Our mode of life here is very simple—­rather too much so, as we have a continual struggle to get enough to eat.  The Sarawak market is to a great extent supplied with rice, fowls, and sweet potatoes from this river, yet I have been obliged to send to Sarawak to purchase these very articles.  The reason is that the Dyaks are almost all in debt to the Malay traders, and will therefore not sell anything, fearful of not having sufficient to satisfy their creditors.  They have now just got in their rice harvest, and though it is not a very abundant one there is no immediate pressure of hunger to induce them to earn anything by hunting or snaring birds, etc.  This also prevents them from being very industrious in seeking for the “mias,” though I have offered a high price for full-grown animals.  The old men here relate with pride how many heads they have taken in their youth, and though they all acknowledge the goodness of the present Rajah’s government, yet they think that if they could still take a few heads they would have better harvests.  The more I see of uncivilised people, the better I think of human nature on the whole, and the essential differences between so-called civilised and savage man seem to disappear.  Here are we, two Europeans surrounded by a population of Chinese, Malays, and Dyaks.  The Chinese are generally considered, and with some truth, to be thieves, liars, and careless of human life, and these Chinese are coolies of the very lowest and least educated class.  The Malays are invariably characterised as treacherous and bloodthirsty, and the Dyaks have only recently ceased to think head-taking an absolute necessity.  We are two days’ journey from Sarawak, where, though the Government is European, yet it only exists by the consent and support of the native population.  Now I can safely say that in any part of Europe, if the same facilities for crime and disturbance existed, things would not go on so smoothly as they do here.  We sleep with open doors and go about constantly unarmed; one or two petty robberies and a little private fighting have taken place among the Chinese, but the great proportion of them are quiet, honest, decent sort of men.  They did not at first like the strictness and punctuality with which the English manager kept them to their work, and two or three ringleaders tried to get up a strike for short hours and higher wages, but Mr. G.’s energy and decision soon stopped this by sending off the ringleaders at once, and summoning all the Dyaks and Malays in the neighbourhood to his assistance in case of any resistance being attempted.  It was very gratifying to see how rapidly they came up at his summons, and this display of power did much good, for since then everything has gone on smoothly.  Preparations are now making for building a “joss house,” a sure sign that the Chinese have settled to the work, and giving every promise of success in an undertaking which must have a vast influence on the progress of commerce and civilisation of Borneo and the surrounding countries.  India, Australia, and every country with which they have communication must also be incalculably benefited by an abundant supply of good coal within two days’ steam of Singapore.  Let us wish success, then, to the Si Munjon Coal Works!—­A.R.W.