124 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



badly in falling. Baker was stubborn. But promises and 

 taunts failed to move one of them, and he was too fat to 

 climb himself. 



' Confound it, Tuz,' said he discontentedly, as they pulled 

 into the stream. ' Other men have got these things. How 

 did they do it ? ' 



'Them get Dyaks — naked chaps what see ants and 



snakes.' 



* Oh ! And can I get Dyaks } ' 



' You pay, Tuan Cap'n, I find plenty naked chaps.' 



In the evening all was settled. Tuzzadeen knew the 

 chief of a Sibuyou Dyak village on a hill just above the 

 bay; they would scarcely lose sight of the ship. No 

 preparations were necessary. He himself would go ahead 

 when they approached a village, and the Dyaks would be 

 pleased to see them. 



At dawn next day Baker started, with Tuzzadeen and 

 four armed sailors. They crossed the broad white beach, 

 studded with big rocks, moss-grown, weather-stained, 

 clothed with creepers and plumed with fern ; through a 

 grove of cocoanut palms, scaring a band of children — 

 Malay, but clad only in a heart-shaped badge of silver 

 dangling at their waists — and entered the forest. ^ There 

 was a well-worn path. In a hilly district like this Dyaks 

 are content to walk upon the ground ; elsewhere they lay 

 tree-trunks, end to end, on crossed posts, and trot along, 

 raised above the level of the bush. 



It is likely that this was the first time Captain Baker had 

 entered a tropic forest. A very few steps from the busy 

 go-downs of Singapore would have taken him into one 

 peculiarly charming ; but tigers lay in wait all round the 

 town — so at least it was believed, not without probability. 

 A few daring souls already dwelt at Tanglin ; but they left 

 business early, looked to their arms before setting out, and 



