Federated Malay States Railways : pamphlet of ... - Sabrizain.org

4:
in one day, the motor part of it occupying between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m. It is possible to leave Kuala
Lumpur in a motor at 9 a.m. and reach Kuala
Kubu in time to return to Kuala Lumpur by the 5.8
which reaches Kuala Lumpur by 7.7 p.m., and it is
equally possible to leave Kuala Kubu in a motor
at 7 a.m., arrive Kuala Lumpur at 3 p.m. and return
to Kuala Kubu by the 3.46 arriving 6.32, which-
ever fits in best with the traveller's arrangements.
In any case the motor will have to be railed to or
from Kuala Lumpur if it is hired there for the drive.
Supposing that Kuala Lumpur is the starting point,
we run out of the town by the Batu road and on
the hill above Setapak village take the Bentong
turn and get there a glimpse of the barrier of hills
through which we are to penetrate. Soon we reach
the valley of the Gombak's upper water and pass
the power station where Kuala Lumpur generates its
electric light. Beyond it a pipe-line goes up into
the hills and down into the valleys beneath, and
almost as soon as we lose it we are at the 23 mile
or top of the first pass, the Ginting Sempah. Here
without pause begins a long descent which lasts as
far as Bentong. Though the water on the Pahang
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station,
— 29 —
Nakajima.
Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala. Lumpur.
side is stained with mining high up in the hills, the
long river vista past which the road runs before
reaching Bentong is very fine. Bentong, a little
mining village on the river of the same name, should
be reached about noon. Lunch can be procured
at the resthouse there if a wire has been sent ahead
to order it. At Bentong you realise that you are
on the other side of the Peninsula, for the river falls
into the Semantan, the Semantan falls into the
Pahang and the Pahang river discharges into the
China Sea. Leaving Bentong the ascent begins
again through a section of bamboo jungle, but
drops again to reach the little villages of Tranum
and Tras. Here we turn to the left and begin to
mount again. At the 28 mile begins to blow a
breeze which started in the China Sea and is going
to end in the Straits of Malacca. It is deliciously
cool and the views on both sides of the ridge along
which the road runs are magnificent. The Gap
resthouse should be reached at 3 p.m., and there
^