and Irish are not
more different in national character than the Malay, the Javanese,
the Bugis, the Illanun, and the Dyak; and yet all these are
indiscriminately called Malay, and a common character bestowed upon
them. It would be as wise and as sensible to speak of a European
character.

"_31st._--Started on a short excursion up the country, and slept
at Siniawan. Here I found a young Pangeran (who came from Sambas
with Mr. Hupe, a German missionary) enchained in the delights of
opium. He left Sarawak for Sambas two months since, proceeded five
hours' journey, and has since been smoking the drug and sleeping
alternately. His life passes thus: between four and five he wakes,
yawns, and smokes a pipe or two, which fits him for the labors of
taking his guitar and playing for an hour. Then follows a slightly
tasted meal, a pipe or two succeeds, and content and merriment for
another hour or two. About eight o'clock the gentleman reclines, and
pipe succeeds pipe till, toward daylight, he sinks intoxicated and
stupid on his pillow, to wake up again in due course to play again the
same part. Poor wretch! two months of this life of dissipation have
reduced him to a shadow--two more months will consign him to his grave.

"_Feb. 1st._--Started after breakfast, and paddled against a strong
current past Tundong, and, some distance above, left the main stream
and entered the branch to the right, which is narrower, and rendered
difficult of navigation by the number of fallen trees which block up
the bed, and which sometimes obliged us to quit our boat, and remove
all the kajang covers, so as to enable us to haul the boat under the
huge trunks. The main stream was rapid and turbid, swollen by a fresh,
and its increase of volume blocked up the waters of the tributary, so
as to render the current inconsiderable. The Dyaks have thrown several
bridges across the rivers, which they effect with great ingenuity; but
I was surprised on one of these bridges to observe the traces of the
severe flood which we had about a fortnight since. The water on that
occasion must have risen twenty feet perpendicularly, and many of the
trees evidently but recently fallen, are the effects of its might. The
walk to Rat, or Ra-at, is about two miles along a decent path. Nothing
can be more picturesque than the hill and the village. The former is
a huge lump (I think of granite), almost inaccessible, with bold bare
sides, rising out of a rich vegetation at th