UP A TREE IN THE JUNGLE 179 



thing that has a flavor of sport that can be gambled 

 on. 



Every man was eager, and the Tungku, looking 

 them over, picked out the men, and as each man 

 was chosen, the men, women and children howled 

 with delight, clapping hands, passing all manner of 

 jokes and banter. When the men were picked out 

 the Tungku formed them in crews; they were a 

 pretty proud lot. Again warning them that they 

 could not start making the nets until the second 

 day, and that after they started in the morning to 

 cut the rattan, if they were caught taking help from 

 any of their friends, they would be thrown out of 

 the race, he told them to get busy and lay out their 

 poles and stakes. The Tungku shaking his head 

 and laughing, said : "Tuan bow-gar pore-day sea- 

 opper pe-care, e-to (Sir, you are very clever, who 

 would think of that)." 



In the meantime the men and their friends got 

 to work staking out and putting up cross-sections 

 and poles for the twisting of rattan and the making 

 of the nets. Everyone in the kampong was laugh- 

 ing and talking over it. It was going to be great 

 sport and plenty of fun; each had their favorites 

 and were already making wagers on them. This 

 was not work! This was play, sport, a game, riv- 

 alry, having an audience, for the whole kampong 

 and those from the outlying districts would be there ; 

 men, women and children cheering and edging them 

 on, not alone for the prizes but the prestige it would 



