Besides the large species, to which belonged the ape that had attacked
them, the travellers saw another kind while passing across the plain.
This was the _mias kassio_, much smaller in size, and more gentle in its
nature.

But they saw nothing of those, tallest of all, and the most dreaded by
Saloo--the _mias rombis_--although the old bee-hunter still maintained
his belief that they exist in the forests of Borneo as well as in the
wilds of Sumatra.

The plain over which they were making their way, here and there
intersected with lagoons and tracts of tree-covered swamp, was the very
locality in which these great apes delight to dwell; their habit being
to make their huge platforms, or sleeping-places, upon bushes that grow
out of boggy marsh or water--thus rendering them difficult of access to
man, the only enemy they have need to dread.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

THE FRIENDLY FLAG.

The travellers had taken their departure from the lake-shore at an early
hour of the morning; and before sunset they had traversed the remaining
portion of the plain, and ascended a considerable distance up the
sloping side of the mountains beyond.

Another day's journey, during which they accomplished a very long and
tiresome march, brought them to the summit of the ridge, the great
dividing chain which strikes longitudinally across the whole island of
Borneo, so far as the geographers yet know it.

They could see far to the northward, dimly outlined against the sky, the
immense mountain of Kini-Balu--which rises to a height of nearly 12,000
feet; but they derived their principal gratification from the fact that,
in the country stretching westward, appeared nothing likely to prevent
them from reaching the destined goal of their journey, the old Malay
capital town of Bruni--or rather the isle of Labuan, which lies along
the coast a little to the north of it, where Captain Redwood knew that a
flag floated, which, if not that of his own country, would be equally as
certain to give him protection.

From the position of Kini-Balu, whose square summit they could
distinguish from all others, he could see the point to steer for as
well, or even better, than if he had brought his ship's compass with
him, and they would no longer be travelling in any uncertainty as to
their course. From where they were it could be distinguished to a
pointy without any variation; and after a good night's rest upon the
mountain-ridge, they commenced de