The Plantation - Di Morrissey [82]
‘Grandfather is telling a story,’ Chitra told Julie and she translated as the old man’s voice droned on, reciting one of the crowd’s favourites.
Later, as Julie walked down the ruai to her bilek to go to sleep, Charles stopped her.
‘In case you’re interested, I am going downriver tomorrow. I have to return to Kuching. If you wish to come with me, you’re welcome. I understand the team has a lot more field work to do. Perhaps you are not all that interested in scientific work.’
Julie leapt at the opportunity. ‘Yes, I’d like to. That would be great. Very kind of you. I’ll tell the others in the morning.’
Charles nodded. ‘In that case we can talk on the journey.’
Julie thought it an odd comment, the way he put it, but when she joined the girls on the mats in the bilek she had no trouble sleeping.
David was surprised by her decision to leave suddenly. He said that he was concerned for her welfare and wellbeing, and was worried about her going back to Kuching with Charles. But Julie thought that he was just miffed that she was taking off.
‘Charles seems very competent and Ngali is taking us. I’m keen to get back and spend more time in Kuching. I’d like to meet up with Angie again. This has been a wonderful experience and I can’t thank you enough for bringing me along, but you have your work to do and I don’t want to get in the way. We’ll catch up again,’ she said vaguely.
‘I feel responsible for you, that’s all,’ he said. ‘I promised your mother …’
‘David! I’m a grown woman and while I mightn’t be as knowledgeable about the jungle as you, I’m perfectly safe with Charles. Now I’ll just say goodbye to the others.’
Chitra explained the order of farewells and the appropriate expressions of thanks that Julie should say to the Iban, and by the time she had completed them all, the others had left on their field work. A small posse of children and some of the women followed her to the boat where Charles and Ngali were waiting for her.
With fewer people and little gear in the boat, the trip downriver was easier and smoother.
Apart from pointing out a few things of interest as the boat nosed through the cocoa-coloured water, Charles had little to say. But the return journey was as relaxing and as interesting as the trip upriver had been.
It wasn’t until they’d got to the village near the old fort, thrown their belongings into Charles’s old car, which was ‘fully air-conditioned’ when all the windows were wound down, and had a sweet kopi susu, the local coffee, at a little shop, that Charles took off his dark glasses and seemed to relax.
‘So have you found this little adventure useful?’ he asked.
‘Interesting but for me it’s not like I’m researching, filming or writing anything. I was just trying to get a sense of how things used to be. I feel very privileged.’
‘How things were when your aunt visited the Iban?’ he said.
‘I suppose so. I don’t imagine a lot has changed since then.’
‘I spoke to my father and he thinks he knows about your aunt. She was married to a rich Chinese trader and came with him to Sarawak. Later she came by herself and stayed with some local people. I asked my father many questions but she didn’t stay at our longhouse so he doesn’t know very much. She stayed closer to the Kalimantan border. I gather she was also interested in the orangutans.’
‘That’s amazing,’ said Julie. ‘I wish I could ask Tuai James and Tuai Jimbun more questions.’
‘I don’t think they know any more. Have you been to the museum in Kuching?’
‘Yes, the lady there was very helpful.’
‘Mrs Ping,’ said Charles.
‘That’s right.’
‘If anyone can find out anything more, she will. Summum bonum. Hang on to the idea of good luck falling on you.’
‘It seems to be,’ said Julie.
Charles rose. ‘We must go.’
When Julie walked into the Sarawak museum, Angie Ping looked up and smiled at her.
‘The traveller returns from the jungle. Was it all right? I thought you’d be away longer.’
‘I didn’t want to hold up the team, they had work to do. So when there was a chance of a lift back with Charles, the grandson of the old