ich must be felt to be understood. We were rather afraid
of both the fever and the mosquitoes, and as neither the Rajah nor
Ranee was at Kuching, we decided to drop down the river again with the
afternoon tide.

After a short delay we landed with Mr. Maxwell at some neat little
steps close to the jail, where there appeared to be but few prisoners.
The public offices and buildings of Kuching seem to be particularly
suitable for this hot climate. Not far off is the market, with nothing
left for sale in it except a few vegetables and pines, the meat and
fruit markets being over for the day, and the fish--the staple
commodity of the place--not having yet come in. At high tide the
prahus which we had seen waiting at the mouth of the river would sail
swiftly up, bringing the result of their morning's work, the crew of
each eager to be first and so to command the best prices.

Most of these prahus are propelled by two, three, and four, or even
eight, paddles; and one which we saw had twenty. The larger ones only
come out as a rule for warlike purposes or on high days and holidays,
especially on New Year's Day, which is a great festival in Borneo,
when five hundred warriors frequently compete in one race. It must be
wonderful to see their paddles flashing, their boats dashing through
the water, and to hear their wild shouts and war-cries. If only we
could have stayed, a race would have been got up for our edification,
although most of the warriors are out on the war-path just now,
looking after stray jobs in their line, arising from the difficulties
between the Sultan of Brunei and the Kadyans.

A long narrow room over the market is used as the museum at Kuching,
and after climbing up by a steep ladder we came to a trapdoor, of
which the key could not be found for some time. The collection is
interesting, and gives a good idea of the manners and customs of the
Dyaks. It comprises specimens of their household utensils, weapons,
dress, matwork, besides models of their dwellings and canoes. Some of
the basketwork was cleverly woven in beautiful patterns, marked out
and dyed with the juice of coloured berries and seaweed. The
head-flatteners, or boards used by the Milanos to alter the natural
shape of their infants' heads, specially attracted our attention, and
I felt it difficult to decide whether the invention aimed at
increasing the child's beauty or its brains.

[Illustration: Fire-tube]

[Illustration: SARAWAK, BORNEO: O