the rafters above, and that the intruder was a large
brown lizard about a foot long, which 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
understand 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 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.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 10: "Native brandy."]

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 meditating a voyage to Borneo for the
purpose of obtaining it, should think twice ere they venture, for,
apart from the s