At 1:30 A.A. on the 5th instant I left for up river and after 71/2 hours fast paddling on a strong tide reached pengkalan Stungkor. I got to Orang Kaya Pa Nyuhm's house at Stungkor at mid-day. Here I spent the night. The following morning at 7:30 I left for Bau, reaching Bidi that same evening just before 4o'clock, and went on to Bau the next day, the 7th instant.
It is somewhat difficult to judge the distance one covers walking through the jungle over a Dyak track that consists for the most part of batangs not more than 4" in width. However, after deducting all stoppages, I find we walked 61/2 hours with an additional 30 minutes ride on the train from Sijeroh to Bidi. Reckoning we kept up an average of 3 miles an hour, the distance from Stungkor to Bidi would work out at over 20 miles. Although in places the track was difficult and we had one stiff climb at Gunoong Udang (a continuation of the Sou range just close to Dutch Territory where the Sambas river has its source), the walking was not nearly so fatiguing as I have experienced in other parts of the country, or as bad as I had been given to understand I should find it.
The first part of the road from the Lundu side passes through primeval jungle, but after leaving the foot of Gunoong Udang, one ceomes to old farming land and the Jagoi Dyak country. Here I found the inhabitants all busy farming. They make very extensive farms and all their young paddi appeared very healthy.
I left Bau on the evening of the 8th and Bidi at 7.40 A.M. on the 9th instant, reaching Stungkor the same evening at 5.40 and Lundu at 4.20 P.M. on the 10th instant.
It is interesting to note that should it ever be necessary, during the landas, to send an urgently express message to Kuching it would be quickest to do so overland via Bau than it would be to send along the coast via the lobahs and Santubong. By using the first route one would get a message to Kuching for certain well within 20 hours.
On the 13th instant I left for Kuching via the lobahs, having been ordered by the Hon'ble the Resident 1st Division to appear in Court there as witness in the case of Government vs. Cha Boo and Ah Chang.
On my return I spent one night at Rombungan and one at Stu. At the former place I reheard the case of Ampuan Haji Bujang vs. Pangeran Jarudai. Plaintiff had summoned Defendant for abuse and the latter had been fined $22.14 by Haji Bakri, Tua Kampong of Rombungan. Full minutes of this case have been forwarded to the Hon'ble the Resident and judgment now awaits his decision.
Finding it very difficult for boats to work a passenger through the lobahs, owing to the drift wood and timber that has been carelessly felled obstructing the channels, I ordered all those persons living on or around the lobahs to turn out and remove those obstacles. I also issued a local notice to the effect "that persons found placing any obstruction whatsoever in the lobahs would be fined".
On the 12th instant P.C. 105 Diding arrived from Kuching to relieve P.C. 95 Bujang whose term here has expired.
P.C. returned to headquarters the following day.
I left for Simatan on the 30th instant.
The prisoners have been employed in the general up-keep of the roads and paths around the station.
The following are the Lundu and Simatan trade returns:
Imports Exports
Lundu $4,224 $7,779
Simatan 5,842 $1,363
I have nothing further to report on this occasion to Your Highness.
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