woods with their notes,
but rarely approached within shot. Pigeons in numbers and of several
varieties were seen, but very shy and wild.

"We pushed on ahead of our attendant Pangeran, and pulled up long
after the ebb had made. He had a long chase, and exhausted his
lungs in shouting to us to return; and at last, from pity and
according to promise, I did so. Poor fellow, he was very glad,
fired his swivel-gun, and then brought up for breakfast. I believe
a few hours' progress would have brought us to the vicinity of the
hills and into the country of the Dyaks; and although disappointed
at not being allowed to proceed thither, I nevertheless comfort
myself that we have penetrated a hundred miles up a Borneon river
hitherto unknown--a river likewise (as far as we have yet examined
it) admirably calculated for the purposes of navigation and trade,
and which may at some future period become of importance not only to
the trade of our settlement of Singapore, but even to the commercial
interests of Great Britain. The general character of the Samarahan
is similar to that of other rivers flowing through alluvial soils;
the stream is deep, with muddy banks and bottom, and apparently free
from danger or obstruction. Of course these remarks are not meant
to prevent the necessity of caution in any vessel proceeding up,
as our survey was necessarily very brief; and, like other rivers,
one bank will usually be found deep, the other shallow; which must
be attended to.

"It now remains for us to proceed up the river from its mouth to its
junction with the Ugong Passer; and should it prove to have sufficient
water for vessels on the bar, nothing more will be desired.

"Returning, it took us five hours with a fair tide to Sibnow; the
next ebb we reached Samarahan in three hours, where we stopped for
the night. A heavy rain set in after we brought to, and continued
till morning.

"_25th._--The morning was cold and raw; but cleared up as the sun
rose. At 7 we started, and at a quarter past 10 reached the mouth
of the Ugong Passer and thence into the Riam. Thus it took us 11 1/4
hours, with a strong ebb tide, to pull the distance. We had ascended
the river from the junction of the Ugong Passer. Mr. Murray's plan
of the river will show the distance as taken of each reach, together
with its bearing. The ebb tide lasted us some distance up the Riam;
but the flood making, we entered a small creek, called Tarusongong,
scarce wide enough f