the last of the guests not departing until the early hours of the morning.
On the 26th the s. s. Kuching sailed for Singapore. Passengers, Mr. and Mrs. T. Nicoll.
The same day s. s. Sarawak returned from Bintulu.
On the 28th the s. s. Rajah of Sarawak arrived from Singapore with passengers―Dr. A. J. G. Barker, Dr. Bruce Low, Dr. Schlechter, Messrs. J. S. Geikie, J. H. Johnston, H. la Chard and Miss Hastie.
Dr. Barker and Mr. Geikie have returned from home leave, Dr. Bruce Low and Miss Hastie join the Medical Department, and Mr. la Chard has come out as a Cadet in the Government Service.
We understand that the puport of Dr. Schlechter's visit to Sarawak was to obtain permission to enlist Dyaks to work gutta, etc. in New Guinea and to teach the Natives there to work it.
On the 29th the p. s. Adeh returned from Sibu with the Revd. Father Halder on board and p. s. Kaka sailed for Sadong with Mr. P. Stewart. The Kaka returned on the 30th, Mr. Stewart returning with her.
MR. J. M. Bryan, Manager of the Borneo Company in Kuching, gave his usual dinner on New Year's Eve at which some 36 guests were present, of whom six only were ladies. Music, dancing and cards helped to pass the time pleasantly until mid-night when a gun from the Fort announced the birth of the New Year, and all joined hands and sung "Auld Lang Syne".
It will interest the many friends in this Country of Mr. G. Hourant to hear that he has entered the bonds of matrimony. Mr. Hourant was married on the 6th November last at Algiers, to Mdlle Camille Neyret, daughter of Monsieur Neyret, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Contragulations.
An old iron gun, which looks as if it were made of a piece of piping, was found by a Malay named Bakri while working silver ore at Simbri, ulu Pansi. The gun still bears the faintly legible inscription in Chinese "General of the Sam Tiow Kew Kongsi". This is the Bau Kongsi which attacked Kuching during the Chinese insurrection.
It is with the greatest regret that we have to announce the death on the 10th November from pneumonia of Mr. B. Bettington. The news reached us indirectly two mails ago and we have no further particulars. Mr. Bettington only retired from the Government Service in November 1904; he was 41 years of age at the time of his death.
MONTHLY REPORTS.
MUKA.
October, 1906.
Court. — There have been fewer cases in the Police Court during the month, the Court of Requests however has been fairly busy.
Fines and fees amounted to $245.28.
Trade. — The export of raw sago amounted to 258 coyans as compared with 252 coyans for the corresponding month last year.
Of jelutong gutta 50 piculs were exported, and of gutta percha 3 piculs.
Twelve schooners arrived from Kuching and thirteen cleared.
P. W. D. — The prisoners (average 28.2) have been employed during the month on the usual upkeep of roads, and cleaning the cattle ground of enkudoc weed.
General. — The 9th, being the birthday of Her Highness The Ranee of Sarawak, was observed as a Court Holiday.
I returned from Oya on the 3rd by Government "barong," doing the journey in under four hours.
Having found "Tuah Kampong" Bakal of Judan so unsatisfactory, he has been dismissed: a meeting of the Judan people was held in the Fort and one M'tair appointed in his place.
On the evening of the 15th the usual salute of 7 guns was fired to usher in the Mohomedan fasting month.
On the 27th the p. s. Adeh arrived at 10 a. m. with mails for this station and Oya; she left again at 11.30 a. m.
Penghulu Sama arrived from up-river on the 29th and reported all quiet among his people.
During the greater part of the mouth the sea has been very rough, and a great deal of rain has fallen.
I have nothing further to report on this occasion.
November, 1906.
Court. — There have been the usual number of cases in both the Police Court and Court of Requests, the principal of which have been reported in my official diary for the current month.
Fines and fees amounted to $284.53.
Trade. — There have been no exports during the month, as, on account of high seas no schooners have been able to get away.
Three schooners arrived from Kuching and also the s. s. Sarawak.
P. W. D. — The prisoners (average 24.2) have been employed nearly the whole of the month in making a new section of road, alongside the Petanak river, which had been washed away. The Judan and P'tian bridges have been put in good order and the approaches cleared.
General. — On the 1st three schooners, in attempting to clear for Kuching, were driven on to the last sand spit by a sudden squall of wind: two of them were got off next day; the third, by name Kim Chin Eng, nakoda Haji Usin, becoming a total wreck.
At the same time a house in Kampong Lintong was blown over, and a child very nearly killed in the ruins.
A fire occurred at Kampong Tegar upriver on the 8th in which five houses were burnt down: this occurred between 3 and 4 a. m.; no lives were lost, but all the property was burnt; the fire originated in a kitchen.
The same day Penghulu Intin arrived from upriver and reported all quiet amongst his people.
Another severe gale of wind prevailed on the 7th, one of the small government boat sheds being
