w-pipe, and a club, which is not unlike the
"waddie" of the Australian aboriginal; but with these they can do quite
enough damage to deter all but the reckless from visiting their chosen
haunts.

The charm of far-off countries has ever had a great power over all
Britons; the true traveller's instinct is in their blood, and the noble
array of red markings on our maps amply testify to the brilliance of
their achievements. Knowing this, I speak with care of a country that I
have traversed in my wanderings, so that if others who read these words
may feel impelled to take up the pilgrim staff, they may at least rely
upon my humble observations.

A few years back, after journeying through Achin in Sumatra--another
little-known "corner" jealously guarded by the Dutch--I, with my five
companions, found it necessary to betake ourselves to British Dominions,
having given offence to the Holland Government by our peregrinations
through the hostile Achinese territory. So we embarked on a Malay trader
bound for Klang, the port of Selangor, and commenced an expedition which
I can recall now as being one of the most interesting of all my travels.
The details of our progress across the Peninsula could not be given
here, but I will relate one of our first experiences with the
tree-dwellers of Kelantan, when we were camped on the head-waters of the
Lebah River in that province, where, I believe, no white man had ever
been before.

We had systematically prospected the various mountain-streams in the
west for gold without result; but here we had discovered unmistakable
traces of the precious metal; and our hearts being gladdened
accordingly, we prepared to explore still farther into the mountains in
search of the mother-lode.

"It's rather a curious thing," said Phil at this time, "that we have met
none of the Sakis so far. I should like to see a specimen of the tribe
before we leave their confounded country."

"They're like oorsel's," grunted Mac, "they canna abide the smell o'
Cheeniemen; but A'm thinkin' we're near their special habitation noo."

There was considerable truth in Mac's observation. All along the Perak
River, which we had followed for nearly a hundred miles before branching
off across an inviting pass in the dividing ranges, we had met the
almond-eyed Celestials in great bands clearing the forest growths and
prospecting for tin in the most unlikely places. Perak, I should
mention, is the Malay word for silver, it hav