Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra85861922roya).pdf/456

 Crossing the river at this point the route follows the right bank of the Padang Tĕrap stream sometimes approaching within a stone's throw of the river and at others diverging from it to a depth of half a mile or more owing to the sinuous nature of its course. The country is open and roughly cultivated by Malays who have planted sporadic groves of coconut durian and other trees whilst themselves living near the banks of the main river and planting rice wherever the configuration of the ground admits.

The first kampong of any importance is Bělimbing after which at about the third mile a range of low hills called Bukit Kĕpah is encountered which have to be skirted before emerging on the plain of Padang Tĕrap which used to be the site of the headquarters of the district until they were moved to Kuala Nerang me eight years ago.

The path now crosses the Sungei Sari a small shallow stream which descends from the region of the mines at Pintu Wang and touching the outskirts of the villages of Padang Chĕnĕrai, Poka and Pĕring leads to the kampong of Padang Sanai where there is a Police Station on the banks of the river.

The distance from Kuala Nĕrang to Padang Sanai is roughly ten miles and the traveller who wishes to do so may return from here to Kuala Nĕrang by perahu being poled down stream in twice the time which it takes to walk.

Leaving Padang Sanai the way at the end of a mile passes through the village of Pĕngkalan Pa Tanai where there is a Siamese wat of bamboo construction and then fording the main stream which is by now only a very clear buru running swiftly over a bed of shinning black boulders and pebbles strikes for Kuala Seraya where there is a moribund Quarantine Station with a solitary Malay in charge and an already defunct Police Station.

The distance of 3 miles between Padang Sanai and Koala Sĕraya consists of a stretch of flat open and almost park like land dotted with young trees of no great height, but after this the country becomes more thickly wooded and its surface is broken into ridges whilst the path follows the parent stream more closely and every now and then descends into it and emerges on the further bank only to cross the sector of a bend and dip into the stream again.

At Kuala Sĕraya the stream divides the left hand branch proceeding N. W. to Kampong Sĕraya 3 miles distant which is a large village of some sixty Malay houses, whilst the main stream continues on to Kampong Durian Burong which is at a like distance from Kuala Sĕraya.

Between the Quarantine Station at Kuala Sĕraya and the village of Durian Burong which is a Malay village of 20 houses standing pleasantly in rice fields and groves of coconut and betelnut