62 BoKNEO — The Orang-Utax. 



the very liighest part of an immense tree, and immediately 

 began breaking ofi' boughs all around, and laying them across 

 and across to make a nest. It was very interesting to see 

 how well he had chosen his place, and how rapidly he stretch- 

 ed out his uuwounded arm in every direction, breaking off 

 good-sized boughs with the greatest ease, and laying them 

 back across each other, so that in a few minutes he had form- 

 ed a compact mass of foliage which entirely concealed him 

 from our sight. He was evidently going to pass the night 

 here, and would probably get away early the next morning 

 if not wounded too severely. I therefore fired again several 

 times, in hopes of making him leave his nest ; but, though I 

 felt sure I had hit him, as at each shot he moved a little, he 

 would not go away. At length he raised himself up, so that 

 half his body Avas visible, and then gradually sank down, his 

 head alone remaining on the edge of the nest. I now felt 

 sure he was dead, and tried to persuade the Chinaman and 

 his companion to cut down the tree ; but it was a very large 

 one, and they had been at work all day, and nothing would 

 induce them to attempt it. The next morning at daybreak 

 I came to the place, and found that the mias was evidently 

 dead, as his head was visible in exactly the same position as 

 before. I now offered four Chinamen a day's wages each to cut 

 the tree down at once, as a few hours of sunshine would cause 

 decomposition on the surface of the skin ; but, after looking 

 at it and trying it, they determined that it was very big and 

 very hard, and would not attempt it. Had I doubled my 

 offer, they would probably have accejoted it, as it would not 

 have been more than two or three hours' work, and had I 

 been on a short visit only I would have done so ; but as I 

 was a resident, and intended remaining several months long- 

 er, it would not have answered to begin paying too exorbi- 

 tantly, or I should have got nothing done in future at a low- 

 er rate. 



For some weeks after a cloud of flies could be seen all day, 

 hovering over the body of the dead mias; but in about a 

 month all was quiet, and the body was evidently drying up 

 under the influence of a vertical sun alternating with tropical 

 rains. Two or three months later two Malays, on the offer 

 of a dollar, climbed the tree and let down the dried remains. 



