140 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



fall, so that there might be nothing underfoot to 

 interfere with rapid work; then I gave the signal 

 for the tom-toms. The racket began again and the 

 crew of men detailed to cutting the tree ran through 

 the smoke barrier, waving their parangs and shout- 

 ing. I stood outside, near the net, watching the 

 orangs and keeping the men at their stations. 

 Omar was with me, and Munshee was with the 

 men who were doing the cutting. We could hear 

 the big knives hacking into the tree. 



A messenger from Munshee came with the word 

 that the tree was ready to drop. I gave a hasty 

 glance around me, told the men to be on the alert 

 and sent him back with instructions to let the tree 

 fall. Once again through the din of tom-toms and 

 shouts we could hear chopping ; the tree swayed for 

 a moment, the orang-outangs screamed with terror 

 and the men with the nets crouched, ready to spring. 

 Slowly the tree toppled and came down, gathering 

 speed as it fell, exactly in the spot we had marked. 

 When it struck, the entire jungle seemed to be in 

 upheaval. 



The orang-outangs abruptly stopped their out- 

 cry. As they hit the ground, they were paralyzed 

 with fright. A net went sailing over them. In an 

 instant they came to their senses and began fighting. 

 With long, black, powerful arms they lashed at the 

 rattan ; they leaped and struggled, biting the ropes 

 and tearing great gashes in their bodies. They 

 screamed and chattered furiously. One of them 



