n, and were just being
cleaned up and placed in position. The carving and modelling of many
of them were extremely good.

[Illustration: Dyak]

The Rajah's carriage, a neat waggonette and pair, driven by an English
coachman, was waiting to take us to Mr. Maxwell's house, where we were
to lunch. We drove along excellent roads, passing a church,
school-house, and club, to a very pretty bungalow, standing in a
pretty garden, and perched on the summit of a hill. The air felt much
cooler here than in the town or on the river, and gave us excellent
appetites for a nice impromptu little lunch. One delicacy consisted of
fresh turtles' eggs, which I am afraid we did not all appreciate, for
they tasted like ordinary eggs mixed with coarse sand. They are quite
round, about the size of a small orange, with soft white leather, or
rather parchment-like shells, and are found in great abundance on an
island near Kuching. The natives make a coarse oil from the inferior
eggs.

The walls of the dining-room were covered with shields, kreises,
spears, and arms of all kinds, collected by Mr. Maxwell himself. In
some of them mason-bees were making or had already made their nests!
No wonder Mrs. Maxwell complained bitterly of the mischief they did,
and of the ravages of white ants, which are even more destructive.
The dampness of the climate, moreover, makes it necessary to have the
contents of wardrobes and bookcases frequently taken out and shaken,
turned, and examined.

We drove down to the river, intending to take boat and cross to the
island and fort, but were only just in time to rush into the
Government offices and so escape a terrible thunderstorm accompanied
by torrents of rain. In this shelter we had to stay until it was time
to embark on board the 'Adeh,' in which we were to go down the river.

In the meantime the rest of our party had been lunching at the fort,
where they had much enjoyed the view from the heights--a sight which I
rather envied them. Presently we saw them come down in the pouring
rain, get into the Rajah's ten-paddled boat, and set off to join us.
We were all drenched by the time we got on board the 'Adeh.' Here we
were joined by Major and Mrs. Day, as well as by two Dyak soldiers in
full war-costume, in readiness to be sketched or photographed.

Shortly after starting the strong current caught our bow and carried
us into the bank, causing us to collide with and considerably damage
two schooners, as well as