the entire voyage), and returned on
deck to watch the busy scene. The hubbub and
the noise were deafening, for the squeakings of
some sixty or seventy pigs, which were being
hoisted on board a vessel alongside bound for
Barcelona, added to the din, and combined to
make what the French would call " un vacarme
infernal"
By 9.30, however, decks were cleared of all but
passengers, and at 10 precisely hawsers were cast
off, and we steamed out of harbour.
Our vessel, the Sindk, was a very fine one of
over 3,000 tons burthen, and our fellow-pas-
sengers chiefly Dutch and Spanish bound for the
Eastern Archipelago and Manilla, a few French,
and but seven English including ourselves.
Among the latter was an individual who is
usually to be met with on the ships of the
P. & O. Company and those of the Message"ries
Maritimes, though more frequently on the former.
L. and I christened him "The Inevitable," as a
12 On the Equator.
voyage to India or China can rarely be made
without coming across him. He is invariably an
Englishman, and my Indian readers will readily
recognise him when I say that he is always (in his
own estimation !) perfectly aufait on every subject
whatever, be it political, social, or otherwise, that
he always knows how many knots the ship has run
during the night, and is continually having what he
calls " a chat " with the captain and officers of the
vessel he is on, returning to tell the first unlucky
passenger he may succeed in button-holing the
result of his conversation. He is also a great
hand at organising dances and theatricals on
board, and constitutes himself master of cere-
monies or stage-manager at either of these enter-
tainments. Our specimen of the genus, however,
subsided soon after leaving Naples, finding all his
lectures in vain, and confided to us his intention of
" never coming out again by this infernal line " a
consummation most devoutly to be wished for the
sake of the Message"ries Maritimes.
Among our number was also an amusing
Yankee, fresh from the States, and bound for Singa-
pore, who announced his intention of "getting to
windward of those ' Maylays ' before he'd been
long in the clearin'."
The arrangements on board the Sindh for the
comfort of passengers were simply perfect a
On the Equator. 13
roomy cabin (cool even during the severe heat
in the Red Sea), good bath-rooms, and, above
all, civility from every one connected with the
ship, was the order of the day on board. The
food and cooking were excellent, fresh meat and
fish, and a good French salad, being provided
for dinner daily even during the run from Point
de Galle (Ceylon) to Singapore, in which no land
is touched at for nine days and a good sound
claret, iced, supplied at every meal free of charge.
When it is considered that the first-class fare
from London to Singapore (including the journey
through France) is only 70 5s., it is to be won-
dered how the passenger fares of this line can even
be made to cover the outlay.
It would scarcely interest the reader to be told
how we beguiled the long tedious days at sea with
ship's quoits, " Bull," and other mild amusements of
a similar nature, or the still longer evenings with
whist ; how we went ashore at dirty glary Port
Said, and drank bad coffee, while a brass band of
German girls discoursed anything but "sweet
music " ; how " the inevitable" made a desperate
effort to get up a dance in the Red Sea on one
of the hottest nights, but was instantly suppressed
by force of numbers, determined, though well-nigh
prostrate from the heat ; or how we went to the
Wakwalla Gardens at Galle, to drink cocoa-nut
14 On the Equator.
milk and admire the first glimpse of tropical
scenery. Suffice it to say, that on the I5th of May
we arrived at Singapore, after a singularly quick
passage from Marseilles. Bidding adieu to our
fellow-passengers, including " the inevitable," who
of course recommended us to the best hotel in the
place (though I very much doubted his ever having
been there before), we entered a little red box on
wheels drawn by a Java pony, which is designated
a " gharry," and drove to Emmerson's Hotel, near
the Esplanade. This was reached after a drive of
four miles under a blazing sun, and we were not
sorry to find ourselves located in two good bed-
rooms, which felt delightfully cool and airy after
our comparatively close cabin on board. After a
cold bath, doubly enjoyable by its contrast with
the lukewarm sea-water we had been accustomed
to during the voyage, it was not long ere we wer
doing justice to an excellent breakfast under the
cool swing of the punkah.
Singapore is an island 27 miles long by
14 broad, and is divided from the main land, or
Malay peninsula, by a narrow strait of three-
quarters of a mile broad. The town consists of
about 70,000 inhabitants, comprising Europeans,
Indians, Chinese, and Malays, the two latter
forming the bulk of the population. It is well
laid out, and from the sea presents a very pic-
On the Equator. 15
turesque appearance. The neighbourhood is
slightly undulating and well wooded, and the
country around studded with well-built and sub-
stantial houses, belonging to the European mer-
chants and other officials in Singapore. No
Europeans live in the town, as the heat there
during the south-west and even north-east mon-
soon- is insupportable. The Esplanade, which
faces 'the sea, and near to which our hotel stood,
is the fashionable drive, and where the inhabitants
enjoy the sea-breezes when the heat of the day
is over. The horses and carriages here, however,
were a sorry sight, the former being nearly with-
out exception cast-offs from Australia, and sent
here as a last resource. The carriages, too, were
fearfully and wonderfully made contrivances, and
would have caused the inhabitants of Long Acre
to shudder, could they have seen them.
The view of the roadstead from the Esplanade
is very striking, and is generally alive with ship-
ping of all kinds and nations, from the smart and
trim British man-of-war to the grimy collier, and
from the rakish Malay prahu to the clumsy junk
laden with produce from China. These latter are,
however, fast dying out, and most of the larger
Chinese firms have now steamers.
We were anxious to make as short a stay in
Singapore as possible, and therefore made inquiry
1 6 On the Equator.
the day after our arrival as to the best means of
getting over to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, and
a journey of forty-eight hours by sea. What was
our dismay to find that the Raja Brooke, the only
steamer running between Kuching and Singapore,
had left the day before, and would not be back
for a week at the very least. As she made a stay
of five days at either place every trip, this was
anything but pleasant news, as nearly a fortnight
must elapse ere we could leave Singapore. Luckily,
however, the Sarawak Government gunboat Aline,
which had been into dock at Singapore, was then
lying in the roads, and sailing for Kuching in two
days' time, and through the kindness of the Sarawak
agents we were offered a passage in her. This we
gladly accepted, agreeing to be on board the
following Thursday at 10.30 p.m., the Aline sail-
ing at ii.
On the evening appointed, accordingly, we set
out from our comfortable hotel to embark. The
weather, which had all day been oppressively hot,
had suddenly changed, and the rain was now
pouring down in torrents. To make matters worse
it was as dark as pitch, and it was some time ere,
after shouting ourselves hoarse, we could procure a
sampan to take us on board. The Aline was
luckily lying close in-shore, and we stood on her
deck, after a short pull in the sampan, wringing
On the Equator. 17
wet. A pleasant welcome from her captain, how-
ever, dry clothes, and a glass of grog in her cheerful
and well-lit cabin, soon set things right, and we
turned in and slept soundly, undisturbed by the
bustle and noise that always attends the departure
of a ship.
We were awoke at six next morning, and,
swallowing a cup of most excellent coffee, Sarawak
grown, went on deck. The sun shone brightly, and
the air felt cool and fresh after the rain of yesterday.
No land was in sight, and with a fair wind and sail
set we were making good way through the water.
The Aline is the largest of the gunboats (of
which there are four) belonging to the Sarawak
Government. She is about 200 tons, schooner
rigged, and carries two 32-pounders, fore and aft.
Her accommodation, state rooms and saloon, are
forward, a good plan in the tropics, as the smell
of steam and hot oil from the engine-room are
thus avoided, and it is also cooler than aft when
the vessel is under weigh. The quarters of the
crew are aft ; and I was surprised to see how clean
and neat everything on board was kept, the more
so that the ship's company consisted entirely of
Malays, who are proverbially careless and dirty in
these matters. She had but two European officers,
the captain and engineer. The former, Captain K.,
who had been in these seas for many years, had
B
1 8 On the Equator.
some interesting tales to tell of the old pirate days,
when Sir James Brooke first visited Borneo in his
yacht the Royalist.
Our voyage across was very enjoyable, and our
host a very agreeable companion. It seemed but
a short time, then, since our departure from Singa-
pore, that on the 25th of May at 4.30 p.m. we
sighted the high lands of the island of Borneo ;
the mountain of Gunong Poe, in Dutch territory,
towering high above the rest. By eight o'clock we
were abreast of Cape Datu, a long spit of land
running far out to sea, and the southernmost point
of Sarawak territory. Rounding this we passed
Sleepy Bay, in which a boat in search of pirates,
commanded by an officer of H.M.S. Dido, was
nearly captured by them some years ago. The
whole crew, including the watch, had fallen asleep
one night while at anchor in the bay, but one of
their number happening to wake just in time, gave
the alarm, just as the pirate prahus, which had
pulled out from the land, were within about thirty
yards of them. A sharp skirmish ensued, and the
Illanuns were at length driven off, but had they not
been warned in time the English must have
perished to a man, as these ruffians made it a rule
to spare none but Hajis, or Mahometans who have
made a pilgrimage to Mecca. The bay derives its
name from this occurrence.
On the Equator. 19
At daybreak the next morning we were
summoned on deck by Captain K. as we were
passing Talang-Talang, or Turtle Island, and
should shortly be off the mouth of the Sarawak
river. Talang-Talang is a small island literally
swarming with turtle, whose eggs form a staple
article of commerce in the Sarawak market. The
mode of procuring them is curious. Turtles lay
only at night, and having dug holes in the ground
deposit their eggs therein, and cover them over
with sand. Natives who have been on the watch
then place sticks in the ground to mark the place
where they may be found, and they are the next
morning dug out in enormous quantities, and
exported to various parts of Borneo and the
adjacent islands. The eggs have a stale fishy
flavour, are very sandy, and to my mind extremely
nasty, although they are considered a great
delicacy by the natives, who eat them raw with
their curry.
By seven o'clock we were entering the Santubong
mouth of the Sarawak river. There are two entrances
to this ; the other, Moratabas, some few miles farther
down the coast, being the larger, is used by men-of-
war and other large craft. Vessels of 300 tons and
under, however, always use the Santubong entrance,
excepting during the north-east monsoon, when it
is unsafe for vessels of any size, and Moratabas is
B 2
2O On the Equator.
always used. The Santubong entrance is far
superior to the other as far as scenery is concerned.
On the right bank of the river, its base stretching
for some way out to sea, stands the Peak of Santu-
bong, rising to a height of over 2,000 feet, and
covered with dense forest to a height of nearly
1,700 feet, from which point a perpendicular sand-
stone precipice rises to the summit* At the foot of
the hill,and almost hidden by trees which surround it,
lies the little fishing village of Santubong, inhabited
by Chinese and Malay fishermen. Kuching is sup-
plied daily with fresh fish from this place. The left-
hand bank is a flat, swampy plain of impenetrable
jungle, having its river banks lined with mangroves
and nipa palms. This extends for about ten miles
inland, until the mountain of Matang, which can
plainly be seen from the mouth, is reached, and on
the near side of which lies the capital, Kuching.
The journey up river from the mouth is flat and
uninteresting, and little is to be seen but nipa and
other palms on either side, and although Kuching
is but seven miles from Santubong as the crow
flies, it is quite twenty by river. It was not till
ten o'clock, therefore, that signs of civilisation com-
menced, in the shape of a few Malay houses built
* The outline of this mountain, as seen from Kuching, bears a
remarkable likeness to the profile or side face of the late Raja, Sir
J. Brooke.
On the Equator. 21
close to the water's edge. These are usually built in
the same manner on piles of wood of ten to fifteen
feet high, the walls and roof being made of " atap,"
or the leaf of the nipa-palm dried, and the flooring
of " lanties " or split bamboo.
The Chinese brick-yards and potteries of
" Tanah Puteh," a suburb of Kuching, came into
view shortly after this, and immediately after
this Fort Margaret, which stands on a hill on
the left-hand bank of the river, and commands
the entrance to Kuching, and, rounding the bend
that hides it from our view, we now come to the
town itself, so unique and picturesque a place that
a far abler pen than mine is needed to do justice
to its description.
Lining the right bank of the river, which is
here about 400 yards broad, is the Chinese Bazaar-
extending for nearly a quarter of a mile along the
shore, the houses, which are of brick, presenting a
very curious appearance, with their red roofs and
bright-coloured fagades the latter, in the case of
some of the wealthier owners, embellished with
designs of porcelain and majolica ware. The row
of acacia trees which line the street from end to
end would give the place rather the look of a
boulevard in a small French town were it not
for the palms growing at the back of the Bazaar,
and the Chinese junks and Malay craft moored
22 On the Equator.
alongside the bank. At the end of the Bazaar,
and separated from it by a small stream running
into the main river, which is crossed by a wooden
bridge, is the Chinese joss-house, an imposing
edifice erected by the principal Chinese merchants
here at a cost of over 10,000 dols.*
Next to the " Pangkalan Batoo," or principal
landing-place, is the prison, a large stone build-
ing, on the right of which is the Borneo Com-
pany's (Limited) Wharf; and behind this again
stands the Court House, containing all the Govern-
ment offices, such as Treasury, Post-Office, &c.,
and wherein the Court of Justice is held.
Stone buildings cease here, and the Malay
town extends for half a mile up both banks of
the river.
On the left bank, in the midst of beautifully
laid-out gardens, is the " Astana," or Palace of the
Raja, a handsome stone building built in three
blocks, connected with each other by means of
small bridges. The centre building, which is
surrounded by a fine broad verandah, supported
by massive stone pillars, contains drawing-room,
dining-room, library, and billiard-room, and is
flanked by a tower which forms the principal
entrance. The buildings on either side of this
consist of sleeping apartments, while on the right
* About ,2,000.
On the Equator. 23
of the house, and standing on somewhat lower
ground, is a bungalow set apart for the use of
guests. With the exception of the fort and
commandant's house, the " Astana " is the only
building on this side of the river. The passage
across to the opposite shore, or town side, is made
by means of boats built on the model of the Vene-
tian gondola, and propelled by paddles, there
being as yet no bridge.
The Aline was anchoring off the town when a
message was brought us from the Raja, who kindly
offered to place the " Astana " bungalow afore-
mentioned at our disposal during our stay in the
country. We gladly availed ourselves of his in-
vitation, and were soon ashore and comfortably
installed in our new quarters.
CHAPTER II.
Territory of Sarawak History of the Country Raja Brooke and
Muda Hasim Rebellions in Sarawak Brooke proclaimed
Raja Chinese Insurrection Military and Naval Establish-
ment Exports Progress of Sarawak Death of Sir James
Brooke.
THE territory of Sarawak extends for nearly 300
miles along the south-west coast of Borneo from
its southernmost boundary, Cape Datu, to Kido-
rong Point, its northern frontier. It is bounded
on the north by Brunei, or kingdom of Borneo
proper, and on its other borders by the Dutch pos-
sessions, which comprise considerably more than
half the island. Sarawak has a mixed population,
consisting of Malays, Milanows, Chinese, Dyaks,
and other minor races too numerous to mention.
These number about 220,000.
Sarawak was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei,
under whose suzerainty it originally was, to the
late Raja Sir James Brooke; and a short history of
the country from the time in which it first came
into possession of the Brooke family may be of
some interest to the reader.
On the 1 5th of August, 1838, the Royalist, a
On tJie Equator. 25
yacht of about 200 tons, anchored off the town of
Kuching, with Sir James (then Mr.) Brooke on
board. The capital was then but a small strag-
gling Malay village, consisting of a few nipa-palm
houses. The Raja's palace, so called, was a dilapi-
dated building constructed of the same material,
although the state and formality observed within
its walls were considerable, and contrasted strangely
with the dirt and squalor in which Muda Hasim,
the reigning sovereign, was living.
Sarawak was in a sad state in those days. Her
coasts were infested with pirates, who effectually
prevented anything like trade being carried on,
while anarchy, rebellion, and bloodshed reigned
inland. The Raja, Muda Hasim, was, as he
assured Mr. Brooke, utterly powerless to act.
The rebellion in the interior was affecting his
government even more seriously than the piratical
raids on the coast. He concluded by begging
that Mr. Brooke would remain with his yacht,
which was fully armed, at Kuching until things
looked brighter, hoping that when the rebels heard
there was an armed British ship lying at the capital
they would be intimidated, and surrender. This
arrangement, however, Brooke could not agree to,
and, notwithstanding the Raja's entreaties, was
obliged to leave for Singapore on the 3ist of Sep-
tember of the same year, not, however, without a
26 On the Equator.
promise to the Raja to return at some future
time.
After an absence of nearly two years, during
which he visited Celebes, and other parts of the
Archipelago, Brooke returned to Sarawak on
August 29th, 1840, only to find the country in
a worse state than ever, for, encouraged by their
repeated successes, the enemy had advanced to
within thirty miles of Kuching. The poor Raja
received him with open arms, and implored his
assistance, offering to make over the country to
him if he would only give him his help. Brooke,
conceiving quite a friendship for the poor man,
who, with all his faults was kind-hearted and sin-
cere, now determined to do so, and organised an
expedition against the enemy, headed by himself
in person.
After months of hardship and privation, during
which time he was several times deserted by his
faint-hearted followers, Brooke succeeded in his
efforts, and peace was restored on December 2oth,
1840.
Although hostilities were now over, and danger
past, Muda Hasim did not forget the promise he
had made Brooke concerning the country in his
adversity, and~a form was drawn up by him for the
signature of the Sultan of Brunei. The terms of
this document were not, however, quite in accord-
On the Equator. 27
ance with what the Raja had undertaken to do,
but this being pointed out to him by Brooke, he
replied that the paper was merely a preliminary,
and it would come to the same thing in the end.
With this explanation Brooke had to be content,
and await the return of the deed from Brunei.
Like all Easterns, Malays are most dilatory,
and time hung very heavily on Brooke's hands
at Kuching. Although the Raja was then (and
ever after) a firm friend to Brooke, the native
chiefs who surrounded him were not best pleased
at the turn affairs were taking, and did their ut-
most, secretly, to undermine his influence with the
people.
These intrigues were carried to such a dan-
gerous extent by a certain Pangeran Makota
(who had formerly been Governor of Sarawak, and
the chief cause of the troubles in the interior, by his
acts of cruelty and oppression), that Brooke deter-
mined to act forthwith, and bring matters to a
crisis. Loading the Royalist's guns, and bringing
them to bear, he went ashore with an armed
party to the Raja's palace, and at once pointed out
to him Pangeran Makota's treachery. He went on
to say that Makota's presence in the country was
dangerous both to the safety of the Raja and the
Government, and announced his determination of
expelling him from it. Brooke concluded by say-
28 On the Equator.
ing that a large force of Dyaks were at his call, and
the only way to prevent bloodshed was to instal
him Governor then and there.
This speech, and the determined way in which
it was spoken, decided Muda Hasim. Brooke's
terms were unconditionally accepted, and Makota
outlawed. An agreement was signed by the Raja
making over the government of Sarawak and its
dependencies to Brooke, on his undertaking to pay
a small annual tribute to the Sultan of Brunei, and
this document having been duly signed by the
latter, Brooke was proclaimed Raja of Sarawak
on the 24th September, 1841.
From this day matters mended, and under the
influence of a just government the country soon
showed signs of improvement. In 1847 Raja
Brooke went to England for a while, and was there
received with great honours. Among others he
received the order of knighthood while on a visit
to Windsor Castle; and the freedom of the City of
London was presented to him in recognition of his
deeds in Borneo. He was not long away, however,
from his adopted country, returning to Sarawak
early the following year.
Sarawak now steadily progressed, and the
revenue, which in the first year of Brooke's acces-
sion, was next to nothing, began to show a con-
siderable increase. Several Englishmen also were
On the Equator. 29
employed by the Raja to maintain order through-
out his dominions. An incident, however, occurred
in 1857, which, had it not been for the prompt and
decisive action shown by the Raja's Government,
might have led to serious consequences.
A colony of Chinese (of whom great numbers
had come into Sarawak on the accession of Sir
James) had settled at Bau, a short distance above
Kuching, on the Sarawak river, for the purpose of
working gold. These men were members of a
" Hue," or Chinese secret society, and, instigated
by the three chiefs or leading members thereof, de-
termined to attack Kuching, overthrow the Raja's
government, and seize the country.
Descending the river in twenty-five large boats,
some 600 strong, and fully armed, they reached the
capital about midnight on the i8th of February.
Their plan of attack had been carefully laid, and
on arrival off the town they divided into two
parties : the smaller of these turning up the Sungei
Bedil, a small stream running close by the Govern-
ment House, for the purpose of attacking it, and
the larger proceeding down river to attack the
fort situated on the opposite bank. Sir James
Brooke had already been warned by some Malays
that an attack was to be made by the gold-workers
on Kuching, but knowing how prone natives are to
exaggeration, had given the report no credence.
30 On the Equator.
Roused from his sleep at midnight, however, by
the yells of the Chinamen, he quickly guessed the
state of affairs, and calling to his European servant
the only other inmate of the house to follow him,
dashed through his bath-room on to the lawn at
the back of the house, intending, if possible, to cut
his way through the rebels, and so escape. The
latter were, however, luckily, all assembled at the
front entrance, and the coast clear. Making his
way, therefore, with all speed to the Sungei Bedil,
the Raja, who was a good swimmer, dived into
the stream and under the Chinese boats (which
were luckily void of their occupants) in safety,
only to fall exhausted on the opposite bank, for
he was suffering from a severe attack of fever at
the time.
In the meanwhile death and destruction of
property were busy. Mr. Nicholetts, a young
officer of nineteen, who had but just joined the
Sarawak service, was killed ; also an Englishman
on a visit to Kuching ; while Mr. and Mrs. Crook-
shank* were cut down, and the latter left for dead.
Two children of Mr. Crymble, the police constable,
were hacked to pieces before their mother's eyes,
* They were both saved eventually, and the courage shown by
Mrs. Crookshank on this occasion will not be readily forgotten in
Sarawak. Mr. Crookshank was afterwards appointed Resident of
Sarawak proper, and retired from the service in 1873.
On the Equator. 31
while she lay hidden in a bathing jar, from which
she was eventually safely rescued ; but Mr Steele,*
and Penty the Raja's European valet, succeeded
in escaping to the jungle, and were both saved.
The larger party were in the meanwhile attack-
ing the fort, which was then but a small wooden
stockade. A desperate resistance was made by
Mr. Crymble, who was in charge, assisted by only
four Malays, but seeing after a while that he was
overwhelmed by numbers, he escaped, leaving the
position in the hands of the enemy.
The Raja had by this time been discovered by
native friends, who at once conveyed him to the
house of the Datu Bandar, or principal Malay chief
in Kuching. Here he stayed the night ; and, next
day, accompanied by a small number of officers
who had escaped and joined him, set out on foot
through the jungle for the Siol stream, leading
into the Santubong branch of the Sarawak river,
intending to procure boats at the mouth and make
his way to the Batang Lupar river, where a suffi-
ciently powerful force of Dyaks and Malays could be
organised to attack the rebels and retake Kuching.
But the Raja's nephew, t Mr. C. Brooke, who was
then Resident of the Sakarran district, had already
heard the news, and was even then proceeding to
* Mr. Steele was afterwards murdered by Kanowits.
t The present Raja.
32 On the Equator.
Kuching with a force of nearly 10,000 Dyaks and
Malays, but of this the Raja was of course ignorant,
and was on the point of putting out to sea with
his small party for Lingga, a small village at the
mouth of the Batang Lupar, when they descried a
steamer making for the mouth of the river. This
proved to be the B. C. L.'s steamer Sir James
Brooke, from Singapore. Those on board had, of
course, heard nothing of the disastrous events at
Kuching, and were hailed with great joy by the
Raja and his little band, who were soon on board
and making for the capital with all speed.
The sight of a steamer approaching the town
created quite a panic among the Chinese, for they
well knew the Sir James Brooke was armed,
and as soon as her guns had opened on them,
they fired one wild volley at her from every avail-
able firearm they possessed. This took no effect
whatever, and the wretches fled in dismay into
the jungle, intending to reach the border, some
twenty-eight miles distant, and cross into Dutch
territory.
But the wild and fierce tribes of Saribus and
Sakarran had now arrived, led by Mr. C. Brooke,
and were soon on their track. Encumbered as
were the Chinese by women and children, they
found escape next to impossible, but were cut off
one by one by the Dyaks, with whom in jungle
On the Equator. 33
warfare they had no chance whatever. At length,
after days of fearful suffering, about sixty of their
number contrived to reach Sambas in Dutch
Borneo, this being all that remained of a force of
500 men.
Thus ended the Chinese insurrection, which,
although resulting in the loss of valuable lives and
much property, was not altogether without its
good results, for it served to place the Raja's
Government on a firmer basis than before, by
showing the natives, Malays, Chinese, and Dyaks
alike, that it was a strong one, and to be relied on
in the hour of need. It pointed also to the danger
of tolerating secret societies in small states, and
the penalty for belonging to such in Sarawak has
ever since been death.
Trouble is now over for Sarawak, for, with the
exception of occasional brushes with the more
distant Dyak tribes, the country is thoroughly
settled. Natives in great numbers and from all
parts of the island settle here yearly, and take
refuge under the Sarawak flag,* for nowhere, say
they, throughout Borneo is such security found for
life and property as in the dominions of Raja
Brooke.
The Government of Sarawak now employs
twenty-two European officers. The Resident)
* Black and red cross on yellow ground.
C
34 On the Equator.
Commandant, Treasurer, Postmaster, and Medical
Officer, and two or three others holding minor
posts, reside in Kuching, while the remainder are
quartered at the various forts or out-stations along
the coast, and in the interior of the country at the
heads of the principal rivers. There are eight of
the latter, each of which is in charge of a European
Resident and assistant Resident.
The military force of the country consists of
about 200 men, who are quartered in the fort
barracks at Kuching. The out-stations are garri-
soned by these men, who are drafted for certain
periods in batches of ten to each fort. Their time
over, they are relieved by others, and return to
Kuching. The " Sarawak Rangers," as they are
styled, are recruited from Malays and Dyaks
exclusively, and are instructed in battalion and
gun drill by an English instructor. The Raja can,
however, always count on the services of the tribes
of Batang Lupar, Seribas, and other sea Dyaks.
These, who could muster over 25,000 fighting men,
are ready at any time to assemble at the call of
the Government.
The naval establishment consists of three
steamers : the Aline, Ghita, and Young Harry.
The former, which I have already described, is
principally used to convey the Raja to the various
out-stations, while the Ghita is stationed at Sibu
On the Equator. 35
on the Rejang river. The Young Harry, which lies at
Kuching, is used as a despatch boat,and is very fast.*
The chief exports of Sarawak are antimony,
quicksilver, coal, timber of many kinds, gutta-
percha, rice, sago, and rattans. Gold is also worked
in small quantities by Chinese.f The principal im-
ports are cloths, salt, tobacco, brass, and crockery-
ware. The Borneo Company, Limited, have the
monopoly of all minerals.
A better proof of the progress the country is
making cannot be shown than by comparing the
revenues of 1877-78 185,552 dols. and 197,855
dols. respectively with that of 1871, which was
only 157,501 dols., thus showing an increase of
about 4.0,000 in seven years.
On the nth of June, 1868, at Burrator, in
Devonshire, Sir James Brooke breathed his last,
leaving Sarawak to his nephew, Mr. C. Brooke, the
present Raja, his heirs and assigns, for ever. To
realise the importance and extent of the deeds
wrought by the late Raja, the State of Sarawak
must be visited a state which forty years since
was a hot-bed of piracy and bloodshed, a state
now as peaceful and secure as any of the British
possessions in the East.
* Another vessel of 300 tons, the Lorna Doone, has been added
since this was was written.
t Silver has lately been found to exist also.
C 2
CHAPTER III.
Kuching Society The Club A musements The Sarawak
Gazette The Bazaar Health of Kuching Life in Kuching
Rats Preparations for Journey to the Matang Mountain.
KUCHING, the capital of Sarawak, although
smaller than Pontianak and other Dutch settle-
ments on the coast of Borneo, is generally ac-
knowledged to be the first town in Borneo so
far as civilisation and comfort are concerned, and
is renowned for its Bazaar, which is the best-
built and cleanest in the island. There are two
good roads extending at right angles from the
town to a distance of seven miles each, at which
point they are united by a third. These form a
pleasant drive or ride, an amusement unknown in
most Bornean townships, where the jungle and
undergrowth are usually so dense as to defy any
attempts at walking, to say nothing of riding or
driving.
The number of Europeans in Kuching, although
limited, and consisting of but some twenty in all
(five of whom are ladies), form a pleasant little
coterie, and there is a marked absence of the
On the Equator. 37
scandal and squabbling which generally seems in-
separable from any place wherein a limited number
of our countrymen and women are assembled. The
occasional presence of an English or Dutch man-of-
war, also, breaks the monotony of life, and enlivens
matters considerably.
The Club, a comfortable stone building, was
founded by the Government a few years ago, and
contains bed-rooms for the use of out-station
officers when on a visit to Kuching. A lawn-
tennis ground and bowling alley are attached to
it, and serve to kill the time, which, however,
rarely hung heavily on our hands in this cheerful
little place.
Riding and driving are but still in their infancy,
and Kuching boasted of only some dozen horses
and four carriages including a sporting little
tandem of Deli (Sumatra) ponies, owned by the
Resident. The Deli pony is a rare-shaped little
animal, standing from 13 hands to 13.2, with im-
mense strength, and very fast. They would be
worth their weight in gold in Europe, and an enter-
prising Dutch merchant lately shipped a cargo of
them to Amsterdam from Singapore, via the Suez
Canal, with what result I never ascertained. A
new road was being cut when we were there
from Kuching to Penrisen, a mountain some thirty
miles off, which, when completed, may bring a few
38 On the Equator.
more horses here ; but Borneo (except far north)
can never become a riding or driving country.
Kuching has its newspaper, which is published
fortnightly, in the English language, and brought
out under the editorship of the Postmaster. This
journal contains, among other subjects, the doings
of the law courts, reports from the various Resi-
dencies, and arrivals and departures of ships, with
occasionally an interesting account of a journey in-
land made by the Resident of one of the up-coast
districts. The Sarawak Gazette was organised in
1871, and will form an interesting history of the
country in years to come.
But the most interesting and novel sight in
Kuching is its Bazaar, which is built in arcades
a la Rue de Rivoli, the shops therein belonging
chiefly to Chinamen, excepting three or four held
by Indians. Birmingham and Manchester furnish
these emporiums to a large extent, the article find-
ing most favour with the natives in the edible line
being Huntley & Palmer's biscuits, which are im-
ported to Kuching in great quantities. All kinds
of brass and crockery-ware, cheap cloth (shoddy),
Sheffield cutlery, imitation jewellery, gongs, &c.,
form the greater part of the goods for sale ; but
I was surprised, my first walk down the Bazaar, at
the great number of large china jars exposed for
sale, four or five of these standing at nearly every
On the Equator. 39
door. I subsequently found that these are held in
great esteem by the Dyaks, and I afterwards sav
some in their houses that the owners refused
300 dols. (;6o) for ! The latter were, however,
bond fide ones, some 400 years old, and came
from China. Worthless imitations have been sent
out from England and Holland of late years, but
they proved a bad speculation to the importers,
for the Dyak is, in his way, as good a judge of
jars as the veriest chinamaniac at home of Sevres
or Dresden.
The Chinese are, as I have said, the principal
householders in the Bazaar, the richest among
them being the Brothers Ken-Wat, a firm trading
in gutta, gold-dust, and diamonds, with Singapore
and China. Borneo has ever been famous for its
diamonds, and, although scarce in quantity, I have
heard good judges affirm that they are the finest
in quality of any in the world. Some large stones
have been found in Sarawak territory, and, only
lately, one was discovered by a Chinaman, and
sold to Government, weighing 87 carats.
The silver coinage in use in Sarawak is the
Mexican dollar, but the copper coinage of cents
and half-cents bear the head of the Raja.
A walk under the arcades of the Bazaar in the
busy part of the day (11.30 a.m.) is well repaid by
the curious spectacle presented thronged as it is
4O On the Equator.
with the quaint dark blue dresses of the Chinese
and the gaudy, rainbow-hued garments of the
Malays, while now and again a land Dyak from up
river may be seen, clad in his " chawat " (waist-
band) and turban, evidently quite out of his ele-
ment, and half-scared at the busy scene around him.
The public health of Kuching, which has a
mixed population of 20,000, is good, notwith-
standing a severe outbreak of cholera which oc-
curred in 1877 and carried off a great number of
the inhabitants ; and the climate, for a tropical
one, is exceptionally healthy. Although the mid-
day heat is during six months in the year ex-
cessive, the nights are nearly always cool, for a
day seldom passes without a squall of wind and
rain during the latter part of the afternoon, which
clears the atmosphere. Consumption is unknown
in Sarawak ; and an English officer who came out
to join the government service, afflicted with this
complaint, completely recovered after a residence of
three years in the country. Indeed, if due atten-
tion be paid to diet, and the excessive use of stimu-
lants avoided, a long period may elapse in this
climate without returning home to recruit ; and
there is now an officer living in Kuching who has
not been out of the place for eighteen years,
and who is in as good health as when he left
Europe.
On the Equator. 41
Our days at Kuching slipped pleasantly by.
A plunge in the large Astana swimming-bath at
dawn began the day ; after which, our light
breakfast of coffee, eggs, and fruit over, we would
go across river for a ride or stroll out with a gun ;
and during my morning's walk past the neat
town and bungalows, the latter surrounded with
their pretty gardens and trim hedges, I often
thought of what poor old Muda Hasim would
think could he arise from his grave and compare
Kuching the modern with the Kuching of forty
years ago half a dozen Malay houses on a mud
bank!
Dejetmer a lafourchette over, a siesta and cigar
would be indulged in till five o'clock, when a ride
or rattling set-to at lawn tennis, followed by a re-
freshing bath, prepared one for dinner the more
enjoyable for the violent exercise that had preceded
it. Such was our daily life in Kuching, and one
that I shall ever look back upon with pleasure.
But the loveliest countries have their little
drawbacks, Sarawak not excepted. Mosquitoes
and sand-flies are not, although very numerous,
the worst evils in the land, for I was startled, my
first night in Kuching, while lying half-awake in
bed, to feel something cold and slimy run across
my chest. Thinking it was a snake, I was out
of bed like (to use a Yankee expression)
42 On the Equator.
" greased lightning," and was not a little re-
lieved to find that the cause of the mischief was
only a "chik-chak," or common lizard of the
country, which was larger than usual in this case,
being nearly a foot long.
But the true curses of Sarawak are the rats.
Go where you will, avoid them as you may, there
is not a bungalow that is not infested with them,
and boots, shirts, and even cigars, suffer in con-
sequence. No sooner in bed, and the lights out,
than their gambols commence, and they sometimes
make such a noise as to keep one awake for the
greater part of the night. I have sometimes gone
out to the verandah, thinking I heard men's foot-
steps, and found it to be rats, who fled at my
approach. These pests occasionally migrate at
night in large numbers, several hundred of them
on one occasion passing through the Raja's bed-
room at Astana on one of these nocturnal expe-
ditions. Nor are mosquito curtains a guard
against them, for an out - station officer at
Simanggang, on the Batang Lupar river, woke
up one night to find a huge grey rascal sitting
on his chest and endeavouring to make a hearty
meal off his jersey.
To get rid of rats is, therefore, well-nigh impos-
sible, though a plan adopted by some Europeans
of keeping a boa-constrictor between the roofs
On the Equator. 43
and ceilings of their bungalows is the most
effectual.
There are many snakes in Borneo, but none,
with the exception of the cobra, are deadly. Cen-
tipedes and scorpions are common, and the Taran-
tula spider is also occasionally, though rarely, met
with.
After nearly a fortnight's stay in the capital, we
made preparations for an excursion to Matang, of
which we wished to make the ascent, and whither
we were about to accompany Mr. H., who was for-
merly agent of the Raja's coffee estate, half-way up
the mountain.
CHAPTER IV.
Travel in Borneo Travelling Boats Leave for Matang Our
Crew Alligators Mosquitoes Matang Bungalow The
Garden Ascend the Mountain The Waterfall A Nasty
Jump View from the Summit Snakes Return to
Kuching.
TRAVELLING in the south-western districts of
Borneo, and indeed generally throughout the
island, excepting in the far north and interior,
is done in boats, the density of its forests and
swampy nature of the ground rendering journeys
overland in most parts of the territory next to im-
possible. Jungle paths there are, running inland
to native houses, and " padi " (rice) clearings, as
well as one or two native roads of considerable
length, such as the one leading from Lundu, in
Sarawak, to the Dutch settlement of Sambas, a
distance of twenty-eight miles ; but the walking is
very severe, and the journey but seldom attempted
except by Dyaks.
Its rivers may therefore be said to be the high-
ways of Sarawak, and, fortunately for the traveller,
it is a well-watered country. The Rejang, Batang
On the Equator. 45
Lupar, and Sarawak rivers are the largest, while
among many other smaller streams are the Sadong,
Saribus, Kalaka, Eyan, Muka, and Oya ; the three
latter, although small, are very important, as they
run through the sago districts, where are large
forests of that palm.
The travelling boats used by Europeans are
propelled by means of paddles, and vary con-
siderably in size, from those pulled by six or eight
men, to those having a crew of thirty or forty,
some of the Dyak war canoes holding as many as
eighty men. The latter are used only on expe-
ditions against the enemy. The ordinary travelling
boat is roofed over from stem to stern with " kad-
jangs," or dried palm-leaf awnings, having a space
in the centre some 8 feet long or more, according
to the size of the boat, walled in on each side with
the same material, the better to exclude the fierce
rays of the sun. Herein sits, or rather lies, the
traveller, the lowness of the awning (which is re-
movable) precluding any other position. Boxed up
in this manner, but little can be seen of the sur-
rounding country, but as in Sarawak one river is
so precisely alike another this is no great loss. In
the interior, however, the scenery improves, and is
much finer, as I shall presently show.
A short journey in this style is pleasant
enough, but when the unhappy traveller has to
46 On the Equator.
live, and cook, &c., for days together in one of
these craft it becomes very irksome and trying
to the temper. Moreover, the smell from the
remnants of the crew's meals, such as stale fish
and decayed fruit and vegetables which they
will not take the trouble to throw overboard, but
invariably drop under the " lanties " or bamboo
deck is well-nigh insupportable.
We left Kuching on the 4th of June for
Matang, intending to make the ascent of Sorapi,
the highest peak of the Matang range. The tide
not serving further, Santubong was to be our
resting-place that night, and we were to proceed
on our journey early the following morning.
Matang, though only eight miles from Kuching
in a straight line, is fully thirty by river, the
stream which runs past the landing-place at
Matang having its outlet at Santubong. It was
once intended by the Sarawak Government to
make a road from Kuching to the mountain, but
on being surveyed the intermediate country was
found to contain a deep swamp four miles across,
so the project was abandoned.
Our craft on this occasion was pulled by a
crew of six men, and, though small, was, thanks
to Mr. H. (who accompanied us), replete with
every comfort. On our way down river, H.
pointed us out his crew with pride as being all
On the Equator. 47
prisoners, who, although he never took a gaoler
with him, had never once taken advantage of him
for three years, during which time he had made
several trips.
Three of these men were in for murder, and
H.'s own body-servant, who cooked our meals,
waited on us. He was working out a sentence
of fifteen years for the murder of a Chinaman,
whose head he had one day conceived a desire
to possess, which desire he had promptly gratified !
This man was a " Kayan," a tribe inhabiting the
interior of Borneo, of whom more anon.
By six o'clock that evening we were at Santubong,
and cast anchor a short distance from the shore,
but were soon left high and dry on the sands by the
receding tide. Stepping on to the beach, L. and I
set out for a stroll on the sea-shore and a dip in
the sea before dinner, leaving H. to superintend
the culinary operations in the boat. He warned us
ere we started to beware, when bathing, of sharks
and alligators, which swarm here.
There has ever been something most repulsive
to me about the latter, who, when they have seized
their prey, human or otherwise, do not at once
devour it, but stow it away in their nests under
water for two or three days until the flesh be-
comes decomposed, when they return to their
hideous meal. Alligators do not attain a very
48 On the Equator.
large size in Borneo, ranging from loto 15 feet long
only. The offer by the Sarawak Government of
30 cents, per foot, when captured, has greatly
decreased their number in most of the rivers.
An amusing anecdote is told of an enterprising
Malay fisherman, who, when these rewards were
first offered, established a " farm " at the mouth of
one of the rivers, killing them when they grew to
their full size, and claiming the money for their
capture. This did not last long, however, and the
" wily Oriental's " ingenuity was nipped in the bud
by a punishment that has deterred other natives
from following his bad example. It is a curious
fact that the eggs of alligators are invariably
found in the following numbers 11, 22, 33, 44,
55, 66, &c.
The following story, which, had it not been
told me by the Resident of the district wherein
it had occurred, and published in the Gazette, I
should have greatly doubted, may interest the
reader :
Two Malay children, the elder a girl, aged seven
and four years, were playing at low tide on a mud
bank close to their dwelling, and some 15 yards
from the water, when an alligator, which had ad-
vanced unperceived, seized the younger, and was
making for the water with the child in its jaws.
The little girl, on seeing this, had the presence
On the Equator. 49
of mind to leap on the animal's back and
plunge her fingers into its eyes, when it instantly
dropped the child unhurt, and made off into the
river.
We enjoyed a cool and refreshing- dip in the
sea, and it was almost dark ere we left the water
to return to the boat. A light was placed in her
little cabin, which shone like a firefly over the
sands, giving promise of good things within, to
which we were shortly doing justice, in the shape
of an excellent fowl curry (prepared by the mur-
derer), washed down by a bottle of claret cool and
fresh from the spring on shore, where it had
been placed on arrival. The night was beautiful
and starlight, and, our repast over, the awning
was removed, and we sat out enjoying our cigars
in the cool night breeze blowing in fresh and
strong from the sea. The quiet ripple of the
waves as they broke on the sandy beach had a
soothing effect very favourable to reflection (and
baccy), and the lights of the little fishing village
twinkling at the foot of the black and rugged peak
of Santubong which rose to a height of 1,500 feet
above our heads, and behind which the moon was
just rising presented a fine and uncommon picture.
But, alas ! our enjoyment, like many others in
this world, was of short duration, and received a
severe shock from a sudden exclamation by H. of
D
50 On the Equator.
" By Jove ! we have forgotten mosquito curtains !
We shall be eaten alive ! " It was too true. In the
hurry of departure, and forgetting that we were to
pass a night at the mouth, we had left them be-
hind, knowing that on Matang mosquitoes are
unknown. There was no help for it, however, and,
our cigars finished, we turned in with a foreboding
that sleep that night was not for us. Nor were we
wrong in our conjecture, for no sooner were we
wrapped in our blankets, and the lights out, than
the enemy, mosquitoes and sandflies for the latter
of which Santubong is famous attacked us in
myriads. We eventually gave it up as a bad job
about eleven p.m., lit our lamps, and waited for day-
light, when the cold land breeze came and dis-
persed these pests, leaving us a couple of hours'
sleep ere we should start with the morning tide.
The morning was bright and sunny, and, start-
ing at seven, we were entering the Matang stream
which runs past the Bungalow landing-stage at
eleven o'clock a.m. Our destination was reached
at one p.m., and, loading our amiable crew with
baggage and provisions, we started off up the
mountain for the bungalow, which was reached,
after a rather severe climb, at three o'clock.
There was formerly a coffee estate on Matang
belonging to the Raja. This was started in 1868,
but the coffee, though good in quality, grew in
On the Equator. 51
such small quantities that it was deemed advisable
to abandon the scheme, and this was accordingly
done in 1873. The bungalow, however, which
was built in the same year is still kept up as a
sanitarium a great boon to the Europeans in
Kuching, as the climate here is delightful, the
temperature at night never exceeding 80 even in
the hottest season. The bungalow, which stands
about 1,000 feet above sea level, is a comfortable
wooden house, containing a sitting-room and three
good bed-rooms. It stands on the sheer mountain
side, the jungle for 100 feet or so below it having
been completely cleared, and replaced by a pretty
garden, built in five terraces one below the other,
and containing roses, honeysuckles, sweetbriar, and
many English flowers that would not live a day on
the plains below.
It was barely daybreak the next morning ere
we were awoke by H., and, hastily swallowing a
biscuit and cup of coffee, we set out for the sum-
mit. Our road for the first half-mile lay through
the old coffee clearing, and the path was easy
enough, which was, perhaps, lucky, as everything
was enveloped in a dense mist issuing from the
valley below, which rendered objects quite in-
visible ten yards off. By six o'clock, however, the
sun was shining so brightly that we were not sorry
to leave the open and enter the forest, from which
D 2
52 On the Equator.
we should not now emerge until we attained the
summit.
To arrive at the foot of the Sirapi mountain
two distinct ridges must be ascended and descended,
and after an hour's hard walking (though nothing
to what we were coming to), we descended the
second ridge, into the valley, and arrived at the
waterfall, which here descends the mountain from
a height of some 600 feet.
Seating ourselves on a huge black boulder over-
hanging the fall, we paused here for a while to
regain our breath, of which we should shortly stand
so much in need, for up till now the work had
been child's play compared with what was coming.
The most striking thing about this valley was
its dense gloom, the huge forest-trees of Tapang,
Pli, and other kinds, excluding every ray of light,
excepting where here and there a bright patch of
blue sky peeped in through the thick trellis- work
of branches overhead. Beautiful palms, kladiums,
and tree ferns, grew in profusion around us, and
rare orchids filled the air with their sweet per-
fumes. Strangely enough not a bird, or living
thing, was to be seen in this lovely glen, and the
solemn stillness which reigned, broken only by
the plash of the water as it fell from rock to rock,
was almost oppressive.
We could have lingered here willingly for an
On the Equator. 53
hour, but our guide was inexorable, and " forward "
was again the cry. Climbing now commenced in
real earnest, for, leaving the old track altogether,
we began the sheer ascent of the mountain. Dense
undergrowths and sharp rocks impeded our every
step, and cut our feet cruelly, while, every now and
then, a fall flat on the face was the result of mis-
placed confidence in a fallen tree trunk, which had
become rotten from the ravages of ants or other
insects. Falling any considerable height was, how-
ever, scarcely possible, as the binders and under-
growth, which tore our clothes and scratched our
faces, legs, and arms, unmercifully, prevented that.
After three-quarters of an hour of this work
which in a tropical climate, with the thermometer
something like 90 in the shade, was no joke we
again struck on the old path, which, though now
completely overgrown, we determined to follow for
a short time. With injunctions from H. to "hold
on by our eyelids," and " 'ware holes " where the
path had given way, we proceeded along this track
about three feet wide, whence descended a sheer
precipice of at least 2,000 feet. Glancing upwards,
however, we could see that the neck of the journey
was broken, and, encouraged by this, we went ahead
merrily. But our pride was destined to have a
fall. L. and I were proceeding alone, H. having
stopped behind to secure an orchid, when, on turn-
54 On the Equator.
ing a corner, we were brought up " all standing."
About ten paces in front of us was an enormous
landslip. It had commenced about 150 feet above
the track, and, carrying huge rocks and trees
with it, had swept down to the base of the moun-
tain, demolishing the path on which we stood,
and leaving a smooth, perpendicular precipice of
earth, rocks, and trees, to mark its course. Going
round was impossible, for it had left a gap about
twelve feet wide, while under us yawned the dread
c^ulf, a fall down which must have been fatal.
Over this chasm lay a thin bamboo pole about a
foot in circumference, evidently thrown over the
chasm, and crossed by some native, for Dyaks and
Malays are as active as cats, and in feats of this
kind know no fear.
This mode of transit seemed to us, however, out
of the question, and we were lamenting our bad
luck in having to return without having reached the
summit, when H. came up. Without a moment's
hesitation, and merely remarking " rather an awk-
ward place," he crossed the pole, while it swayed
and oscillated with every movement he made, in a
way that made my blood run cold. Having seen
him over safely, there was no help for it but to
follow, and, dissembling a feeling within me very
much akin to what schoolboys denominate " funk,"
I determined to jump for it, but cross that infernal
On the Equator. 55
stick never ! Consigning Matang and all things
connected with it to a considerably warmer sphere
than Borneo, I "threw my heart over" and fol-
lowed it a run, a wild bound in the air, a scramble,
and I was over, L. almost jumping on my back,
and both being ignominiously hauled out of danger
by H., who showed no more interest in the whole
affair than he would have done in crossing Piccadilly !
This little adventure over, matters were easy
enough, until within a short distance of the sum-
mit. It then became terrible work. Tearing and
struggling through masses of briars and thorns, cut
about the feet by sharp rocks, and having literally
to pull ourselves upwards by tree trunks and
branches, on we went, until a shrill yell from L.
gave us a happy excuse for a halt. He had been
bitten by a " sumut api," or fire-ant, the pain of
whose bite is intense, and strongly resembles the
running of a red-hot needle into the flesh.
" Never mind," said H., " you won't feel it in a
minute." We resume the climb, and I am just
beginning to be aware that very few minutes
more of this work will sew me up altogether,
when, O joyful sound ! a faint cry from H., who
is some distance ahead, comes back to us.
" Hurrah ! here's the top ! " Panting and ex-
hausted, we at length reach the summit, and
throw ourselves on the ground dead beat.
56 On the Equator.
When sufficiently recovered in wind and limb
to get up and look around us, we feel that double
the hard work undergone would have been amply
repaid by the magnificent view now disclosed
to us.
Far away in front of us, surrounded by an in-
terminable forest of jungle, lies Gunong Poe, the
south-west boundary of Sarawak, while behind it
again rise the long low hills of Sambas, in Dutch
Borneo. Stretching far out to sea, and to the
right of Poe, is the long spit of land, or pro-
montory, known as " Tanjong Api," on this side
of which lies the mountain of " Gading," or
Mount Brooke, in Sarawak territory. Nearer to
us again are Santubong and Moratabas, and far
down the coast the Sadong mountains, the home
of the Mias or orang utan of Borneo.
We can plainly trace the course of the Sara-
wak river, which looks from here like a thin silver
thread, as it winds its way past Kuching, its
white houses glittering in the sunshine. The moun-
tains of Singgi and Cerambo are plainly dis-
cernible, as also the sharp rugged hills of Legora,
where the cinnabar and antimony mines are ; while
farthest away of any on the dim horizon, we can
distinguish the island of Burong, at the mouth of
the Batang Lupar, and the flat-topped mountain
of Lingga, where the Sarawak Mission has esta-
On the Equator. 57
blished its headquarters. The sky was cloudless,
and H. told us that never before had he been able
to procure such a good view from the summit.
We enjoyed the fresh breeze at the top for half
an hour, and then commenced our descent, avoid-
ing the landslip, and reached the waterfall in a
little over the hour. Pausing here for a few minutes
to rest, and quench our thirst, we resumed our
journey, and reached the bungalow at midday
none the worse, with the exception of leech-bites
and cut feet, for the climb. Remarking to H. on
the extraordinary number of snakes I had noticed
on the way up, he informed me that Matang is
famed for them, and that, on rising one morning
at the bungalow we were then in, he discovered
a cobra eight feet long, curled up asleep under his
pillow. It had evidently been there all night, and,
not best pleased at the interruption, was crawling
away when a bullet from H.'s revolver cut short its
career.
We stayed two days more at the bungalow,
after which we returned to our quarters at Kuch-
ing, not a little pleased at having accomplished the
ascent of " Sirapi."
CHAPTER V.
The Rejang Residency Wild Tribes of the Interior Start for
Rejang Timber Ships Sibu Attack by Katibus A Dinner
Party The Fireship Kanowit "Jok" Kanowits' Dwel-
lings Human Heads " Bones " and " Massa Johnson."
SARAWAK is divided into six districts or Resi-
dencies, each of which is under the supervision and
control of a European Government officer. The
latter, who is stationed at the fort established at
the principal town of the district, is styled the
Resident, and settles law cases, receives revenue,
&c. ; the entire Residency being under his control.
These districts are as follows : (i) Sarawak
proper (comprising Kuching) ; (2) Rejang ; (3)
Batang Lupar ; (4) Muka ; (5) Bintulu ; (6) Lundu.
The Rejang Residency, whither we were now
about to make an expedition, contains the largest
and most important river in Sarawak, having a
draught of five fathoms for a distance of over 130
miles from the mouth. The exports of Rejang
are many, the principal ones being gutta-percha,
rattans, and bilian wood. A curious article of
export, which is found only in this river, is the
On the Equator. 59
Galega, or Bezoar stone. This is a perfectly hard
light green substance, very much the size and
shape of a thrush's egg, which is found in the
interior of a peculiar species of monkey inhabiting
Rejang. The Bezoar stone, which is supposed to be
caused by disease in the animal, takes a beautiful
polish, and is used as a charm by the Malays, but
the majority are sent to China, where they fetch
their weight in gold, being held in great esteem by
the Chinese, who use them as a drug.
The races dwelling on the banks of this great
river are very numerous, varying from the totally
wild and wandering Ukits at its head to the
Malay and Milano races inhabiting its shores from
Sibu to the mouth. The population of Rejang is
roughly estimated at 103,000, but the difficulties
of obtaining anything like an accurate census are
obvious. The number I have given comprises
40,000 Dyaks (including the Katibus and Kanowit
tribes), 30,000 Milanos, 30,000 Kayans, and 3,000
Malays the latter do not live above Sibu.
There are also other tribes of totally different
language and customs to the above, whose number
it has been found impossible to ascertain. Of
these I shall give an Account anon.
The Dyaks (who are the principal indigenous
race in this part of Borneo) may be classed as
follows : (i) the Sea Dyak ; (2) the Land Dyak.
60 On the Equator.
The sea Dyaks are so called from their inhabit-
ing the sea-coast east of the Sadong district, as far
as the Rejang river, though some are to be occa-
sionally met with far inland. These, who are the
most numerous of any Dyaks, are at the same time
the bravest and most warlike, and in former days
xvere greatly addicted to piracy and head hunting.
They are of a dark copper colour, and although
not tall men are wonderfully strong and well-built,
and will endure a great amount of fatigue. They
are also endowed with great courage, and are very
skilful in the use of weapons, especially the Parang
Hang* and spear. This tribe has been found by
missionaries to possess some small amount of
religion, inasmuch as they believe in the existence
of a Supreme Being, Batara, who made this earth
and now governs it. They believe, also, in good
and evil spirits, who dwell in the jungles and moun-
tains. Sickness, death, and every kind of mis-
fortune, are attributed to the latter, while Batara is
the accredited author of every blessing.
The land Dyaks are inferior, both morally and
physically, to the sea Dyaks. These occupy a
portion of the Landu district, with Sarawak proper,
Samarahau, and Sadong, and in colour only are
* A sword (convex and concave) about 2$ feet long, which is
made by the Dyaks. The hilt is of ivory or bone, and ornamented
with human hair.
On the Equator. 61
similar to the sea Dyaks. The land Dyak is much
shorter and weaker in frame, and is also far less
skilled in the use of arms. Cowardly, weak, and
decimated by sickness, this race had up to the
accession of Sir James Brooke in 1840, led a life
of slavery and oppression. Since the establish-
ment of the Raja's government, however, their
state has greatly improved, although they are
even yet a wretched set of people, having none of
the nobler instincts or courage characterising their
brethren of the sea. The years they have passed
in oppression may account for this, as also the
continual state of poverty and sickness in which
they exist, their villages being seldom entirely free
from dysentery or small-pox, while nearly all are
more or less afflicted with korrip, a loathsome skin
disease peculiar to the Dyak. The religion of the
land Dyaks consists solely in superstitious observ-
ances, and they are given up to the fear of ghosts.
Physical evils, such as poverty, sickness, &c., they
try to avert by sacrifices, such as the killing of
goats, pigs, &c., which they offer to these spirits.
Their belief in a future state is that when a man
dies he becomes an autu, or ghost, and lives in the
forests.
Of the other races inhabiting Sarawak, and
especially the Rejang district, may be mentioned
the Kayans, a powerful tribe living at the head
62 On the Equator.
of the Rejang river, and occupying the vast tract
of land between it and the territory of the Sultan
of Brunei in North Borneo ; the Kanowits, who
take their name from the stream of that name,
which rises in the Batang Lupar Residency, and
runs into the Rejang ; and the Poonans, Pakatans,
Sians, and Ukits, the latter of whom are acknow-
ledged to be the wildest of the human race yet
met with in Borneo. Of these tribes, all with the
exception of the Ukits are tattooed, unlike the
Dyaks, who look upon the practice with contempt,
and say that they have no need to disfigure
their faces to frighten their enemies. A curious
mixture of the Dyak and Malay races are the
Milanoes. These occupy the sea-coast and Oya,
Muka, and Bintulu rivers. The custom (similar
to that of the Indians on the Mosquito shore) of
flattening their children's heads is prevalent among
them.
We were fortunate enough to choose the right
time for our expedition to the Rejang. The gun-
boat Aline was leaving Kuching for Sibu, the
residence of the officer in charge of Rejang, in a
week's time after our return from Matang, with
instructions to him to proceed to Kapit, 200 miles
up river in the interior, without delay, as a small
wooden fort was being erected at that place, and
required supervision. Such an opportunity was
On the Equator. 63
not to be lost, and we gladly availed ourselves of
the Raja's offer to accompany the expedition.
Such a journey undertaken at our own cost and
responsibility would have been next to impossible,
for, apart from the danger of travelling among
unknown tribes without a guide, we should have
lost all the valuable information we were able to
obtain from the Resident. Of the Dyak language
I had a slight knowledge, but this is practically
useless at Kapit and in the interior, the natives
around being, both in language and customs,
totally unlike Dyaks.
Daybreak on the i6th of June saw us on board
the Aline, en route for Sibu. Arrived at the latter
place, we were to leave the Aline and proceed in
the little launch Ghita ; for although, as I have
said, the Rejang is navigable for large vessels for
a distance of over 150 miles, the stream above
Kanowit (our first halting-place after Sibu) being
very swift, renders it dangerous for ships of any
size.
We arrived off the mouth after a pleasant run
of seven hours along the coast, and entered the
river Rejang, which is here four miles broad. On
the right bank stands the little village of Rejang,
and lying off it was a large Portuguese sailing
vessel, loading " bilian " or iron wood. This is
a tedious business. The wood is cut a con-
64 On the Equator.
siderable distance up river and floated down in
rafts, an operation which sometimes detains a ship
here for three or four months. Deaths are
frequent on board these timber ships, as the
country for miles round is one dismal mangrove
swamp, and very productive of fever. A great
quantity of this timber is exported yearly to China
direct from Rejang, and it must be a lucrative
speculation for the shippers, as the cost is merely a
nominal charge of I dol. per ton to Government,
and it fetches a considerable price in the Chinese
market.
We anchored at sundown off Sarikei, a lonely-
looking place, twenty miles from the mouth,
consisting of four or five tumble-down Malay
houses on a mud bank, and starting next day at
daybreak reached our destination at ten o'clock
a.m.
Sibu is a clean-looking Malay town of some
30,000 inhabitants. All Malays living here are
exempt from taxation on condition that they are
liable to be called out by Government in the event
of any disturbance among the up-river tribes.
The Fort and Bazaar stand on an island in the
centre of the river, which is here about one and
a half miles broad, and are connected with the town
on the right bank by a wooden bridge. " Fort
Brooke," as it is styled, is built in a pentagon of
On the Equator. 65
solid bilian planks, about 12 feet high ; a sloping
wooden roof reaching down to within 2 J feet of the
plank wall. This interval is guarded by a strong
trellis-work, so that when the fort door is shut the
building is rendered perfectly secure against any
native attack. The Resident's and fortmen's
quarters are reached by a ladder inside the fort
about eight feet high, while the ground floor is used
as a kitchen, rice-store, &c. Fort Brooke is gar-
risoned by sixteen Malays, and armed with six nine-
pounders. All forts in Sarawak are built of the
same materials and on the same model as the
above, excepting that at Kuching, which is of stone,
and much larger.
A daring attempt was made by the Katibus
tribe eight years since to capture Fort Brooke, but
although taken by surprise, the Resident and his
handful of men drove them back with great ease,
killing eight of their number, and shooting their
chief with his own hand. The fort was attacked
(as is the invariable Dyak custom) just before day-
light, and the enemy were estimated to number
about 150.
The Resident, who was not starting for Kapit
until seven the following morning, asked us to dine,
the evening of our arrival, at his quarters ; where
we found that, although in the wilds of Borneo, he
(an old Garibaldian) managed to make himself
E
66 On the Equator.
uncommonly comfortable. An excellent dinner,
washed down by some champagne well cooled in
saltpetre, is no mean fare for the jungle, and it was
late ere we returned on board the Aline, which was
lying in mid-stream.
A slight headache the next morning (which
warned us that Irish whiskey on the top of cham-
pagne is not the most wholesome thing to drink in
the tropics) was soon dispelled by a cup of hot
coffee, and we were on board the Ghita by seven
o'clock. The Resident was even at that early hour
aboard and awaiting us, and the little launch was
soon steaming merrily away up river. Kanowit was
to be our halt for that night, as the Resident had
some business of importance to transact there,
and travelling on the Rejang at night is unsafe.
The scenery up the river for some hours after
leaving Sibu presents the same flat uninteresting
appearance as we had passed from the mouth to
Sibu, the landscape being unbroken by hill or
habitation of any kind, and newspapers and books
that we had brought with us from Kuching, proved
in great demand as the journey for the first few
hours was sadly monotonous. Towards four o'clock
in the afternoon, however, the scenery entirely
changed, and books were discarded to look at
the really beautiful country we were passing
through, the narrowing of the stream to about
On the Equator. 67
500 yards broad, and the swiftness of the stream
indicating that we were approaching Kanowit.
The powerful current rushed by so rapidly, that
the little Ghita had hard work to make any head-
way, and the " snags," or huge pieces of timber,
that whirled past us, gave the steersman plenty
of work in keeping the launch clear of them.
The dense jungle here gave place to green park-
like plains, broken by a succession of undulating
hills, not unlike Rhine scenery. Several Dyak
habitations were now passed, which gave evidence
of Kanowits being near, their inmates thronging to
the water's edge for a look at the fire-ship, a rare
and novel sight to them.
At five o'clock we rounded the bend that hid it
from our view, and came in sight of the little white
fort and village of Kanowit, about a mile distant
at the end of the reach we were entering, No
sooner had we entered the latter than we were
observed by the natives, and could distinguish
them, through our glasses, shoving off from the
bank in four or five large canoes, and paddling
towards us. Their boats are all built flat-bottomed
for greater facility in shooting rapids, and were
each manned by a crew of ten or twelve men,
who presented a curious spectacle their faces and
bodies completely covered with tattooing, their
long black locks streaming in the wind, and bright
E 2
68 On tJie Equator.
brass ornaments flashing in the sun. As they
came alongside us they brandished their paddles
and yelled this being meant as a welcome to the
Resident and, although the Ghita was going at
full speed, they laid hold of her bulwarks and
commenced clambering on board in such numbers
that the little launch's deck was soon so crowded as
to offer scarcely standing room, and we should have
shortly had to beat a retreat to the cabin had
not their chief " Jok " arrived, and sent the
majority back into their canoes with more force
than ceremony.
The Kanowits are a small tribe, numbering
about 500, and are quite distinct and totally unlike
any other race in Borneo. They have not un-
pleasant features, are of lighter complexion than
the Dyaks, and, though not so warlike, are fine,
strongly-built men. Nearly all were tattooed from
head to foot with most intricate patterns, and
others representing birds, beasts, fishes, &c., while
round the face and throat the marks were made in
imitation of a beard, an ornament which none of
the tribes yet met with in Borneo possess.
Their chief " Jok," who is a well-known cha-
racter in Sarawak, may be taken as an example of
the way in which the rest of the tribe were clothed :
a cloth turban of gaudy colours constituted Jok's
head-dress, from under which, and down to his
On the Equator. 69
waist, streamed his long black hair. Through his
ears were thrust, points outwards, a pair of wild
boar's tusks, and from the top to the lobe of the
ears about a dozen small brass ear-rings were
secured. A linen waist-cloth was Jok's only gar-
ment, while around his waist was slung the deadly
" Parang ilang," its sheath ornamented with tufts
of human hair, trophies of the wearer's prowess
on the war-path, for Jok's bravery is renowned
throughout the Rejang district. Jok was tattooed
from head to foot so thickly as to cause his
body to look at a distance of a light blue
colour, but a very small portion of his face,
around the nose and eyes, being left au naturel.
The remainder of the tribe were unarmed, as it
is made a strict rule in Sarawak that on enter-
ing a fort or Government gunboat all arms, ex-
cepting in the case of a chief, shall be left behind.
Arrived off the village, we cast anchor for the
night off the fort, and at the mouth of the
Kanowit stream. Kanowit village consists of
three long houses, built on wooden posts about
40 feet high. They are so built for the purposes
of defence, and it is no uncommon thing in
Bornean travel to come across a whole village
living under one roof. The longest of these
dwellings that I have ever seen was when
travelling up the Baram River (North Borneo), in
70 On the Equator.
1873, about 170 miles in the interior. This was a
house, 103 yards long, which contained the whole
village, consisting of about sixty families.
Fort Emma stands on the opposite side of the
river to the village, and is in charge of a sepoy and
four Malays. It is on a good position, armed with
three small guns, and commands the village and
entrance to the Kanowit stream. It was on this
spot that Messrs. Fox and Steele (then in charge of
the station) were brutally murdered by the Kano-
wits in 1859 ; but ever since the terrible vengeance
that followed, on the part of the Government,
the tribe have always been among the firmest
allies of the Raja.
We visited Jok's dwelling in the cool of the
evening. As all houses belonging to the more
civilised indigenous races in Borneo are built on
the same principle as Jok's, a description of this
will suffice for all.
The houses (as I have said) are built on
wooden posts driven firmly into the ground, and
ranging from thirty to forty feet high, according
to the size of the dwelling. They are entered by a
wooden pole, placed in a slanting position, at one
end of the building, having notches cut into it to
afford firmer foothold. This pole can be drawn into
the house on occasion, thus cutting off all com-
with the outside. The interior of the
On the Equator. 71
house (which in this case was over seventy yards
long, by about thirty yards broad) was divided by a
thin wooden partition running its entire length and
dividing it into two equal portions. On the one
side of this partition is the " ruai," or large hall,
which is the common dwelling-place of the tribe,
and on the other a series of small boxes (for
one can call them nothing else) about twelve feet
square, which are sacred to the married people.
Each of these compartments has a door of its own
leading into the " ruai," and these are taxed by
Government at I dol. a door. Overhead, again, is
the " sadow," an upper storey which runs the length
of the building, the residence of the unmarried
girls, and wherein the valuables of the tribe are
kept.
The floorings of these houses are made of split
bamboo, which offers but a precarious footing to
the unsuspecting traveller, as holes are numerous,
and a slip through would precipitate one forty
feet below. In front of the house runs a bamboo
verandah about twenty feet broad, where domestic
operations, such as cooking, padi grinding, &c., are
carried on. The roof of dried palm-leaves is a
high sloping one, and comes down to within about
foot and a half of the floor, throwing the interior
of the building into almost total darkness, even in
broad daylight.
/ 2 On the Eqtiator.
The Resident's entry was hardly a dignified
one, as he had to clamber up the pole and into the
building on all fours, drawing his body through the
small aperture hardly three feet square, which
formed the entry of the house. Once in the
" ruai," however, great preparations were made
by the inmates for his welcome. Some beauti-
fully-worked mats (in the manufacture of which
the Kanowits are very clever) were spread out on
the floor, and siri and betel-nut produced ; and
while the Resident was holding his " Bechara " (or
Court business), surrounded by a ring of admiring
natives squatted around him, L. and I slipped
away with a young Kanowit warrior, who offered
to show us round the building.
Our guide first pointed with evident pride to
the bunch of smoke-dried human heads (thirty in
number) that were hanging from a post in the
ruai, but hastened to assure us, on our ex-
amining them rather closely, that they were all
old ones, the Kanowits having a great dread of
being suspected of head - hunting. Proceeding
along the ruai, we followed our cicerone into
one of the little doors at the end, leading into
one of the small compartments of the married
people, but a pair of bare legs escaping through
the side door into the adjoining " box," warned
us that the fair occupant was evidently not at
DYAK WOMEN.
On the Equator. 73
home to us ! Bidding us sit down, however, and
await his return, our guide gave chase, and pre-
sently came back to us, dragging two females of
the tribe with him, notwithstanding their cries and
protestations to the contrary.
These women were fair specimens, as we were
afterwards informed, of the tribe, and were, like
the men, tattooed from head to foot. But for
the disgusting habit (which I shall mention anon)
of blackening their teeth and disfiguring the lobes
of their ears, they would not have been bad-
looking. They wore a light brown petticoat of
cloth woven by themselves, and reaching from
the waist to just above the knee. Their hair
was not left to fall loose, but tied tightly into a
knot at the back of their heads, very much as it
is worn in Europe at the present time. A few
brass rings round their waists and arms completed
their attire. Strangely enough, the Kanowit
women are, as a rule, darker than the men.
They lost their sense of shyness after a time,
and at length produced the inevitable siri and
penang. At the close of the interview we begged
their acceptance of a piece of Bristol bird's-eye
each, which they at once put in their mouths and
commenced chewing, and we then parted with
mutual expressions of goodwill.
We now returned to the Resident and his
74 On the Equator.
party. The shouts of laughter proceeding from
their corner of the house announced that business
was over, and that chaff and fun, so dear to the
heart of every Kanowit, was being carried on with
great gusto. As we arrived and stood by the group,
one of their number (evidently a privileged buffoon)
begged to be allowed to speak to the Resident.
T
" You remember that gun, Resident," said he, " you
gave me ? " (This was an old muzzle-loader for
which Mr. H. had had no further use.) " Oh yes,"
was the reply ; " what luck have you had with it ? "
" Oh, wonderful," said the Kanowit, " I killed four-
teen deer with one bullet out of that gun ! "
" What ! " rejoined Mr. H., " fourteen deer with
one bullet ! but that is impossible ! " " Oh no,"
replied our friend, " for I cut the bullet out each
time ! "
Roars of laughter greeted this sally, which had
evidently been some time preparing for H.'s
benefit ; and as we took our departure and crawled
down the pole, the scene so forcibly reminded me
of " Bones" and "Massa Johnson" at the St. James's
Hall that I nearly fell off it from laughing.
As we sat on deck that evening, smoking a
cigar in the bright moonlight, we could still hear
in the distance the gongs and laughter of the
jovial Kanowits celebrating the arrival of the
" fire-ship," no common occurrence in these waters.
CHAPTER VI.
Leave Kanowit Scenery War Canoes Arrive at Kapit Wild
Tribes Kayan Burials riead Feast Lat His Family
Tattooing The Sumpitan Kayan and Dyak War Dances
The Kok-goo The Bock Expedition to Central Borneo
Cannibalism Return to Kuching.
WE enjoyed a good night's rest, for the air was
deliciously cool, and the noise made by the stream
as it rushed past the sides of the little Ghita had a
very pleasant and somnolent effect. Mosquito nets
were unnecessary, none of these pests existing so
far inland ; but we were much persecuted during
the day by a large red-and-black painted fly, which
inflicts a very painful and poisonous bite, and is
very numerous on the upper Rejang.
We were up betimes, and at seven o'clock were
again under weigh, though making but slow pro-
gress against the rapid current. The river, how-
ever, widened to nearly a mile in breadth two
hours after leaving Kanowit, and we made better
way, the mouth of the Katibus stream being
passed at mid-day. This, which has evoked the
cognomen in Sarawak of the " accursed river," is
rightly so called, for it has always been a thorn
76 On the Equator.
in the side of the Government, and the tribe
(Katibus) living on its banks have given more
trouble than any in the country, for although
closely allied in manners and customs to the
Kanowits, the Katibus are a far braver race, and
less easily subdued.
The character of the country around this part
of the River Rejang is extremely beautiful, and
presents a pleasing contrast to the flat swampy
marshes which line the river below Kanowit.
Steep rocky hills here rise abruptly to a great
height from the river, the water of which was so
clear that the smallest pebble at the bottom could
be seen, although we found, on sounding, the water
to be nearly forty feet deep. Far away on the
horizon we could discern a long range of precipi-
tous, rugged mountains, on the far side of which
lay Kapit, our destination.
A large war-canoe was passed a short distance
above Katibus, containing forty or fifty men of that
tribe. They looked fine hardy fellows, and much
broader made than any natives I had yet seen in
Borneo, but were of far less pleasing countenance
and more ferocious aspect than our friends the
Kanowits, scarcely deigning to look at the launch
as we passed them, but sweeping along down
stream with a scowl on their ill-favoured features.
The bright sunny afternoon wore away rather
On the Equator. 77
monotonously, for not a living thing was to be
seen, excepting occasionally a small Dyak habi-
tation, with its small strip of clearing whereon
the owners grew their " padi " or rice. At last,
as the sun was setting like a ball of fire behind
the distant mountains, we heard the faint sound of
gongs, which announced that we were approaching
Kapit.
The country around us now became wilder,
and we entered a gorge, rocky and precipitous,
but less wooded than any part of the Rejang
we had as yet passed. The river here narrowed
considerably, and the navigation became very
dangerous, on account of the extreme swiftness
of the current, which rushed by at a tremendous
pace, carrying large snags, or pieces of timber,
with it, a blow from one of which would have
sent the little Ghita flying. The dreaded
" Makun " rapid, in which so many have lost
their lives, is not far above Kapit, and greatly
increases the dangers of ascending this part of
the river.
We now came in sight of a fleet of some 100
huge war canoes, each one containing about forty
men, who on our appearance struck up a tremen-
dous row on the gongs and drums, to give the
Resident welcome. The sound of these, mingled
with the roar of the water as it dashed through the
78 On the Equator.
ravine, had a strange and weird effect. These
people had been living above Kapit and out of
sight of the Government, eluding taxes, taking
heads, and otherwise misbehaving themselves. A
Government expedition was formed to remedy this
state of affairs, the result being their total defeat,
and the order to remove below Kapit which they
had now obeyed.
Having rounded the corner of the next reach,
we arrived off the little wooden fort which protects
the village of Kapit. The latter, however, can
scarcely be called a village, having consisted, till
quite recently, of but two large native houses.
The tribes around, as I have said, having given
great trouble of late years, it was decided to
form a Government Station, and to that end a
fine wooden fort (which at the time of our visit
was but half finished) was commenced.
The country and climate around Kapit are
quite different to other parts of Sarawak, the
former being mountainous, rocky, and free from
jungle, and the latter temperate and cool.
We landed and walked up to the Fort, which is
situated in a first-rate position on one of the many
hills overlooking the river. Although in a very
unfinished state, it contained one room nearly
completed, in which we managed to live very com-
fortably. We had scarcely arrived here half an
On tJie Equator. 79
hour ere our apartment was filled with some
of the most extraordinary mortals I have ever
beheld.
A number of tribes exist around Kapit, each of
which (with the exception of the wild and homeless
Ukit) had its representative here during our visit,
for the station being in charge of a Eurasian, or
half-caste, the advent of Europeans attracted
many to the fort, some of whom had never before
seen a white man.
The most powerful and civilised of these tribes
are the Kayans, who extend from Rejang far into
the dominions of the Sultan of Brunei, and, be-
sides these, the Poonans, Pakatans, and Ukits, but
the latter are generally supposed to be the wildest
specimens of the human race yet met with in
Borneo. This tribe (which is the only one living
at the head of Rejang not tattooed) has been ocpa-
sionally but seldom seen in these regions by Euro-
peans, as they shrink from all intercourse with
mankind, and fly at the approach of any but their
own race. They are described as being of a much
lighter colour than the Poonans, possess no dwell-
ings, and are totally unclothed. The absurd re-
ports of men with tails existing in Borneo may
possibly be traced to the fact that these men are
frequently likened to monkeys by their more
civilised brethren, who look upon them with great
8o On the Equator.
contempt, and by whom they are much feared and
avoided.
The Kayans, on the other hand, are the finest
and most civilised aboriginal race in the island.
Their men, who are of a splendid physique and
considerably taller than any other tribe in Sarawak,
are of a light copper colour. Their dress is
nearly identical with the Kanowits, excepting
that they wear many more ornaments, but no
turbans. Their long, coarse, black hair streamed
in some cases far below the waist, and they
were not a little proud of this appendage,
which was cut square over the forehead. The
Kayans were not at all given to joking like the
Kanowits, but all wore an appearance of suspicion
and distrust on their faces, which even the genial
influence of sqtiare face (" Hollands ") failed to
banish, but which originated perhaps more from
shyness than ill-temper. Their women wore more
clothes than any other tribe, being clothed in a long
and flowing " sarong," a species of petticoat, reach-
ing from the waist to the feet, and a white linen
jacket. They were very ugly, and their teeth
stained a jet black.
The mode of burial practised by the Kayans is
a curious one, and I here give it in the words of an
eye-witness :
When a man dies, his friends and relatives
On tJie Equator. Si
meet in the " ruai," and take their usual seats.
The deceased is then brought up attired in his
waistcloth and ornaments, with a straw cigar fixed
in his mouth, and, having been placed on the mat
in the same manner as when alive, his betel box is
set by his side. The friends and relatives then go
through the form of conversing with him, and offering
the best advice concerning his future proceedings.
This palaver over, the corpse is placed in a large
wooden box, and kept in the house for several
months. At the expiration of this time, the rela-
tives and friends again assemble, and the coffin is
taken out and deposited on a high tree. The
deceased is repeatedly cautioned during the cere-
mony to beware that he does not lose his way :
" Follow the road," they say, " till it branches off
into three directions. Be careful in selecting the
centre path, for that to the right will lead you back
to Borneo, while the one to the left will take you to
the sea." After many similar cautions the assembly
breaks up, and the body is left to its fate.
The day after our arrival at Kapit was taken
up by the Resident in trying law cases, receiving
taxes, &c. L. and I, therefore, secured a canoe,
and, accompanied by five Malay sailors from the
launch, one of whom was acquainted with the
Poonan language, we proceeded up river to a large
house occupied by this curious tribe, who inhabit
F
82 On the Equator.
the country between the Rejang and Koti rivers.
It may give the reader some idea of the strength
of the stream above Kapit when I say that it took
our men over two hours to accomplish the dis-
tance (three miles) from the Fort to the house.
The landing-place was at length reached, after
a tough pull, and at a distance of about 200 yards
from it stood the Poonan dwelling. This, which
contained about 150 inhabitants, was about 40
yards long, and was built on the same principle as
those at Kanowit, excepting that it was on its last
legs in point of repair, for many of the posts on
which it stood had rotted away and fallen to the
ground, a proceeding of which the house appeared
likely shortly to follow the example. Noticing an
unusually quiet and dejected air about the place,
very unusual whenever a visit is paid by a Euro-
pean to a Bornean dwelling, we inquired the reason
from our guides, and were informed that a Head
Feast had been celebrated there the preceding four
days, and that probably the inmates were endea-
vouring to sleep off the evil effects of their pota-
tions, and this we subsequently found to be correct.
These " Head Feasts " are general among the
aboriginal tribes throughout the island of Borneo,
and are held when a new head has been added to
the ghastly trophies of the Dyak's house. They
are now, however, rare, as head hunting is punished
On the Equator. 83
by death in Sarawak, but on the occasion of an
expedition by Government against a hostile tribe,
head hunting is permitted to those fighting
against the rebels. On the occasion of one of
these feasts, the " ruai " is gaily decorated with
green boughs, palm leaves, &c., and the heads to
be feasted are taken out and hung from one of the
posts in the hall. An incessant beating of gongs,
drums, &c., is kept up unceasingly for four days and
nights, and war-dances performed by the warriors
of the tribe. Strong " arrack "* is brewed in large
quantities from the gornuti palm, and the scene of
debauchery that succeeds the first day of the feast
is indescribable. Drunken men lie about in all
directions, shrieks and yells resound throughout the
village, and for four days the whole place is given
up to dissipation and riot. A food-offering is made
to the heads on the first day, and a piece of rice
stuck in their mouths, which gives them a most
ghastly appearance, as, when freshly taken, they
are smoked over a slow fire until the skin assumes
the consistency of leather, and thus preserves to a
certain extent the expression, though blackened and
disfigured, of the face during lifetime. It was once
my fate, in 1873, to be staying at a Dyak house on
the Batang Lupar river during one of these entertain-
ments, and I have no wish to repeat the experiment.
* "Native brandy."
F 2
84 On the Equator.
This, then, had been the state of affairs at
the dwelling we were about to visit. Cautiously
clambering up the entrance pole, half the notches
in which had rotted away and left but a precarious
foothold, we entered the house, the flooring of
which stood nearly 30 feet above ground, and
within which a sorry spectacle presented itself.
Heaps of food, in the shape of rice, pork, &c., lay
strewn about the floor, on which also reposed (un-
disturbed even by the loud barking which the dogs
set up on our arrival) the male members of the
tribe, some seventy in number.
The overpowering stench arising from stale
arrack, &c., was well-nigh sickening, while, to
complete the unsavoury coup aceil, a bunch
of human heads, their mouths stuffed with rice,
grinned at us from the end post of the ruai,
whence their owners had not yet sufficiently
recovered from their orgies to remove them.
Our Malays succeeded, after some trouble, in
waking a young brave who had evidently suc-
cumbed to fatigue (and arrack) while performing
the war-dance, as he was still in full war costume.
He, however, quickly recovered himself, and
arousing forty or fifty of his companions, led us off
to see the chief or head-man of the tribe. Preceded
by these youths, whose unsteady gait and sleepy
faces afforded our Malay guides no small amuse-
On the Equator. 85
ment, we cautiously crept along the ruai, passing
at every ten paces or so enormous holes in the
bamboo flooring occasioned by rot, and a fall
through which would have precipitated us into the
mud and filth thirty feet below.
The chief, rejoicing in the name of "Lat," was
a fine-looking old man about sixty, tattooed to the
eyes, and with long grey hairs streaming down
below his waist. He wore a dirty waistcloth which
had once been white, his only adornment being a
short red flannel jacket, fastened with three old
buttons of the 34th Regiment of the time of
George III. ; how they ever got there is, and ever
has been, a mystery to me.
" Lat " was sitting or rather lying in a three-
sided wooden box or alcove, about ten feet square,
built upon the centre of the ruai. This is in-
variably the dwelling-place of a head-man of a
house throughout this tribe, and with the exception
of Europeans no one may enter it.
We had evidently called at an inauspicious
moment, for Lat seemed rather annoyed at being
disturbed from his "siesta," and, to judge from his
looks, had been having a high time of it during
the feast. Shaking hands with him, an operation
which he performed half unconsciously, we took
our departure and left this merry old gentleman to
his slumbers.
86 On the Equator.
Our guides now showed the way into one of the
smaller rooms leading out of the ruai, and occupied
by Mrs. Lat and her two fair daughters. We
found these (unlike the Kayans) tattooed over the
face as well as body, and each wore the short skirt
of the Kanowit. These were the fairest natives I
ever saw in Borneo, being of a light yellow com-
plexion, not unlike the Chinese. Their jet-black
hair was unsecured and allowed to fall in profusion
down their backs, while their arms were orna-
mented with brass rings and bright-coloured beads.
From the neck to the waist they wore a succession
of brass rings which formed a species of cuirass.
These when once put on are never taken off again.
Had it not been for the practice of elongating the
ear-lobes and staining and filing the teeth, these
women would not have been bad-looking. The
former operation is performed by introducing at an
early age a light metal earring followed by heavier
ones as the wearer gets older, until the lobe of the ear
touches the shoulder ; in fact, I afterwards saw an
old Poonan dame who could introduce her hand
into the aperture, with the greatest ease, and whose
earrings weighed I Ib. each.
The teeth, as I have said, are stained black, and
filed into the shape of a V, in some cases a hole
being bored through the front ones and a piece of
brass knocked in ; this being considered an
additional adornment.
On the Equator. 87
The atmosphere of the apartment in which
Mrs. Lat resided rapidly became rather oppressive,
there being about ten people in the room, which was
about fourteen feet square, and we were not sorry,
therefore, to take our leave and return to the ruai.
The ladies, too, were not in the best of tempers,
especially Mrs. L., who was evidently much put out
at the goings on of her better half during the past
three days.
On re-seating ourselves in the ruai, L. happened
to notice the intricate and really beautiful tat-
tooing on the body of one of the younger men.
The latter seeing this, asked us through our
interpreter if we should care to be operated upon
in a similar manner this being considered a great
honour to a guest ; and no sooner had we accepted
the offer than an old woman made her appearance
armed with the necessary implements, and with
the aid of a pair of very blunt needles, and a
peculiar species of dye obtained from a tree,
succeeded, after a good hour's work, in embel-
lishing us L. with a ring on each shoulder (the
sign manual of the tribe), and myself with a bird,
whose genus it would puzzle most naturalists to
determine, but which was popularly supposed
among the Poonans to represent a hornbill, on
the arm. Strange to say neither L.'s punctures
nor mine showed the slightest signs of inflamma-
88 On the Equator.
tion afterwards, and the figures are far more dis-
tinct than they would be had Indian ink or gun-
powder been employed.
On leaving the house we noticed several blow-
pipes, a hollow tube eight feet long called by the
Poonans " sumpitan," the chief weapon of this
tribe, and in the manufacture of which they greatly
excel. The darts used are about five inches long,
and are dipped in upas juice. The slightest
scratch from one of these, drawing blood, proves
fatal in less than half an hour unless at once
attended to ; the only remedy being to keep the
patient awake by walking him up and down, and
dosing him with brandy or whiskey. Should he
once give way to the feeling of drowsiness he sleeps
never to wake again.
We were entertained one evening during our
stay at Kapit by a war-dance of Kayans on the
terrace outside the fort. A large crowd of some
200 from the canoes down river had assembled
to witness the dancing, and the bright moonlight
and flaring torches shedding an uncertain light
over their dark faces and barbaric dress and orna-
ments, presented a picture not readily forgotten.
A ring being formed, two of the best dancers
of the Kayans tribe stepped into the enclosure,
each dressed in full war costume. This consists
of a long jacket of leopard skin, which covers alone
On the Equator. 89
the back of the wearer, and comes down to his
knees. This is secured round the neck by a huge
shell, and is covered from top to bottom with the
black and white feathers of the rhinoceros horn-
bill loosely attached to it, and which flapping about
with every movement of the wearer, gives him the
appearance of some huge bird. In addition to this
cloak is worn the waist-cloth, and a tight-fitting
skull-cap of monkey skin, with three enormous
hornbill feathers stuck upright in it, completes the
costume. Armed, in addition to his spear, with
Parang ilang and shield (the latter ornamented
with tufts of human hair), the Kayan brave is
ready for the war-path.
The Kayan war-dance is not danced (as is the
Dyak) to a lively measure of gongs and drums,
a wind instrument being used constructed out of
a gourd and three short pieces of bamboo. This is
called a Kaluri, and although possessing but five
separate notes in a minor key, the tone is not
unmusical, though very melancholy. The dance
itself has a history, the first part representing two
warriors meeting on the war-path. An exciting
combat then ensues in which one is killed, and the
survivor is indulging in a solitary pas dejoie, when
he suddenly discovers that he has by mistake
killed his brother. He is giving way to violent
paroxysms of grief, when his relative, who had
90 On the Equator.
been only severely wounded, suddenly rises, and a
triumphant pas de deux brings the pantomime to
a close. This performance lasted nearly half an
hour, and judging from the exertions of the dancers
it must be terribly fatiguing, for although a cool
evening the perspiration fairly poured off their
bodies, and they fell exhausted on the ground at
the close of the performance.
Another dance succeeded this one, performed
by two boys, apparently each about thirteen years
old, who went through it with surprising grace.
Although using full-sized Parangs and shields, they
whirled them round their heads with the greatest
ease, for dancing, like paddling, deer-snaring, and
the use of the Parang ilang, are part of the Kayan
education.
A week passed pleasantly at Kapit, for each
day brought us fresh objects of interest. For the
first two or three nights at the fort, however, our
sleep was much disturbed by what we imagined to
be a dog barking outside the fort. Thinking that
one of the pariahs from the adjoining houses had
taken up his quarters there, I sat up for him one
night with a gun. At midnight, his usual hour,
the noise recommenced, but what was my surprise
to find that it proceeded not from under the fort,
but from the rafters above, and that the intruder
was a large brown lizard about a foot long, which
On the Equator. 91
emits a sound quite as loud, and exactly like
the barking of a dog. It is called by the Poonans
the Kok-Goo, and as its advent in any house is
considered to be an especial piece of good fortune,
we left it to continue its nocturnal barkings in
peace.
We left Kapit the end of the week, and nine
days after reached Kuching, not sorry to be
amongst civilised comforts again.
The Rejang river is at last in a fair way of
becoming an important one, and the tribes living
along its banks are gradually getting to under-
stand that trade is preferable to head hunting, for,
within the last fifteen months, but one case has
occurred in the Residency. I chanced on my
return to Kuching to come across a number of
the Illustrated London News containing a letter
from a Danish gentleman, Mr. Carl Bock, in which
he announced his having been among a race in
Borneo called the Poonans, and went on to observe
that he was the only European who had ever seen
this tribe, or had intercourse with them. This
error I hastened to correct, and wrote to the
Illustrated London News, explaining that the tribe
visited by Mr. Bock and ourselves was identical,
also venturing to express a doubt as to the
existence of cannibalism amongst them, the
reports of which Mr. Bock believed in. While
92 On the Equator.
at Kapit I made frequent inquiries through an
interpreter concerning this practice, but my
questions as to its existence were invariably
met with an indignant denial.
My letter the Illustrated was good enough to
take notice of, and it appeared in that journal on
September 4th, 1880. I may add that cannibalism,
although known to exist in Sumatra, and supposed
to be prevalent in New Guinea, has ever been
doubted by competent judges to exist in the island
of Borneo.
CHAPTER VII.
Sport in Borneo The Orang-Utan His Habits Start for Sadong
A Rough Journey Sadong The Fort and Village L.
Capsized The Mines Our Cook The Abang Start for
Mias Ground Our Hunt for Orang Lost in the Forest
Leave for Sadong An Uncomfortable Night Small-pox
Manangs A Dyak Don Juan Return to Kuching.
SPORT, in the general acceptance of the term, is
scarce indeed in Sarawak, and those persons medi-
tating a voyage to Borneo for the purpose of obtain-
ing it, should think twice ere they venture, for, apart
from the scarcity of animals, walking is rendered
well-nigh impossible by the swamp and dense
undergrowth which exists, with but few exceptions,
throughout the island.
None of the larger carnivora such as lion,
tiger, &c. have as yet been found in Borneo, but
wild cattle and a small species of elephant are
said to exist on the large grass plains around
Brunei in North Borneo, the only part of the
island entirely free from jungle. The animal tribe,
then, is reduced to the following : Orang-utan,
tiger cat, wild pig, deer, and snipe ; the pretty
94 On the Equator.
" plandok " or mouse-deer, and honey-bears, being
also occasionally met with.
Although the aforesaid animals are known to
exist in the island, they are extremely hard to get
near, and the discomfort of lying out in the jungle
alt night, eaten up by mosquitoes and other
abominations, is scarcely repaid by the chance of
a shot at a deer or a pig, which is even then but
seldom obtained. The natives, however, are very
clever at deer-snaring, and their sporting ex-
peditions are generally attended with success ; but
the hardships undergone by them on these excur-
sions would completely knock up a European
constitution. A few remarks as to the orang-utan,
or wild man of the woods, which, as I have said, is
the largest wild beast found in Borneo, may not be
here amiss, as this chapter is to be devoted to an
expedition made by L. and myself in quest of
these strange creatures.
The " orang-utan " (a word derived from the
Malay, orang, man ; and utan, woods) is the sole
wild animal of any size yet met with in Borneo.
He is found only in certain districts of the island,
those in Sarawak being Sadong and Lingga (the
former of which we were about to visit), it is
supposed on account of the enormous quantity of
wild fruits produced in these regions. Lingga, in
particular, is famed for the "Durian," a sort of
On the Equator. 95
bread-fruit, of which he is very fond. The outside
of this fruit is covered with thick, sharp spikes,
and when hotly pursued the orang will sometimes
make use of it as an article of defence, flinging it
on to the heads of his pursuers below. The
" Durian " is very heavy, and natives have been
known to die from the effects of a blow from this fruit.
Unlike his African brother the gorilla, the
orang is seldom of a savage disposition, and will
always rather avoid than molest the intruder on
his privacy. Nevertheless, at close quarters his
enormous reach of arm and strength render him
a dangerous antagonist, and brave indeed is the
Dyak who will attack him single-handed. Did he
know his gigantic strength (which, fortunately, he
does not), he would make short work of his natural
enemy man.
The " orang-utan " rarely descends to terra
firma, but moves slowly from tree to tree, the
density of the branches rendering this compara-
tively easy, and is easily kept up with by the
hunter, as this strange animal never essays to
get away altogether, even when severely wounded.
He does not seem to realise the danger of his
situation, and were it not for this, it would be quite
useless to attempt to follow him, the swamps
which have to be traversed rendering anything like
rapid progress quite impossible.
96" On the Equator.
Reports as to the size of the orang greatly
differ, but the one shot by Mr. Wallace at Sadong
(Sarawak) some years since, is generally considered
to be the largest specimen yet obtained. This
measured four feet two inches high. Stories are
told by natives of the orang-utan seizing and
carrying away young Dyak girls to their dens in
the forests. This was, I believe, authenticated in
one instance, the woman returning to her tribe
after a lapse of three months.
The orang when wounded utters a cry wonder-
fully like a child in pain, and indeed all his actions
and ways closely resemble those of a human being ;
so much so indeed that a story is told of a former
worthy Bishop of Sarawak, being, while in quest
of orangs, so reminded by 'the features of one of
them of a certain old uncle at home, that he had
not the heart to fire, but let his prey pursue his
way unmolested !
Our preparations were complete about ten days
after our return to Kapit, and it was on a raw,
drizzling day that we paddled down the Kuching
river with the morning tide in a sampan or native
boat (pulled by a crew of six natives), that we had
hired for the occasion from a Chinaman in the capital.
More than half our journey had to be accomplished
by sea, which, as it was blowing half a gale, and
looking at the capabilities of our cranky old craft
On the Equator. 97
(christened Sri Laut, or Beauty of the Sea, by her
proud owner), was not a pleasant prospect. Ere
we had been half an hour afloat we were wet
through with the rain, which beat through the
old palm awning as if it had been note-paper.
This state of things, with a journey of over ten
hours before us, was not cheering ; but, as I have
said before, Bornean travel is not all couleur de rose,
so, covering ourselves with a tarpaulin, and lighting
our pipes, we prepared to make the best of it
no easy task in the space allotted to us a space
five feet long by three feet wide, and the rain
coming in on us in torrents all the time !
We arrived off the village of Moratabas, at the
mouth of the Sarawak river, at mid-day, after a
hard paddle. Matters here did not mend, for the
wind had risen since we started, and the roar of
the breakers on the shore recalled Kuching, and
the comforts we had left behind us, most vividly to
our minds. After, however, a short consultation
with our steersman (who acted as skipper), we
determined to push on for Sadong at once, and
hoisting the old rag that did duty for a sail we
stood out to sea.
Seldom have I experienced such a journey as
on that day. Once outside the bar, our troubles
recommenced, for while crossing it a heavy sea
dashed over our bows, drenching everything on
G
98 On the Equator.
board, and at the same time carrying away our
awning. For eight mortal hours did we struggle on,
shivering like half-drowned rats, and occasionally
taking a turn at the paddles to keep life within us.
Cooking was naturally out of the question, and our
only food that day consisted of a captain's biscuit,
some bottled beer, and a tin of preserved plum
pudding! Our progress through the water was
not made the more rapid by the fact that two of
our crew had to be kept constantly at work baling
the water out of the wretched old tub, whose
creaks and groans were dismal to hear, and which,
as we neared the mouth of the Sadong river,
seemed to be coming to pieces altogether.
But the longest lane must have a turning, and
by 10 p.m. we were entering the mouth of Sadong,
and half an hour afterwards were in smooth water ;
and heartily thankful we felt, for the Sri must have
assuredly gone to pieces with another hour of it.
Midnight saw us scrambling, stiff and numbed,
up the muddy " batang " or pole that formed the
landing-place of the fort, and we were not sorry
to take off our saturated clothes, and, after a stiff
glass of grog apiece, to tumble into the two little
camp bedsteads, that, with the exception of a
table and two chairs, formed the sole furniture of
the fort.
Morning broke bright and sunny, and we were
On tlie Equator. 99
up by six, feeling none the worse, save a slight
stiffness, for our exertions of yesterday. While
breakfast was preparing I strolled round the pretty
little garden, rich in roses and gardenias, that
encircled the fort, and whose sweet perfume filled
the air, cool and fresh after the heavy rain, for
many yards around.
This residency, the smallest in Sarawak, is
now in charge of a Eurasian, or half-caste. Up
till two years since, however, it was under the
supervision of a European resident, and to the
latter was due the trim-looking garden with its
gravel walks and gardenia hedges now, alas, fast
falling into decay in the care of the half-caste,
who, like most of his race, cares but little for
anything but filthy lucre. The village of Sadong
consists of a Malay population of about 400 souls,
and is situated on the banks of the Simunjan,
a tributary of the Sadong river, which meets it
at this point. Coal is found in large quantities
near here, and Government has opened out a
small mine for the use of its vessels and those of
the Borneo Company. The coal wharf is situated
about half a mile up the Simunjan stream,
whence a tramway, three miles long, leads up
to the shaft from the landing-place. The coal is
conveyed to Kuching weekly, in a small sailing
vessel.
G 2
loo On the Equator.
We visited the mines the day after our arrival,
paddling up stream in two small Malay canoes
to the wharf a paddle that proved disastrous
to L., who was capsized when close to the landing-
stage. The tide was running strong, and, as L.
could not swim, things for a moment looked serious ;
but help was at hand, in the shape of an old Malay
fisherman in a canoe moored mid-stream, who
pulled him out, none the worse for his ducking.
Our walk through the jungle was very picturesque,
the forest being alive with butterflies of every
description, including the Brookeana, a beauti-
fully-marked green-and-black butterfly, but rarely
met with. It was along this tramway that Mr.
Wallace shot the orang-utan mentioned in an
earlier part of this chapter.
The Sadong mines are superintended by a
European overseer, who lives in a small hut on
the side of the mountain, and who showed us over
the place. He told us that the amount turned
out per diem was only ten tons, but the working
of the whole place is still in a very primitive state.
The tramway was constructed of wooden rails,
and the coal cars drawn by an old grey pony. In
the hands of a properly organised company the
mines would undoubtedly pay, as there is any
quantity of coal, and the facilities for shipping are
great. Moreover Singapore, which is the coaling
On the Equator. 101
station for all vessels bound to and from China,
is but two days distant by steamer.
We remained at Sadong for two days, during
which time we were principally engaged in getting
our guns in order, after the rough usage they had
experienced during our sea voyage in the Sri
Laut ; and arranged to leave for the Mias district,
30 miles up stream, the third day after our arrival
at Sadong. The half-caste resident gave us the
loan of his cook (a Kling), and a most undeniable
hand at a curry, to accompany us, and he proved
a treasure in his way, though as a compagnon de
voyage he was hardly a pleasant adjunct to our
party, as the reader will presently see.
I should not omit to mention an important
character, who was constantly appearing on the
scene during our sojourn at Sadong. This was
the Abang or Malay chief of the village. This
worthy constantly dogged our footsteps, and fol-
lowed us wherever we went, invariably making his
appearance at breakfast and dinner time, and
squatting himself on the floor by L.'s or my side,
gravely watched us throughout the meal. He
was a thin, cadaverous-looking old man, about
sixty years of age, with a most melancholy cast
of features, so much so that we christened him
the " Skeleton at the Feast ! " As I am but little
conversant with high-class Malay, and L. knew
IO2 On the Equator.
none, our conversation was somewhat limited,
and while I fully acted up to the old Turkish
proverb that " Silence is golden," he, in his turn,
did so to that of " Hurry is the devil's," for he never
would leave us till we had finished our last glass of
grog, and turned in for the night
The sun was scarcely up on the morning of
the 1 3th of July when we were up and stirring,
and by 6.30 were on board the Sri, and, casting
off from the shore, paddled away up stream. Our
crew now had an addition of two new hands : the
cook aforesaid, and a Dyak who accompanied us
as guide, and who had the reputation of having
killed with his own hand a greater number of
orangs than any native in Sarawak.
Four hours above Sadong the stream narrows
to about twenty feet in width, and the scenery here
is truly beautiful. Tall Nipa palms and a species
of bamboo grew out of the water, while above us
the long branches of enormous forest trees
stretched over us on either side, and formed a kind
of natural archway, their branches alive with
monkeys of every description, from the hideous
proboscis to the pretty wa-wa, whose cry exactly
resembles the running of water from a narrow-
necked bottle. We emerged from this lovely glade
half an hour after entering it, and, the stream again
widening, the scenery again became flat and mono-
On the Equator. 103
tonous. We reached the hunting-grounds at
about five p.m., after a hard pull against the stream,
and mooring the Sri to the bank made all snug
for the night.
We landed, or I should rather say left the boat,
next morning about eleven a.m., for of dry land,
excepting a dismal mangrove swamp extending
far away on either side of us, there was none. Our
shooting costumes were more light than elegant, con-
sisting as they did of a pair of white duck trowsers,
a thin jersey, no socks, a pair of white canvas
shoes, and a sun helmet, the latter filled with
cartridges. Struggling ashore with some difficulty,
we found ourselves without further ado up to our
waists in swamp, or rather a substance the colour
of but considerably thicker than pea-soup. Bakar
(the Dyak hunter) and a Malay boatman preceded
us with parangs to clear the way of branches before
us, and, all being ready, we set off.
I shall not readily forget the pleasures of that
day's walk ! For three long hours did we struggle
on through the dense jungle, without a sight of
living animal, to say nothing of an orang. To make
matters worse, the sun was fearfully hot, and beat
down on our heads with a force that the dozen or
so of cartridges we carried in our " topics," did not
tend to alleviate ; the smell also of decayed vegeta-
tion arising from the ground was well-nigh sickening.
IO4 On tJie Equator.
We cried a halt after three hours of this, and
discovered from Bakar that we had gone a dis-
tance probably of about a mile and a half since we
started, which will give the reader some idea of
jungle walking in Borneo. Our dismal faces at
this species of sport (!) must have excited the
compassion of Bakar, for he volunteered the
remark that this was rather hard walking, even
for Borneo, a remark with which we cordially
agreed.
Up till now we had seen no vestige of living
creature, bird or animal. On my observing this,
our guide replied : " Oh, never mind ! We've
eight hours before sundown. We must get on.
Time is precious ! "
Mentally registering a vow that I would see
Bakar in a considerably hotter climate than the
inhabitants even of Borneo are accustomed to, if
even two hours of this work more saw me at it, we
started off again.
Another hour passed away, and well-nigh done
up, I was about to suggest a retreat to the boat
when we were brought up all standing by a cry
from Bakar of " Moniet, Tuan !" and an injunction
to keep perfectly still.
"Moniet"* there might be, but I could
discern nothing until, after a few moments of
* "Moniet," monkey.
c:
<
w
z
4 w
u
u
W
>
K
On the Equator. 105
intense excitement as to whether the " moniet "
was but a common proboscis or wa-wa, Bakar came
splashing back through the dirty water, and, seizing
my shoulder, breathlessly exclaimed, " Moniet besar,
Tuan ! orang-utan ! "
Hurrah then ! At last we had got near one of
these brutes, and our troubles had not all been
in vain. But the next thing was to get a sight
of him, and this, through the dense undergrowth
and brushwood which intervened, was by no means
an easy task. For some time did I gaze through
the thick network of green leaves, till, at last,
following the direction in which our guide was
pointing, I dimly made out a square patch of
brown against the green leaves, and, trusting to
chance, fired. The spot I had aimed at was not
the orang, but the report of the rifle had the
desired effect of dislodging the brute from his
hiding-place, and bringing him full into view. A
fine, strapping fellow he seemed as he remained
stationary for some seconds, looking down at us
with a puzzled expression, as if he scarcely knew
whether to greet us as enemies or as strange
specimens of his own species. L. now cut short
his reflections with a bullet, which this time had
more effect, as was evinced by the sharp cry he
gave as he sprang into the branches of the ad-
joining tree, closely observing all our movements
io6 On the Equator.
as we waded through the stagnant water beneath
him, and took up a favourable position for our
next shot. This was again successful, breaking
his left fore-arm. Moving slowly on after him,
for at least three-quarters of an hour, we fired shot
after shot with variable success, until a bullet from
L.'s rifle caught him full in the neck, and brought
him crashing through the branches to our feet.
On measuring him, we found him but a mode-
rate-sized animal, standing three feet seven inches
from the top of the skull to the tip of the toes.
This seemed a poor return after the amount of
labour we had gone through ; however, " experientia
docet," and we determined that this should be our
last attempt at orang shooting, and, hoisting our
prize on to the shoulders of the faithful Bakar, we
set out to regain the sampan. This, however,
proved no easy task. The erratic movements of
our guide shortly after leaving the spot where we
had shot the Mias had attracted our attention, and
the reason of this was shortly evident he had lost
his way ! Here was a pretty predicament to be
placed in, and a pleasant ending to our day's
sport. All the stories I had ever heard of natives
going astray in the forest, and dying of starvation,
crowded into my mind with unpleasant clearness,
and among all the horrible deaths connected with
Eastern travel that had occurred to L. and myself,
On the Equator. 107
that of expiring like two amateur babes in the
wood had not been included.
I shall never forget the anxieties of that ter-
rible hour, and the blank faces of our guides as
they waded backwards and forwards in search of
the lost trail, pausing ever and anon to give a
sort of melancholy wail, not unlike the Australian
" co-o-o-ey," the cry of the Dyak when lost in the
forest. L. and I had almost given up all hope,
and were preparing to make up our minds to a
night at least in the jungle, when a cry from
Bakar, who had strayed away to the left of us,
attracted our attention. He had struck upon the
river ! We were now safe, and fortunately so, for
it was nearly dark as, turning a bend of the stream,
we came in sight of our fires and the lamp of our
little craft shining over the water. Having arrived
on board, we divested ourselves of our now filthy
clothes and plunged into the stream, when, after a
good rub with our rough towels, we felt ourselves
again, and quite ready to do justice to the very
excellent curry that our " cordon bleu " of a Kling
had prepared for us.
The task of skinning the orang was next
day relegated to Bakar, for which we were thank-
ful, as the smell that proceeded from his carcase
even at some distance off was fearful. This opera-
tion over, he was stowed away in a barrel of arrack
ic? 8 On the Equator.
that we had brought for the purpose, and we may
dismiss him with the remark that he now adorns the
smoking-room of a friend of the writer's in England.
A suggestion of another hunt the following
day by Bakar was politely but firmly declined, and
we left early the following afternoon at five our
anchorage being in a very feverish locality. The
halt for the night was to be at a large Dyak house,
fifteen miles down stream, and half way to Sadong.
I would remark, for the benefit of sportsmen
in general, that the whole of the two days spent
in this interesting locality we were unable to leave
the boat, owing to the swampy nature of the
ground ; and as our only recreation consisted of
two of Whyte Melville's works, " The Gladiators "
and " Digby Grand " (the latter with half the leaves
torn out), the weary hours, as may be imagined, did
not fly, and we were not sorry to set off the next
day for the Dyak Pangkalan,* on as wet, dreary,
and uncomfortable an afternoon as it has ever
been my lot to experience in Borneo or elsewhere.
We sighted lights on the left bank about eleven
o'clock the same evening. Rain was still falling
in torrents ; but the noise of gongs and drums in
the distance announced that we had nearly arrived
at the end of our journey. To land, however, was
easier said than done ; for the stream, swollen
* Landing-place.
On the Equator. 109
by the heavy rains, was running at a terrific rate,
and carried us right past the landing-stage ere our
bowman could hold on and make fast, crashing
us into a large war-canoe moored just beyond,
the property of the " Orang Kaya," or head-man
of the house whither we were bound. We at
length succeeded, after a deal of trouble, in
securing the sampan to the bank ; and, despatching
two of our boatmen to announce our arrival to
the chief, awaited the invitation which would
probably be brought back to stay the night, this
being strict etiquette in Bornean travel. During
the absence of our two messengers the yells and
beating of gongs proceeding from the house, which
stood at a distance of about 300 yards from the land-
ing-place, proclaimed that a feast of some sort was
being held ; and we were debating what substitutes
for tobacco and gin (our supply of which we
had nearly exhausted) we could present our hosts
with, when our men returned. There was no feast,
said they. What we heard were the cries of the
" manangs," or medicine-men, whose mode this
was of driving away the evil spirit of " char-char,"
or small-pox, which had attacked nearly a third
of the inmates of the dwelling. L. and I, on
hearing this, promptly deciding that mosquito
bites were preferable to small-pox, determined
not to land, but to sleep in the boat. Our cook,
1 10 On the Equator.
the Kling, who up till this had maintained a stolid
silence, now became quite excited, and joined in
the conversation. There was hardly a house on
the river, said he, entirely free from this loathsome
disease ; the Dyaks were flying from it in all direc-
tions, and added that he himself was not sorry to
be returning to Sadong, as two of his own children
were very ill with it, and he ought not by rights
to have left them !
This was pleasant, to say the least of it, but it
was now too late to mend matters, and wrapping
ourselves in our rugs we essayed to sleep. The
howling and beating of gongs in the house, how-
ever, rendering this quite impossible, the inevitable
" square-face " was therefore produced, and, lighting
our pipes, we made up our minds for a thoroughly
wretched night and got it; till about six a.m., when
the noise ceased, and the M.D.'s, I conclude, re-
tired to that rest which they must have sorely
needed, to say nothing of their unfortunate patients !
Small-pox is and has ever been a disease greatly
dreaded by the aborigines of Borneo, for living as
they do in crowded and ill-ventilated dwellings,
this terrible scourge, whenever it breaks out
amongst them, commits great ravages. A regular
panic ensues on the appearance of the epidemic ;
those seized being left to their fate, with perhaps
a bundle of firewood and gourd of cold water
On the Equator. ill
placed within their reach, while their more for-
tunate companions take their flight up or down
the river as the case may be, spreading infection
wherever they go. It is not surprising, therefore,
that so few recover, although vaccination, which
is now compulsory in Sarawak, has greatly de-
creased the number of those attacked.
The "manangs," or medicine-men aforemen-
tioned, are a queer race of creatures. Although
of the male sex, they are dressed as women, living
in the Sadow and possessing all the privileges of
the other sex. Small-pox is never mentioned by
its proper name of " char-char " by the Dyaks,
but always spoken of as " he," " she," or " it ;" for
they imagine the mere mention of its name may
attract, and bring it amongst them.
An amusing anecdote is told of an old Dyak
living in the house we were moored off that dismal
night. This old man (of some 60 years) became
enamoured, while on a visit to Kuching, of an
English lady's-maid residing there ; so much
so, that he repeatedly urged her to marry and
accompany him to his jungle home. This offer
was declined with thanks ; but on the morning
of the day of the departure of this merry old
gentleman for his country residence, the lady
missed her chignon, which she had placed on her
dressing-table the night before on retiring to rest.
112 On the Equator.
Not being possessed of so much hair as she might
have been, this was no inconsiderable loss. Six
months later, when the event was nearly forgotten,
an officer up the Simunjan, noticing what looked
like a scalp on our old friend's girdle, and knowing
that the Dyaks never take them, examined the
object more closely ; and, having heard the story
of its abstraction from the lady's apartment by the
elderly lover, took it from him and returned with
it in triumph to Kuching ! Such true love was
worthy of a better cause, for the lady was con-
siderably more annoyed than flattered by the
incident, chignons not being an article kept in
stock by the native coiffeurs of Kuching.
We reached Sadong late the following evening,
and partook of a frugal meal at the fort, this time
not prepared by our native Soyer, one of whose
children had died in our absence. The old chief
was at our side ere we had eaten our first mouthful,
silent as ever ; but dinner over, and his cheroot
well under way, he became more loquacious than
we had yet known him.
" Perhaps," said he, dreamily, "you had better not
stay here longer than you can help. Small-pox
is raging in the kampong* (village) ; there is scarcely
a house free from it, and it would be a sad thing
if one or both of the Tuans* were to die here."
* A title by which every European is addressed.
On the Equator. 113
We were much of the same opinion, and the
evening of the next day but one saw us again
on board the little Sri, bound for Kuching.
The sun was setting behind the distant Klin-
kang mountains as we left Sadong, illuminating
the landscape around us with its declining rays.
Scarcely a breath of wind was stirring, and our little
sail flapped lazily to and fro against the slender mast
as we drifted slowly down the river. The evening
being sultry and oppressive, dense grey mists were
already arising from the Simunjan stream, enshroud-
ing the pretty village in their sickly vapours, and the
cries of the Malay " Hajis," praying at the setting
of the sun for deliverance from the fatal scourge
which was rapidly decimating their population,
sounded in melancholy cadence over the water,
while the booming of gongs from distant Dyak
houses lent to their voices a weird and appro-
priate accompaniment. All around seemed to
wear a depressed and melancholy aspect, even to
the very palm-trees, which, drooping their fronds
in the damp, hot atmosphere, seemed to be
mourning the fate of those who had perished in
this plague-stricken spot.
We reached Kuching the next day, not greatly
impressed with the sport to be obtained in Borneo,
nor will, I imagine, be the reader of the foregoing
chapter.
H
CHAPTER VIII.
Preparations for Departure Leave Sarawak A Squall A
Dutch Dinner Batavia Weltereoden Life in Java
Buitenzorg Koerapan Dutch Soldiers A Review Modes
of Execution in the Archipelago The World-Wide Circus
Return to Singapore Leave for Europe Gibraltar.
OUR days were now numbered in Sarawak, and we
had but little time before us, as we intended making
a journey to Java, the principal Dutch possession
in the Eastern Archipelago, ere we returned to
England.
Packing up now became the order of the day.
The skins of beasts and birds of all kinds strewed
the floor of our little bungalow, transforming it
into a sort of miniature museum, for we had
made a very fair collection considering our short
stay in the country, including no less than one hun-
dred different specimens of butterflies, three of the
rare and lovely Brookeana amongst them. It may
be of use to collectors of the latter to know that
the safest and most convenient way of carrying
them any distance is not to set them up when
freshly caught, but to simply fold the wings back
On the Equator. 115
till they lie flat against each other, and place them
thus singly in a common envelope. They will then
keep for six months, or even more, unimpaired.
This is a far simpler method than that of setting-
up, which, even though the amateur be experienced
in the art, is always open to the danger of the
butterflies becoming detached and shaking to
pieces in their box.
We left Kuching at midday on the 2ist of July,
after bidding adieu to all our friends, not without
regret at leaving a land where we had passed so
many pleasant days. The Raja Brooke (a small
trading steamer of about 300 tons) was heavily
laden, not only with cargo, but also with over 100
deck passengers Malays going on a "Haji pilgrim-
age " to Mecca. There was also on board an old
Hindoo, the proprietor of a dancing bear, who
had been making a good thing of it in the Sarawak
capital. The captain, L., and I, were the only in-
mates of the saloon, and after dinner, it being a
fine evening, we sent for our Hindoo friend and his
bear to give us a private performance which had,
however, to be suddenly nipped in the bud, the
pilgrims insisting on coming aft en masse and
joining in the fun.
We had a fine passage to Singapore, though
half-way across a heavy squall struck us, and the
sea, which half an hour before had been as smooth
H 2
n6 On the Equator.
as glass, rose rapidly. The poor bear, especially,
had a rough time of it, and narrowly escaped being
washed overboard by one of the green seas which
we shipped over the bows. The Raja Brooke, how-
ever, behaved uncommonly well throughout, and
by sundown there was nothing left of the turmoil
but a long, heavy swell, which, judging from the
groans we heard forward, was playing the very deuce
with the internal economy of the pilgrims ! We
reached Singapore in forty-nine hours, notwith-
standing the storm and adverse wind a wonder-
fully quick run.
We accepted an invitation from the Dutch
Consul to dinner the evening before our departure
for Batavia, as we were anxious to obtain as much
information as possible about Java ; and the dinner
being given in honour of the officers of a Dutch
man-of-war then lying in the roads, we thought
this a first-rate opportunity, but were doomed to
disappointment. On our arrival " schnapps " before
the feast had evidently been too much for them,
and ere dinner was over they were all to use a
mild expression overcome.
We left them at midnight to go on board our
steamer, embracing each other and singing " Die
Wacht am Rhein " at the top of their voices a
performance hardly appreciated, I should imagine,
by the occupants of the adjoining bungalows.
On the Equator, II 7
On arrival at the wharf, which our gharry
driver had no little difficulty in finding in the
darkness, we were much disappointed to find that
the Messageries vessel had broken down, and that
a small Dutch steamer, belonging to the Neder-
land Indische Stoomship Co., was to be her
substitute for that voyage, and still more disgusted
were we when shown into a stuffy little cabin
containing three bunks, in one of which a fat
Dutchman had already retired to rest, the other
two being L.'s and my resting-place. We made
the best of a bad job, however, and turned in, but
not for long ; certain animals, which shall be
nameless, had already taken up their quarters in
the berths, and resented our intrusion with such
good effect that they drove us out of the little
cabin and on deck, where, the weather being fine,
we slept on the skylight the three remaining
nights we stayed on board.
The days went by very wearily, for there was
literally nothing to do on board ; the passengers
were all Dutch, speaking no English, and very
little French ; the cuisine on board was composed
principally of grease, and what smelt like train-oil,
add to this that the highest rate of speed ever
attained by the Minister Frausen von der Ptitte was
seven knots an hour, and I think the reader will
agree with me that our journey across was anything
n8 On the Equator.
but a pleasant one. We were not sorry, therefore,
when at daybreak on the 3ist of July the long low
coast of Java came in sight, and shortly afterwards
the lighthouse standing at the entrance of the canal
leading up to the old town of Batavia. We
anchored in the bay at nine o'clock, and awaited
the arrival of the little tug which was to convey
us to the custom-house, and which we could now
see issuing from the mouth of the canal.
It may not be generally known that the Dutch
possess nearly the whole of the Eastern Archi-
pelago, with the exception of north and south-
western Borneo. Java is, however, their most
important colony, and Batavia they have christened
the " Paris of the East," though I must acknow-
ledge I have heard none but Dutchmen call it so.
The tug was alongside by ten o'clock, and we
were soon aboard and entering the double sea wall
which forms the canal. We passed on our right
the large lighthouse which has proved so fatal a
residence to Europeans, no less than five died
within six months of its completion, and it has
been found necessary to place Javanese in charge
ever since, so unhealthy is the situation. Arrived
at the custom-house we passed our boxes with
some little trouble, and selecting a " kahar," or
species of carriage like a victoria, drawn by two
ponies, we drove off to the Pension Nederlanden,
On the Equator. 119
to which hotel we had been recommended by our
naval friends at Singapore.
The lower part of the town, or, as it is called,
Old Batavia, consists entirely of warehouses,
go-downs, and native houses. No Europeans can
live here, so unhealthy is it, nor can even one
night be passed in this quarter with impunity.
The upper town which is named Weltereoden,
" well content " consists of Government House
and the houses of all the officials and merchants
in Batavia. Most of these houses are situated
around the "Kcenig's Plein," a large grass plain
some 1,000 yards in circumference, which in the
time of the English occupation was used as a
racecourse. On one side of this stands the
governor's palace, a large stone building of modern
architecture, while on the other side of the plain
is a statue of the Netherland lion. The inscription
on this amused me not a little, as it commemorates
the victory of the Belgians over the French at
Waterloo, the British troops not being mentioned.
There are two ways of reaching Weltereoden
from Old Batavia, by railway and tramcar.
Where are there not tramcars now ? Even the
stately streets of Stamboul are not free from them.
The street cab of Batavia is a "dos-a-dos" literally
so called, as the passenger sits with his back to the
driver's, thus forming a mutual support.
I2O On the Equator.
Batavia is intersected by canals, the largest
or main canal running alongside the road leading
from the lower town to Weltereoden. As we
drove along we saw hundreds of natives taking
their morning dip in the dirty stream ; though,
as a matter of fact, they have no fixed time for
their ablutions, but bathe at all hours of the day
and night.
We reached the " Nederlanden " after half an
hour's drive. As all European houses in Java
are built on the same principle, a description
of our hotel may serve for all. The Nederlanden
was built entirely on the ground floor, and having
long wings which projected back for some 60 or
70 yards. In these wings are the bed-rooms of
guests, while the centre building contains the
drawing-room, dining-room, and sleeping apart-
ments of the host and hostess. Under the
verandah of the front portico stands a large round
marble table, surrounded by about a dozen rocking-
chairs. Here' the men of the house congregate
before dinner and breakfast for " Peyt," a villainous
compound which is drunk with gin, and is supposed
to stimulate the appetite.
The food and cooking in Java may be said
to be the worst, as are its hotels the dearest, in
the world ; and it seems surprising that the mode
of living adopted by the Dutch in this trying
On the Equator. 121
climate does not injure their constitutions more
than it does. The following may be taken as a
specimen of the manner in which they live :
Breakfast, from 6 till 9, consisting of sardines,
Bologna sausages, eggs, and cheese (!). 12.30:
Dejeuner a la fotirchette, a truly disgusting meal,
its Dutch name being Ryst tafel, literally " Rice
meal." Rice is here the chief ingredient, accom-
panied by soup, fried fish, pork, pickled eggs, sar-
dines, and various kinds of sambals also little
seasoned messes, handed round with the boiled
rice, which is eaten at the same time and off the
same plate as all these condiments ; a tough,
underdone beefsteak and fried potatoes follow.
Dinner is precisely the same, with the addition
of sweets and dessert. And this from day to day
invariably forms the Dutchman's menu in Java.
Smoking is carried on throughout dinner and
breakfast, which I was not sorry for, as it counter-
acted in some degree the smell arising from the
abominable Ryst tafel.
The voracity of some of the European children
during this meal at the Nederlanden was sur-
prising, and I fairly trembled for the safety of
one small boy, about eight years old, who ap-
peared to swell visibly during breakfast, and took
a short nap between each course. We christened
him " The Fat Boy in ' Pickwick.' "
122 On tJie Equator.
The morning costume of the European lady in
Java is apt to take a stranger by surprise. It con-
sists of the Malay " sarong," a loose clinging silk
skirt which reaches to the ankles, the upper gar-
ment being the " Kabarga," a long embroidered
white linen jacket. The hair is worn loose, and the
bare feet are thrust into half slippers embroidered
with real gold and silver beads. This dress is worn
from early morning till five o'clock in the after-
noon, the Batavia calling hour. This costume has
one great advantage, that of coolness, and would
doubtless look becoming on a pretty woman,
though as that article is very seldom, if ever,
seen in Java, we had no opportunity of judging.
We were leaving for Buitenzorg (the country
seat of Government) the day after our arrival at
Batavia, and our preparations for the journey
thither being complete, we took a stroll the even-
ing of our arrival on the Koenig's Plein. This,
the Hyde Park of Batavia, is where the beauty and
fashion of the capital take the air in the cool of the
day.
Some of the carriages were not badly turned
out, but we only saw one man riding (ladies never
ride in Batavia), his nether-man encased in long
jack-boots, and wearing a sombrero hat, and green
hunting-coat ! The effect of this get-up was some-
what marred by his mount a Deli pony so small
On the Equator. 123
that it took the rider all his time to keep his feet
from dragging along the ground.
We left the next day at 1 1.30 a.m., by train, for
Buitenzorg. This is thirty-five miles from Batavia,
and stands 75ofeet higher up in the hills. The Gover-
nor's house here is a fine stone building, surrounded
by a splendid park and grounds, and many of the
merchants in the capital also own villas around. It
is not unlike a German watering-place in aspect,
and has been named by some " the Simla of the
Dutch Indies," though I should say this com-
parison was rather far-fetched.
The volcanic mountain of Gedeh, and the peak
of Pangerango are plainly discernible from Buiten-
zorg, and a journey to the summit of the former is
amply repaid by the splendid view thence obtained
of the rich Preanger district. We paid a visit while
here to the house of Mr. D., who has resided in
Java for thirty years, and who owns a large estate
(Koerapan) some eighteen miles out of Buitenzorg.
He told us that coffee, tea, and rice were growing
on the estate, "and he was about to try cinchona
(quinine). The latter is the most paying of all, and
the soil and climate of Java are peculiarly adapted
to its growth.
We made several excursions in addition to this
while at Buitenzorg, but none worthy of record. In
truth a more uninteresting country than this part
124 On tJie Equator.
of the island I have seldom seen, and, as L. re-
marked, very few weeks of Buitenzorg would fill
Hanwell !
One incident, however, I should not omit to
mention : a grand review of the troops was held
during our stay here, in the Palace Park, and
having obtained cards, we were admitted to view
the proceedings. I was not impressed with the
Javanese army, for a more wretched, undersized-
looking set of men it has seldom been my lot to
witness. It is not to be wondered at, after seeing
them, that Atchin has held out so long, and unless
a great reform takes place in the Dutch colonial
army, it will probably continue to do so.
Europeans and natives are alike indiscrimi-
nately mixed up in their ranks, and it is no
uncommon sight to see a Malay sergeant in
command of a European guard. Their uniform
did not tend to improve their personal appearance,
consisting as it did of a thick blue cloth-tunic, with
long skitfs, a French kepi, blue trousers, and bare
feet. Considering this absurd dress, it is not to be
wondered at that sunstroke is frequent among the
European privates, most of whom are escaped
French communists.
The garrison at Buitenzorg consisted of 800
men, but of these only about 600 were on parade
the remainder being in hospital. I afterwards
On the Equator. 125
ascertained from the doctor in charge of this
building that, thanks to fever, drink, and sun-
stroke, it was seldom empty, and that the death-
rate amongst the European soldiers was exceed-
ingly high.
We watched them going through their (so-
called) drill for over an hour, and even in that
short time three were carried off the field in a
fainting condition.
On our return to the hotel we passed a criminal
being taken to the railway station en route for
Batavia, where ' he was to be executed on the
morrow. Unlike Borneo and other islands of the
Archipelago, hanging is had recourse to in Java,
and in Java alone, the mode of execution else-
where being by kris. The following is an account
of a Malay execution in the words of an eye-
witness : " The criminal is led to the place of
execution, and squats cross-legged on the ground,
chewing penang or smoking, as a rule, up till
the very last moment. The kris used on such
occasions is about sixteen inches long by two
broad, and quite straight. Grasping this weapon
in both hands, the executioner steps up behind the
prisoner, and thrusts it up to the hilt between the
left shoulder-blade and neck of the victim. The
heart is pierced immediately, and the criminal dies
at once painlessly." In Celebes, however, the mode
126 On the Equator.
of execution is far more barbarous. It is done in
the same manner as the above, with the difference
that the executioner takes two hours and some-
times three before he gives the final coup de grace.
Advancing and returning from his victim, some-
times just drawing blood, until the poor wretch
faints from fright, and is brought to with cold
water, only to re-undergo fresh sufferings, until at
length the heart is reached, and death puts an end
to his tortures.
We returned to Batavia in a week, heartily sick
of Buitenzorg and all its surroundings. The
Nederlanden was in a perfect uproar when we
arrived, for Mr. Wilson's World-Wide Circus had
just come from India for a stay of two months in
Batavia, and nearly every available bed-room had
been taken by them. We succeeded, however, in
obtaining a shake-down, and attended the perform-
ance (a remarkably good one) on the Kcenig's
Plein the same evening, after a very festive dinner
at table d'hote with the troupe.
I have given but a very slight sketch of Java,
as we saw so little of the island, and our stay there
was so limited ; nor had we the slightest desire to
prolong it.
We reached Singapore on the 2ist of July, and
sailed for Europe on the 24th in the Messageries
s.s. Amazone a splendid vessel, nearly the size
On the Equator. 127
of the Sindh, and quite equal to her in all other
respects.
Staying a few days in Egypt, we thence
embarked on board the P. and O. s.s. Australia
for Gibraltar. L. left me at the latter place, return-
ing direct to Southampton, while I arranged to
proceed through Spain and via Paris, home.
CHAPTER IX.
Cadiz Custom-House Officers Spanish Courtship Market-place
Leave for Seville Jeaez de la Frontera Seville Pilate's
House Las Delicias Triana Madrid Bull Fighting
" Espadas " A Bull Fight Frascuelo Cruelty to Horses
Leave for Paris A Stormy Passage Home Again Adieu.
I LEFT for Cadiz by the small trading steamer
James Haynes three days after my arrival at
Gibraltar. A friend of mine being quartered here,
I stayed with him at the barracks, fortunately for
myself, as the Gibraltar hotels leave much to be
desired in the way of accommodation.
On the approach from seaward Cadiz, with its
flat roofs and high towers, presents more the ap-
pearance of a Moorish town than a European city,
and the afternoon I saw it appeared to fully jus-
tify its Spanish appellation of " Pearl of the Sea,"
white and glittering in the bright afternoon sun-
shine, in striking contrast to the dark blue colour
of the sea surrounding it.
I arrived at four o'clock the afternoon of my
departure from Gibraltar, and drove to the Fonda
de Cadiz, in the Plaza San Antonio, after consider-
On the Equator. 129
able annoyance from the custom-house officers,
who, although I had nothing contraband about me,
seemed determined to make themselves as rude
and unpleasant as possible, and appeared to be only
second to the Turkish and Egyptian donaniers, as
far as robbery and extortion are concerned.
I took a stroll after dinner to the Plaza Nina,
the favourite lounge of Cadiz in the cool of the
evening. The square was crowded with people of
all classes ; and the beauty of the women through-
out Spain, and especially Seville and Cadiz, is very
striking, although the picturesque costume with
which one is apt to associate the Spanish lady
is fast dying out Black seemed to be the
favourite colour, as it always has been in Spain,
but the graceful mantilla is gradually but surely
giving way to the Parisian bonnet.
The streets of Cadiz are well paved, and the
houses substantially built of white stone. I was
much struck at first by the heavy iron bars with
which the windows of the ground floors in this, as
in all other Spanish towns, are guarded. These, I
subsequently ascertained, are for the double pur-
pose of excluding thieves and too ardent lovers (!),
for it may not be generally known that when a
youth in Spain is paying his addresses to a girl,
the doors of her parents' house are closed to him ;
nor is this all, for all intercourse with his novia,
I
130 On the Equator.
or intended, is forbidden excepting through these
gratings !
A visit to Cadiz cathedral, " La Vieja," is well
repaid, and I was lucky enough to hear a mass
sung there. The interior of the building is very
beautiful, although a high altar erected by Queen
Isabella in 1866 greatly mars the effect, being in
very florid style and bad taste. There were no
seats at all in the building, the congregation kneel-
ing and sitting upon the bare flags.
The market at Cadiz is a novel and picturesque
sight, its stalls laden with every imaginable kind of
fruit grapes, pears, peaches, apricots, and even
bananas in abundance and at absurdly cheap
prices.
I was much struck, throughout Spain, with
the appearance of the Spanish soldiery. They
all, with but few exceptions, looked smart and
well set up, and their uniforms looked clean, and
fitted them an uncommon sight on the Con-
tinent.
My bill on leaving for Seville surprised me not
a little a good bed-room, excellent dinner and
breakfast, including wine and omnibus to the
station about 8s. 6d. in English money ! Would
that some hotel-keepers I could mention would act
on the same principle !
Railway travelling in Spain is cheap, though
On the Equator. 131
very slow, and the carriages exceedingly com-
fortable.
The intending voyager to Spain would, how-
ever, do well to learn the etiquettes of the
country before going there, for they are manifold,
and their non-observance may sometimes be
taken as an insult by the sensitive Spaniard.
The latter have an almost ridiculously keen sense
of personal dignity, even to the very beggars,
who consider themselves caballeros (gentlemen),
and expect to be treated as such, as indeed
they are by their own countrymen. It is also
a good rule in Spain, to bear in mind when
much pressed for time, that Spaniards hate being
hurried, and that the slightest attempt to do so
will probably delay you all the longer.
The five hours' journey from Cadiz to Seville
is through vast sandy plains, not unlike parts of
Roumania, excepting in the neighbourhood of Jeres
de la Frontera. Here are large vineyards, in the
midst of which stand pretty red-roofed villas, the
properties of the owners of the vines, which formed
pleasant relief to the eye after the glaring dusty
plains left behind us, but to which we return on
clearing the outskirts of Jerez.* Seville is reached
at about eight p.m., and we drive to the Fonda de
Cuatro Naciones, in the Plaza Nueva, having
' Pronounced " Herez."
T 2
132 On the Equator.
been recommended thither by a communicative
fellow-passenger.
I stayed two days in Seville, and could willingly
have remained longer, had I not been pressed, for
it is a truly delightful city. Its houses are built
very much in the modern French style, but there
are also many old Moorish dwellings, with their
open courtyards and fountains. One well worth
seeing is the Casa de Pilatos, an exact model
of Pilate's house at Jerusalem, and built by
Enriquez de Ribiera to commemorate his visit
there in 1533. Of public gardens Seville has
many, the prettiest of these being Las Delicias,
a walk stretching for nearly a mile along the banks
of the river Gudalquivir, and planted with orange-
trees, pomegranates, palms, roses, and all kinds
of rare plants. This is the Champs Elyse'es of
Seville, and when lit up at night, with innumerable
coloured lamps, bears no slight resemblance to
them. Triana, a transpontine suburb, is worth a
visit in the daytime, as it is the residence of gipsies,
smugglers, lower order of bull-fighters, and thieves.
In December, 1876, it was nearly destroyed by the
floods, and Seville was under water for five days,
the water reaching to the cathedral doors.
I arrived in Madrid on the morning of Sunday,
October 3rd, after a wretchedly cold night journey
from Seville, and the jumps and bounds taken by
On the Equator. 133
the carriage I was in put sleep out of the question.
On driving through the streets to the hotel, I
noticed that every available wall was placarded
with the announcement of a bull-fight to come off
on that afternoon, and determined, if possible, to
secure a seat. This, after breakfast, I managed
to do, though only a second-class one, all " boletiere
de sombra" or seats in the shade, being already
let ; the consequence being that at the end of the
performance most of the skin had peeled off my
face.
Bull-fighting in Spain, at the present time,
is very much akin to what racing is in England,
the espadas (or matadors) being held very much
in the same esteem as our popular jockeys by the
public : and the photograph of the champion, at
the time of my visit (Frascuelo), was to be seen
figuring in most of the photograph shops of
Madrid and Seville, the latter town being con-
sidered the best academy for the aspiring bull-
fighter. The Spanish bull-fighters have risen
considerably in the social scale during the past
century, for they were formerly denied the burial
rite. A priest is now, however, in attendance at
every fight to give absolution in the event of a
fatal accident. The fights are very expensive
affairs, costing from 400 to .500 each, and in
most towns are only occasionally held, although
134 On the Equator.
in Madrid they take place every Sunday through-
out the season, which lasts from April to October.
Most of the bulls selected are bred at Utrera, in
Andalusia, about twenty miles from Seville, and
are splendid animals. All are not, however, fit
for the ring, the more ferocious ones only being
selected. The Plaza is usually under the super-
intendence of a society of nobles and gentlemen,
called Maestanzas, the king being styled " Her-
mano Major," or elder brother of the Guild.
The bull-fighters themselves are of four grades :
the espada or matador, the picadores, chulos,
and banderilleros. The first named, who are at
the head of the profession, engage in the last
single combat with the bull, while the others are
employed to annoy and harass him into as wild a
state of frenzy as possible.
The fight I attended was graced by the
presence of the King and Queen Isabella (not the
young Queen, who rarely attends these perform-
ances), and the immense building was crowded
to excess. It is about two miles out of Seville,
comparatively new (the old one having been
burnt down in 1875), and built of red and white
brick in the Moorish style, with horse-shoe
windows, and is capable of accommodating 17,000
persons. The ring is, as in a circus, covered with
sand, a wooden barrier about five feet high running
On the Equator. 135
round it, separated from the front row of spectators
by a narrow passage four feet broad, wherein the
chulos or others (except the espada, who must
never leave the arena) vault when hard pressed by
the bull. The whole of the building is of course
open to the sky.
The bills of the performance ran as follows :
" PLAZA DE TOROS, DE MADRID.
" El Domingo, 3 de Octobre, de 1880.
" Se lidiaran siete Toros los seis primeros de la Antigua y a
creditada ganaderia de Don Manuel Bannelos y Salcedo, vecino
de Columiar Viejo, con divisa azul turqui, y'el setimo de la
de D. Donato Palonimo vecino de chozas de la Sierra, con diviza
amarilla. "
Then followed the names of espadas (one of
whom was the celebrated Frascuelo), picadores,
chulos, &c.
A flourish of trumpets now sounded, and
announced the arrival of the king and queen,
which was the signal for the immediate clearing of
the arena and commencement of the performance
by the quadrilla, or procession of bull-fighters.
These entering at the end of the building opposite,
advanced to the front of the royal box and bowed.
The espadas (three in number) looked particularly
graceful, and were most gorgeously dressed in
green, violet, and light blue satin, covered with gold
lace ; all wore the national Spanish dress jacket,
136 On the Equator.
short breeches, and silk stockings, their hair being
twisted up in a knot behind, and secured in a silk
net. At the end of the procession came two
picadores, mounted on two sorry steeds, who looked
only fit for the knacker, as indeed they were.
Their riders wore broad-brimmed grey felt hats
and had their legs encased in iron and leather, to
withstand the bull's horns. Each was armed with
a garrocha, or spear, the blade of which, however,
is only about an inch long, as the picadores are
not allowed to kill the bull, but merely to irritate
and goad him. They are subject to narrow squeaks
sometimes, and few have a sound rib left, owing to
the fearful falls they get, when the bull sometimes
tosses both man and horse in the air. As I have
said, the horses are fit for little else than the
knacker, and as such are the excuse for most
unmeasured cruelties, as the reader will see anon.
The poor brutes' eyes are bound round with
white cloths, or they would probably refuse to face
the bull. If merely wounded, the gap is sewn up,
and stuffed with tow, and I saw one poor brute
who was desperately gored in the first encounter,
go through three succeeding fights with blood
pouring from wounds in his side, until a more
furious charge, and plunge of the bull's horns
put an end to his misery. The procession over,
there was a breathless pause while the chulos got
On the Equator. 137
into position, and this being finished, and every-
thing ready, the doors of his prison were opened,
and the bull trotted out. He had evidently
been well goaded in his cell before being released,
as was evinced by the suppressed roars he gave
as he caught sight of the chulos. The first act
of the drama now commences, and the chulos
pursue him round the arena with their red cloths,
showing the while most wonderful grace and
activity. The bull invariably charges at the cloth,
and not the man ; sometimes, however, making a
frantic rush at both, when the chulos vaults over
the barrier, so closely pressed as to give one
the idea of his being lifted over by the bull's horns.
This was carried on for about five minutes, when
another trumpet sounded, and the picadores
entered, mounted on the poor brutes (a brown and
a grey) already mentioned.
The bandage having slipped off from over the
grey horse's eyes, it was hastily readjusted, and
only just in time, for the bull, as soon as ever he
caught sight of the horses, made straight for the
grey. Maddened by the shouts of the people and
the cloaks of the "chulos/' his charge was not a
light one, and he buried his horns deep in the poor
brute's flank, the picador meanwhile scooping a
large piece of flesh out of his back with his
garrocha. Maddened and exasperated, he then made
138 On the Equator.
for the brown, this time fortunately missing him,
only, however, to reserve the poor beast for a worse
fate. Another furious charge now unhorsed the
picador, at which the chulos leaped into the ring,
and distracted the bull's attention with their red
cloths while the fallen picador scrambled over
the barrier into safety, a feat which his heavy
accoutrements rendered by no means easy.
The trumpets now sounded for the approach
of the banderilleros, while the horses were
led away out of sight, to be patched up for the
succeeding engagement ; a quantity of sand was
thrown over the blood stains, which were pretty
numerous throughout the arena. The banderil-
leros were three in number, and smart, dapper,
little fellows, beautifully dressed in light blue satin
and gold. Each was armed with the banderillo,
small barbed darts, about a foot long, orna-
mented with coloured paper. Their duty is to go
straight up to the bull, facing him, and as soon
as he stoops his head to charge them, stick their
barbs, one on each side of his neck, and slip aside.
This seemed to be the most graceful feat of the
day, and one requiring nearly as much nerve as
that of the " espada," whose arrival a final flourish
of trumpets now announced.
The espada, or man of death, now stands
alone with his victim, and having bowed to the
On the Equator. 139
royal box, he throws his montero, or cap, among
the audience, and swears to do his duty. In his
right hand is the long Toledan blade la espada,
while in his left he holds the muleta, or small
red flag about a foot square, which is his weapon
of defence, and on the skill of using which his
safety depends. The now maddened bull's first
tactic was to charge furiously at the red flag, which
the espada held at arm's length, and so wonder-
fully skilled was Frascuelo that he never moved
an inch, while the animal rushed by him beneath
his arm. Gradually decoying him along the edge of
the ring with the imileta, Frascuelo paused in front
of the royal box with his victim, and played him
for a while, preparing in the meantime to give him
the coup de grace. This is done when the bull is
preparing for the final charge ; the espada meeting
him with his sword, plunges it hilt deep, just at
the back of the head, and severing the dorsal
column. The bull is now stationary for a few
seconds, hardly knowing what to make of it, the
espada holding up his hand to enjoin silence, till
at length the brute sways slowly from side to side,
and falls down dead, amid the jeers and applause
of the populace, while the victorious espada
withdraws, and wipes his sword, and walks slowly
round the ring, the spectators throwing him
cigars, packets of cigarettes, and this last a great
140 On the Equator.
honour their hats, a compliment he returns by
throwing them back again. If, however, the
espada is long in despatching the bull, or in the
slightest degree "shows the white feather," he is
grossly insulted, and empty bottles, orange-peel,
cigar stumps, &c. are thrown at him till he leaves
the Plaza. Frascuelo's performance was, how-
ever, apparently all that could be desired, and a
team of fourteen mules, gaily caparisoned with
bells and flags, now entered, and dragged away
the carcase of the dead bull at full gallop the
fight having occupied a little over twenty
minutes.
The arena was now raked over, and put in
order, preparatory to the arrival of the second
bull, Florido, who evidently did not care about
the game at all. Disregarding all the attempts
of the chulos to harass him, he repeatedly
charged at the barrier, and endeavoured to clear
it and get out of their way. The picadores tried
him with no further success, until a waving of
handkerchiefs was seen among the audience.
This is the sign for the banderillos del fuego
to be applied. These are barbs made with
crackers, which go off with a loud report as soon
as they are stuck in the bull's shoulder. But
even this last resource failed to rouse Florido,
who was ignominiously despatched by a cache-
On the Equator. 141
terro, and dragged out of the ring to the strains
of " Nicholas " (in derision) by the band !
But if this performance had been a tame one,
the succeeding one fully made up for it. Car-
bonero, the bull who now made his appearance,
was evidently not to be trifled with. Galloping
into the arena, he made short work of the chulos,
who soon decamped to make way for the pica-
dores, mounted on the wretched brown afore-
mentioned and another poor brute in place of
the grey already butchered. Carbonero lost no
time, and, making his rush suddenly, rolled
the brown horse and his rider over and over, re-
peatedly goring the wretched brute with his long
horns (the picador having made his escape over
the barrier). In vain did the chulos try to get the
bull to leave his prey ; in vain did the second
picador seek to divert his attention ; all was use-
less, until, at length, with a maddened effort, the
wretched horse staggered up and galloped wildly
round the ring, treading on its own entrails, and
closely pursued by the bull ! The poor brute
was caught at length and despatched by the
cacheterro. " Banderilleros " were dispensed with
on this occasion, so rabid had the bull become, and
Frascuelo, after a ten minutes' encounter, suc-
ceeded in killing him, amid shouts that might
have been heard at Madrid, two miles off, and
1 42 On the Equator.
applauded by none more vociferously than those
occupying the royal box.
There were five more bulls to be killed, but the
last performance had sickened me of bull-fighting
and everything connected with it, and I left the
Plaza wondering that such things are allowed to
exist in a civilised country!*
I left Madrid the following day for Paris,
breaking the journey at Bordeaux, and after two
days spent in the gay city, am once more on the
Chemin de Fer du Nord, en route for Calais. A
stormy passage across (which makes us feel con-
siderably queerer than we have in all our travels
on sea), and we enter the tidal express, which
seems to fairly tear along, after the crawlers we
have left abroad. Two hours more, and we are
at Charing Cross, scarcely realising that we are
really home again until the window is opened
and a good gust of " home-made " London fog
enters, convincing us that there is no mistake
about it.
And here after a journey of over 20,000
miles, during which I trust the reader has not
tired of and forsaken me I must say, ADIEU.
*A Bill was brought before the Cortes in 1878 for the abo-
lition of bull-fights in Spain, but nothing has since been heard
about it.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
This book is DUE on the last date stamped below.
H13S78
"
PSD 2338 9/77
3 1158 00314 5751
A 000107685
ST
