t shy and suspicious of us,
and growled a little, but soon allowed themselves to be
caressed.

"Of the natives, the Malays, unfortunately we saw at close
quarters only some middle-aged men. When we approached the
long floating beams which led to the platform, the women
and children fled precipitately out of the nearest houses,
and by the time we got to the platform, they had fortified
themselves in a distant house, where they sat motionless
and cast curious glances at us through a hole. The children
showed their fear of us by loud crying, kept up the whole
time. When we attempted to approach the fugitives, they
hastened farther away. We won their favour with some
cigarettes, which Palander distributed among them, and with
which they were evidently delighted. They had a serious,
reserved, perhaps rather indifferent appearance. A
physiognomist would perhaps have had difficulty in saying
whether their countenances expressed ferocity,
determination, or indifference. It appeared as if it would
not be easy to bring forth a look of mirth or gladness on
their faces.

"At the Malay villages which we visited, some Chinese had a
sago plantation. With some Malays as workmen in their
service, they were now employed in loading a vessel of
light draught with sago meal, of which they appeared to
have a large quantity in store. Another vessel had just
taken on board its cargo and was starting. The Chinese here
made the same favourable impression on me as their
countrymen, whom I had seen before in Japan and Hong Kong,
and whom I was afterwards to see at Singapore--the
impression of an exceedingly industrious, thriving,
contented, and cleanly race."

Labuan strikes me as a very suitable starting-point for a naturalist
who may wish to explore Borneo. Surrounded by Europeans, but
undisturbed by the distractions of a large city, he would have an
opportunity of accustoming himself to the climate, which, though
rather warm for a dweller in the North, is by no means unhealthy, to
get acquainted with the manners and customs of the natives, to
acquire a knowledge of the commonest forms of the luxuriant nature,
which would otherwise be apt to overwhelm the northern naturalist,
in a word, to make such preparations for the journey as are
necessary to secure its success. This region of Borneo appears to be
one of the le