Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra13141884roya).pdf/283



HE following sketch of these two rivers, taken from the notes of a trip which the writer had the pleasure of undertaking recently in the company of Mr., known for his researches into the ornithology of the Philippines, do not claim to be more than a cursory survey, but may contain some elements of interest, as treating of two rivers that have remained practically unvisited since the respective visits of Mr. , the botanist, on his journey to Kina Balu, and of the present Sir , in one of his numerous exploring expeditions.

The Tawâran river is reported to take its rise in the mountains flanking the great mountain of Kina Balu to the South. An affluent of it, however, called by the local Dusuns the Sungei Damit, which flows into the main stream on its true right bank at a point some few miles only from the sea, is said by them to flow more from the North of East, and may, therefore, be surmised to take its rise from the western flank of the big mountain. The mouth of the Tawaran opens to the westward, and is partly closed by the invariable sandy bar which obstructs the entrances of all the rivers of this part of Borneo.

Starting from the island of Gaya, where the North Borneo Company have a station, our route lay across the bay of that name, past the mouth of the Menggatal, or Kabatuan river, which, debouching to the westward, has good anchorage in deep water off its mouth, to a landing place called Gantîsan situate in the bight of Sapangar bay, where formerly the