wenty reals each, makes four hundred reals, beside other plunder,
amounting to one or two hundred reals more. Inferior Pangerans would
of course partake likewise. Muda Hassim _must_ have given his consent,
must have been a participator in this atrocity, nobody being desperate
enough to do such a thing without his orders. In fact, they dare not
move up the river themselves without leave, much less send up the
Dyaks. It is a hateful feature in this government, newly developed
since the close of the war.

"_August 5th._--One excursion I made up the river over our old
ground, staying a week, visiting various places. Where the village
of Siniawan once stood is now a small Chinese settlement, and their
garden bespeaks the fertility of the soil. From Siniawan I walked
over to Tundong, now the principal Chinese station. The scenery was
beautiful all the way from Siniawan to Tundong--gently undulating
ground rising into respectable hills, and backed by noble mountains,
and valleys so quiet and still, and looking so fertile, that I sighed
to think man's cultivating hand was not here. We paused, and rested
at a farm of the Paninjow. Their mode of cultivation is the same as
described by Marsden--cutting, clearing, planting, and abandoning
after one or two crops. They seem likewise to prefer the upland to
the wet ground. Tundong is quite a new settlement, situated close on
the banks of the river, which is here quite narrow and shallow. The
distance may be ten miles by water, as it took our boat four hours
and a half to pull against stream. We spent the same time walking,
but diverged from the road. Wherever the Chinese are, the sound of
the axe and the saw is to be heard in the woods as you approach, and
all are industriously employed. They have their carpenters, sawyers,
blacksmiths, and housebuilders, while the mass work the antimony
ore, or are busy constructing the trench where they find and wash
the gold. With such inhabitants a country must get on well, if they
are allowed fair play. I was quite tired, and stayed all night at
Tundong. On the following morning I started for the Singe mountain,
which is the residence of the Dyak tribe of the same name. The walk,
including a rest, occupied nearly three hours, the latter part uphill,
and we reached the village a good deal knocked up from the heat of the
sun and the badness of the way. Our entertainment was not of the best;
yet the Singe were not inhospitable, but suspicious that w