us row on the gongs and drums, to give the Resident welcome.
The sound of these, mingled with the roar of the water as it dashed
through the ravine, had a strange and weird effect. These people had
been living above Kapit and out of sight of the Government, eluding
taxes, taking heads, and otherwise misbehaving themselves. A
Government expedition was formed to remedy this state of affairs, the
result being their total defeat, and the order to remove below
Kapit--which they had now obeyed.

Having rounded the corner of the next reach, we arrived off the little
wooden fort which protects the village of Kapit. The latter, however,
can scarcely be called a village, having consisted, till quite
recently, of but two large native houses. The tribes around, as I have
said, having given great trouble of late years, it was decided to form
a Government Station, and to that end a fine wooden fort (which at the
time of our visit was but half finished) was commenced.

The country and climate around Kapit are quite different to other
parts of Sarawak, the former being mountainous, rocky, and free from
jungle, and the latter temperate and cool.

We landed and walked up to the Fort, which is situated in a first-rate
position on one of the many hills overlooking the river. Although in a
very unfinished state, it contained one room nearly completed, in
which we managed to live very comfortably. We had scarcely arrived
here half an hour ere our apartment was filled with some of the most
extraordinary mortals I have ever beheld.

A number of tribes exist around Kapit, each of which (with the
exception of the wild and homeless Ukit) had its representative here
during our visit, for the station being in charge of a Eurasian, or
half-caste, the advent of Europeans attracted many to the fort, some
of whom had never before seen a white man.

The most powerful and civilised of these tribes are the Kayans, who
extend from Rejang far into the dominions of the Sultan of Brunei,
and, besides these, the Poonans, Pakatans, and Ukits, but the latter
are generally supposed to be the wildest specimens of the human race
yet met with in Borneo. This tribe (which is the only one living at
the head of Rejang not tattooed) has been occasionally but seldom seen
in these regions by Europeans, as they shrink from all intercourse
with mankind, and fly at the approach of any but their own race. They
are described as being of a much lighter colour than the Poon