Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-14

- what the next hundred years have in store
for Sarawak-or even the next year.
Will our celebration of the 100-year reign of the
Brooke family on September oath, and the ceebra-
ton of the present Ra jahs twenty-five year rule,
be just milestone in the progress of this strange
realm will it, like gravestone, mark the end
of that cOuntry's peaceful existence?
We have valuable oil fields. They are the true
wealth of our country and the war machines OF
civilized man moving nearer
--crowding closer to the simple mw~xmwmwmum@wma
natives.
The head-hunter fellow you ,,,n,, n,a
call savage. doesn't know much Have Inty,
about these things. He can fight Tattooed o
with blow-pipe and sword, but ) Feet as She
arplanes to him, machines Sketches h.
that carry men up to God
He doesn't suspect that they NF@@@@N~~@~@S@@@%~
carry bombs that blow men to hell
If, one day, bombers come and bring dcstruc-
ton TO these simple people even their superstitous
minds may be hard put TO find an explanation Of
why the Deties suddenly turned against the men.
women and children of Sarawak.
Blackouts are things some of the Malavs and
Dyaks have seen in the movies. If they throw
themselves into ditch to avoid destruction this
may be only game to their simple mnds-cr they
may go mad with terror Of an unknown demon
which suddenly assails them with horrible fury.
I am wondering if the trip inland about which
now write Will be the last ever will make.
Even the peaceful jungle is not so remote that
civilized" cannot modest those who dwell in it.
IN harmony with the spirits they worship and at
peace among themselves
Sarawaks Jungle is we'll loved even by those
who spend most of their lives on its frnges and if
you've never seen an indelibe grin you should have
had peek at Abang, our youngest Malay house
boy, one day last Spring-hs on to stay.
Arun and old Jahah my special boy packed
furiously
Even the high, sing-song voice of Ling Foo our
Chinese second cook could be heard chattering
among his pots and pans in the kitchen
Mo Paio and oo,iofyt TO int H.
terror next day. My husband makes this trip at
least once year and usually go with him because
even though the sole rulers and our word
is law, it is through friendship not dictatorship
that we rule. Knowing all the Dyaks is of the
jobs the Rajah takes very seriously.
Abang, Arun and Jahah were going with us.
Ling Foo was going too-because the Rajah and
like to be well fortified with good food our
jungle jaunts and Ling Foo certainly knows how
to Book
l was excited but for different reason-one
which had momentarily taken all thought of trip
from my mind. Word had come only a few minutes
before that had better hurry right to the hos
pital. Matt was getting ready to shed his skin
again.
Matt is one Of Sarawaks medical mysteries
the Snake Man they call him. because Just like
reptile this Malay sheds his skin year after year.
But Matt can't Just crawl out of the old covering
and 60 on in the new one, snake might do.
He spends most of his time IN the hospital itch
ing and scratching as he awaits the big event and
nursing very tender new skin for weeks after the
old one is gone. l, who understand absolutely moth
ing about It, SO fascinated by this strange phe-
nomenon that Matt always asks that the Rance be
told when he is about to 'moult.
My presence has become almost ritual
So without further thought of tomorrow left
the boys carrying boxes of supplies down to our
yacnt which lay at anchor at the landing stage
below the Astana garden.
Oh this would sail down the Sarawak river
next day. out across the sea and up the coast to
Kapi' and Barum From there small native boats
would carry us inland over lazy brown ribbons OF
watCr which occasionally and almost without
warning, become turbulent, temperamental and
filled with breath-taking rapids
But DYakS and rapids didn't concern me as
enered the hushed stiffness of the hospital room
Only Mats heavy breathing the tick of a nurses
watch. and my own hcartbeats which were rapid