went down and interfered。 Even after everything was settled； Miss Shaw
was feeling so ill that she wanted to stay in the police station all
night； at least； but Mr。 Hayward and I； who consulted assiduously about
her； were of opinion that we must move her； even if we had to carry
her； for if she were going to have fever； I could nurse her at Captain
Murray's； but certainly not in the veranda of a police station！
This worthy man； who is very brave； and used to facing dangerwho was
the first European to come up here； who acted as guide to the troops
during the war； and afterward disarmed the populationpositively
quailed at having charge of these two fragile girls。 〃Oh；〃 he repeated
several times； 〃if anything were to happen to the Misses Shaw I should
never get over it； and they don't know what roughing it is； they never
should have been allowed to come。〃 So I thought； too； as I looked at
one of them lying limp and helpless on a Malay bed； but my share of the
responsibility for them was comparatively limited。 Doubtless his
thoughts strayed； as mine did； to the days of traveling 〃without
encumbrance。〃 There was another encumbrance of a literal kind。 They had
a trunk！ This indispensable impediment had been left at Malacca in the
morning； and arrived in a four…paddled canoe just as we were about to
start！
Mr。 Hayward prescribed two tablespoonfuls of whisky for Miss Shaw； for
it is somewhat of a risk to sleep out in the jungle at the rainy
season； for the miasma rises twenty feet； and the day had been
exceptionally hot。 Our rather dismal procession started at seven； Mr。
Hayward leading the way； carrying a torch made of strips of palm
branches bound tightly together and dipped in gum dammar； a most
inflammable resin； then a policeman； the sick girl； moaning and
stumbling； leaning heavily on her sister and me； Babu； who had grown
very plucky； a train of policemen carrying our baggage； and lastly；
several torch…bearers； the torches dripping fire as we slowly and
speechlessly passed along。 It looked like a funeral or something
uncanny。 We crawled dismally for fully three…quarters of a mile to cut
off some considerable windings of the river； crossed a stream on a
plank bridge； and found our boat lying at a very high pier with a
thatched roof。
The mystery of night in a strange place was wildly picturesque； the
pale； greenish； undulating light of fireflies； and the broad； red
waving glare of torches flashing fitfully on the skeleton pier； the
lofty jungle trees； the dark； fast…flowing river； and the dark； lithe
forms of our half…naked boatmen。
The prahu was a flattish…bottomed boat about twenty…two and a half feet
long by six and a half feet broad； with a bamboo gridiron flooring
resting on the gunwale for the greater part of its length。 This was
covered for seven feet in the middle by a low； circular roof； thatched
with attap。 It was steered by a broad paddle loosely lashed； and poled
by three men who； standing at the bow； planted their poles firmly in
the mud and then walked half…way down the boat and back again。 All
craft must ascend the Linggi by this laborious process； for its current
is so strong that the Japanese would call it one long 〃rapid。〃
Descending loaded with tin； the stream brings boats down with great
rapidity； the poles being used only to keep them off the banks and
shallows。 Our boat was essentially 〃native。〃
The 〃Golden Chersonese〃 is very hot； and much infested by things which
bite and sting。 Though the mercury has not been lower than 80 degrees
at night since I reached Singapore； I have never felt the heat
overpowering in a house； but the night on the river was awful； and
after the intolerable blaze of the day the fighting with the heat and
mosquitoes was most exhausting； crowded as we were into very close and
uneasy quarters； a bamboo gridiron being by no means a bed of down。 Bad
as it was； I was often amused by the thought of the unusual feast which
the jungle mosquitoes were having on the blood of four white people。
If it had not been for the fire in the bow； which helped to keep them
down by smoking them （and us）； I at least should now be laid up with
〃mosquito fever。〃
The Misses Shaw and I were on a blanket on the gridiron under the roof；
which just allowed of sitting up； Mr。 Hayward； who had never been up
the river before； and was anxious about the navigation； sat； vigilant
and lynx…eyed； at the edge of it； Babu； who had wrapped himself in
Oriental impassiveness and a bernouse； and Mr。 Hayward's police
attendant sat in front； all keeping their positions throughout the
night as dutifully as the figures in a tableau vivant； and so we
silently left Permatang Pasir for our jungle voyage of eighteen hours；
in which time； by unintermitting hard work； we were propelled about as
many miles； though some say twenty…nine。
No description could exaggerate the tortuosity of the Linggi or the
abruptness of its windings。 The boatmen measure the distance by turns。
When they were asked when we should reach the end they never said in so
many hours； but in so many turns。
Silently we glided away from the torchlight into the apparently
impenetrable darkness； but the heavens； of which we saw a patch now and
then； were ablaze with stars； and ere long the forms of trees above and
around us became tolerably distinct。 Ten hours of darkness followed as
we poled our slow and tedious way through the forest gloom； with trees
to right of us； trees to left of us； trees before us； trees behind us；
trees above us； and； I may write； trees under us； so innumerable were
the snags and tree trunks in the river。 The night was very still；not
a leaf moved； and at times the silence was very solemn。 I expected；
indeed； an unbroken silence； but there were noises that I shall never
forget。 Several times there was a long shrill cry； much like the
Australian 〃Coo…ee；〃 answered from a distance in a tone almost human。
This was the note of the grand night bird； the Argus pheasant； and is
said to resemble the cry of the 〃orang…outang；〃 the Jakkuns； or the
wild men of the interior。 A sound like the constant blowing of a
steam…whistle in the distance was said to be produced by a large
monkey。 Yells； hoarse or shrill； and roars more or less guttural； were
significant of any of the wild beasts with which the forest abounds；
and recalled the verse in Psalm civ。； 〃Thou makest darkness that it may
be night； wherein all the beasts of the forest do move。〃 Then there
were cries as of fierce gambols； or of pursuit and capture； of hunter
and victim； and at times； in the midst of profound stillness； came huge
plungings； with accompanying splashings； which I thought were made by
alligators； but which Captain Murray thinks were more likely the riot
of elephants disturbed while drinking。 There were hundreds of
mysterious and unfamiliar sounds great and small； significant of the
unknown beast； reptile； and insect world which the jungle hides； and
then silences。
Sheet lightning； very blue； revealed at intervals the strong stream
swirling past under a canopy of trees falling and erect； with straight
stems one hundred and fifty feet high probably； surmounted by crowns of
drooping branches； palms with their graceful plumage； lianas hanging；
looping； twistingtheir orange fruitage hanging over our heads； great
black snags； the lithe； wiry forms of our boat…men always straining to
their utmost； and the motionless white turban of the Hadji；all for a
second relieved against the broad blue flame； to be again lost in
darkness。
The Linggi above Permatang Pasir； with its sharp turns and muddy hurry；
is； I should say； from thirty to sixty feet wide； a mere pathway
through the jungle。 Do not think of a jungle； as I used to think of it；
as an entanglement or thicket of profuse and matted scrub； for it is in
these regions at least a noble forest of majestic trees； many of them
supported at their roots by three buttresses； behind which thirty men
could find shelter。 On many of the top branches of these； other trees
have taken root from seeds deposited by birds； and have attained
considerable size； and all send down； as it _appears_； extraordinary
cylindrical strands from two to six inches in diameter； and often one
hundred and fifty feet in length； smooth and straight until they root
themselves； looking like the guys of a mast。 Under these giants stand
the lesser trees grouped in glorious confusion；cocoa； sago； areca；
and gomuti palms； nipah and nibong palms； tree ferns fifteen and twenty
feet high； the bread…fruit； the ebony； the damar； the india rubber； the
gutta…percha； the cajeput； the banyan； the upas； the bombax or cotton
tree； and hosts of others； many of which bear brilliant flowers； but
have not yet been botanized； and I can only give such barbarous names
as chumpaka； Kamooning； marbow； seum； dadap； and； loveliest of all； the
waringhan； a species of ficus； graceful as a birch； and underneath
these again great ferns； ground orchids； and flowering shrubs of heavy；
delicious odor； are interlocked and interwoven。 Oh that you could see
it all！ It is wonderful； no words could describe it； far less mine。 Mr。
Darwin says so truly that a visit to the