the malay archipelago-1-第15章

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aya　that　his　men　should　next　day　take　me　through　two　other　villages　across　to　Senna；　at　the　head　of　the　Sarawak　River。　I　amused　myself　as　I　best　could　till　evening；　by　walking　about　the　high　ground　near；　to　get　views　of　the　country　and　bearings　of　the　chief　mountains。　There　was　then　another　public　audience；　with　gifts　of　rice　and　eggs；　and　drinking　of　rice　wine。　These　Dyaks　cultivate　a　great　extent　of　ground；　and　supply　a　good　deal　of　rice　to　Sarawak。　They　are　rich　in　gongs；　brass　trays；　wire；　silver　coins；　and　other　articles　in　which　a　Dyak's　wealth　consists；　and　their　women　and　children　are　all　highly　ornamented　with　bead　necklaces；　shells；　and　brass　wire。

In　the　morning　I　waited　some　time；　but　the　men　that　were　to　accompany　me　did　not　make　their　appearance。　On　sending　to　the　Orang　Kaya　I　found　that　both　he　and　another　head…man　had　gone　out　for　the　day；　and　on　inquiring　the　reason　was　told　that　they　could　not　persuade　any　of　their　men　to　go　with　me　because　the　journey　was　long　and　fatiguing　one。　As　I　was　determined　to　get　on；　I　told　the　few　men　that　remained　that　the　chiefs　had　behaved　very　badly；　and　that　I　should　acquaint　the　Rajah　with　their　conduct；　and　I　wanted　to　start　immediately。　Every　man　present　made　some　excuse；　but　others　were　sent　for；　and　by　hint　of　threats　and　promises；　and　the　exertion　of　all　Bujon's　eloquence；　we　succeeded　in　getting　off　after　two　hours'　delay。

For　the　first　few　miles　our　path　lay　over　a　country　cleared　for　rice…fields；　consisting　entirely　of　small　but　deep　and　sharply…　cut　ridges　and　valleys　without　a　yard　of　level　ground。　After　crossing　the　Kayan　river；　a　main　branch　of　the　Sadong；　we　got　on　to　the　lower　slopes　of　the　Seboran　Mountain；　and　the　path　lay　along　a　sharp　and　moderately　steep　ridge；　affording　an　excellent　view　of　the　country。　Its　features　were　exactly　those　of　the　Himalayas　in　miniature；　as　they　are　described　by　Dr。　Hooker　and　other　travellers；　and　looked　like　a　natural　model　of　some　parts　of　those　vast　mountains　on　a　scale　of　about　a　tenththousands　of　feet　being　here　represented　by　hundreds。　I　now　discovered　the　source　of　the　beautiful　pebbles　which　had　so　pleased　me　in　the　riverbed。　The　slatey　rocks　had　ceased；　and　these　mountains　seemed　to　consist　of　a　sandstone　conglomerate；　which　was　in　some　places　a　mere　mass　of　pebbles　cemented　together。　I　might　have　known　that　such　small　streams　could　not　produce　such　vast　quantities　of　well…rounded　pebbles　of　the　very　hardest　materials。　They　had　evidently　been　formed　in　past　ages；　by　the　action　of　some　continental　stream　or　seabeach；　before　the　great　island　of　Borneo　had　risen　from　the　ocean。　The　existence　of　such　a　system　of　hills　and　valleys　reproducing　in　miniature　all　the　features　of　a　great　mountain　region；　has　an　important　bearing　on　the　modern　theory　that　the　form　of　the　ground　is　mainly　due　to　atmospheric　rather　than　to　subterranean　action。　When　we　have　a　number　of　branching　valleys　and　ravines　running　in　many　different　directions　within　a　square　mile；　it　seems　hardly　possible　to　impute　their　formation；　or　even　their　origination；　to　rents　and　fissures　produced　by　earthquakes。　On　the　other　hand；　the　nature　of　the　rock；　so　easily　decomposed　and　removed　by　water；　and　the　known　action　of　the　abundant　tropical　rains；　are　in　this　case；　at　least；　quite　sufficient　causes　for　the　production　of　such　valleys。　But　the　resemblance　between　their　forms　and　outlines；　their　mode　of　divergence；　and　the　slopes　and　ridges　that　divide　them；　and　those　of　the　grand　mountain　scenery　of　the　Himalayas；　is　so　remarkable；　that　we　are　forcibly　led　to　the　conclusion　that　the　forces　at　work　in　the　two　cases　have　been　the　same；　differing　only　in　the　time　they　have　been　in　action；　and　the　nature　of　the　material　they　have　had　to　work　upon。

About　noon　we　reached　the　village　of　Menyerry；　beautifully　situated　on　a　spur　of　the　mountain　about　600　feet　above　the　valley；　and　affording　a　delightful　view　of　the　mountains　of　this　part　of　Borneo。　I　here　got　a　sight　of　Penrissen　Mountain；　at　the　head　of　the　Sarawak　River；　and　one　of　the　highest　in　the　district；　rising　to　about　6；000　feet　above　the　sea。　To　the　south　the　Rowan；　and　further　off　the　Untowan　Mountains　in　the　Dutch　territory　appeared　equally　lofty。　Descending　from　Menyerry　we　again　crossed　the　Kayan；　which　bends　round　the　spur；　and　ascended　to　the　pass　which　divides　the　Sadong　and　Sarawak　valleys；　and　which　is　about　2；000　feet　high。　The　descent　from　this　point　was　very　fine。　A　stream；　deep　in　a　rocky　gorge；　rushed　on　each　side　of　us；　to　one　of　which　we　gradually　descended；　passing　over　many　lateral　gullys　and　along　the　faces　of　some　precipices　by　means　of　native　bamboo　bridges。　Some　of　these　were　several　hundred　feet　long　and　fifty　or　sixty　high；　a　single　smooth　bamboo　four　inches　diameter　forming　the　only　pathway；　while　a　slender　handrail　of　the　same　material　was　often　so　shaky　that　it　could　only　be　used　as　a　guide　rather　than　a　support。

Late　in　the　afternoon　we　reached　Sodos；　situated　on　a　spur　between　two　streams；　but　so　surrounded　by　fruit　trees　that　little　could　be　seen　of　the　country。　The　house　was　spacious；　clean　and　comfortable；　and　the　people　very　obliging。　Many　of　the　women　and　children　had　never　seen　a　white　man　before；　and　were　very　sceptical　as　to　my　being　the　same　colour　all　over；　as　my　face。　They　begged　me　to　show　them　my　arms　and　body；　and　they　were　so　kind　and　good…tempered　that　I　felt　bound　to　give　them　some　satisfaction；　so　I　turned　up　my　trousers　and　let　them　see　the　colour　of　my　leg；　which　they　examined　with　great　interest。

In　the　morning　early　we　continued　our　descent　along　a　fine　valley；　with　mountains　rising　2；000　or　3；000　feet　in　every　direction。　The　little　river　rapidly　increased　in　size　until　we　reached　Serma；　when　it　had　become　a　fine　pebbly　stream　navigable　for　small　canoes。　Here　again　the　upheaved　slatey　rock　appeared；　with　the　same　dip　and　direction　as　in　the　Sadong　River。　On　inquiring　for　a　boat　to　take　me　down　the　stream；　I　was　told　that　the　Senna　Dyaks；　although　living　on　the　river…banks；　never　made　or　used　boats。　They　were　mountaineers　who　had　only　come　down　into　the　valley　about　twenty　years　before；　and　had　not　yet　got　into　new　habits。　They　are　of　the　same　tribe　as　the　people　of　Menyerry　and　Sodos。　They　make　good　paths　and　bridges；　and　cultivate　much　mountain　land；　and　thus　give　a　more　pleasing　and　civilized　aspect　to　the　country　than　where　the　people　move　about　only　in　boats；　and　confine　their　cultivation　to　the　banks　of　the　streams。

After　some　trouble　I　hired　a　boat　from　a　Malay　trader；　and　found　three　Dyaks　who　had　been　several　times　with　Malays　to　Sarawak；　and　thought　they　could　manage　it　very　well。　They　turned　out　very　awkward；　constantly　running　aground；　striking　against　rocks；　and　losing　their　balance　so　as　almost　to　upset　themselves　and　the　boatoffering　a　striking　contrast　to　the　skill　of　the　Sea　Dyaks。　At　length　we　came　to　a　really　dangerous　rapid　where　boats　were　often　swamped；　and　my　men　were　afraid　to　pass　it。　Some　Malays　with　a　boatload　of　rice　here　overtook　us；　and　after　safely　passing　down　kindly　sent　back　one　of　their　men　to　assist　me。　As　it　was；　my　Dyaks　lost　their　balance　in　the　critical　part　of　the　passage；　and　had　they　been　alone　would　certainly　have　upset　the　boat。　The　river　now　became　exceedingly　picturesque；　the　ground　on　each　side　being　partially　cleared　for　ricefields；　affording　a　good　view　of　the　country。　Numerous　little　granaries　were　built　high　up　in　trees　overhanging　the　river；　and　having　a　bamboo　bridge　sloping　up　to　them　from　the　bank；　and　here　and　there　bamboo　suspension　bridge　crossed　the　stream；　where　overhanging　trees　favoured　their　construction。

I　slept　that　night　in　the　village　of　the　Sebungow　Dyaks；　and　the　next　day　reached　Sarawak；　passing　through　a　most　beautiful　country　where　limestone　mountains　with　their　fantastic　forms　and　white　precipices　slot　up　on　every　side；　draped　and　festooned　with　a　luxuriant　vegetation。　The　banks　of　the　Sarawak　River　are　everywhere　covered　with　fruit　trees；　which　supply　the　Dyaks　with　a　great　deal　of　their　food。　The　Mangosteen；　Lansat；　Rambutan；　Jack；　Jambou；　and　Blimbing；　are　all　abundant；　but　most　abundant　and　most　esteemed　is　the　Durian；　a　fruit　about　which　very　little　is　known　in　England；　but　which　both　by　natives　and　Europeans　in　the　Malay　Archipelago　is　reckoned　superior　to　all　others。　The　old　traveller　Linschott；　writing　in　1599；　says：　〃It　is　of　such　an　excellent　taste　that　it　surpasses　in　flavour　all　the　other　fruits　of　the　world；　according　to　those　who　have　tasted　it。〃　And　Doctor　Paludanus　adds：　〃This　fruit　is　of　a　hot　and　humid　nature。　To　those　not　used　to　it；　it　seems　at　first　to　smell　like　rotten　onions；　but　immediately　when　they　have　tasted　it；　they　prefer　it　to　all　other　food。　The　natives　give　it　honourable　titles；　exalt　it；　and　make　verses　on　it。〃　When　brought　into　a　house　the　smell　is　often　so　offensive　that　some　persons　can　never　bear　to　taste　it。　This　was　my　own　case　when　I　first　tried　it　in　Malacca；　but　in　Borneo　I　found　a　ripe　fruit　on　the　ground；　and；　eating　it　out　of　doors；　I　at　once　became　a　confirmed　Durian　eater。

The　Durian　grows　on　a　large　and　lofty　forest　tree；　somewhat　resembling　an　elm　in　its　general　character；　but　with　a　more　smooth　and　scaly　bark。　The　fruit　is　round　or　slightly　oval；　about　the　size　of　a　large　cocoanut；　of　a　green　colour；　and　covered　all　over　with　short　stout　spines　the　bases　of　which　touch　each　other；　and　are　consequently　somewhat　hexagonal；　while　the　points　are　very　strong　and　sharp。　It　is　so　completely　armed；　that　if　the　stalk　is　broken　off　it　is　a　difficult　matter　to　lift　one　from　the　ground。　The　outer　rind　is　so　thick　and　tough；　that　from　whatever　height　it　may　fall　it　is　never　broken。　From　the　base　to　the　apex　five　very　faint　lines　may　be　traced；　over　which　the　spines　arch　a　little；　these　are　the　sutures　of　the　carpels；　and　show　where　the　fruit　may　be　divided　with　a　heavy　knife　and　a　strong　hand。　The　five　cells　are　satiny　white　within；　and　are　each　filled　with　an　oval　mass　of　cream…coloured　pulp；　imbedded　in　which　are　two　or　three　seeds　about　the　size　of　chestnuts。　This　pulp　is　the　eatable　part；　and　its　consistency　and　flavour　are　indescribable。　A　rich　butter…like　custard　highly　flavoured　with　almonds　gives　the　best　general　idea　of　it；　but　intermingled　with　it　come　wafts　of　flavour　that　call　to　mind　cream…cheese；　onion…sauce；　brown　sherry；　and　other　incongruities。　Then　there　is　a　rich　glutinous　smoothness　in　the　pulp　which　nothing　else　possesses；　but　which　adds　to　its　delicacy。　It　is　neither　acid；　nor　sweet；　nor　juicy；　yet　one　feels　the　want　of　more　of　these　qualities；　for　it　is　perfect　as　it　is。　It　produces　no　nausea　or　other　bad　effect；　and　the　more　you　eat　of　it　the　less　you　feel　inclined　to　stop。　In　fact　to　eat　Durians　is　a　new　sensation；　worth　a　voyage　to　the　East　to　experience。

When　the　fruit　is　ripe　it　falls　of　itself；　and　the　only　way　to　eat　Durians　in　perfection　is　to　get　them　as　they　fall；　and　the　smell　is　then　less　overpowering。　When　unripe；　it　makes　a　very　good　vegetable　if　cooked；　and　it　is　also　eaten　by　the　Dyaks　raw。　In　a　good　fruit　season　large　quantities　are　preserved　salted；　in　jars　and　bamboos；　and　kept　the　year　round；　when　it　acquires　a　most　disgusting　odour　to　Europeans；　but　the　Dyaks　appreciate　it　highly　as　a　relish　with　their　ri