182 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



elephant carrying the nets, breaking a trail for 

 about three hours, when we heard the screaming 

 and chattering of monkeys. The natives first 

 thought the cry was "re-mow" (tiger) ; the men 

 on the first elephant halted just at reaching a break 

 in the jungle ; they called back, all excited : "Tuan, 

 Bar-be. Ari-men kombing, be-prong (Sir, a fight 

 between a pig and a leopard)." By the time I 

 arrived alongside the other elephant at the clearing 

 both elephants were becoming restive, but were be- 

 ing calmed down by their drivers. 



I came upon a sight I shall never forget, a full- 

 grown leopard and a Baba-rusa (wild boar) in a 

 deadly combat. I was fascinated by the sight; no 

 noise would have disturbed them, for what with 

 the snarling, screaming, grunting of the two, and 

 the screaming of the monkeys, it was difficult for me 

 to even make the men I was talking to hear. The 

 fight must have been going on for some time before 

 we got there. The pig's jaws dripped with blood 

 and foam, his beady red eyes following each move 

 of the leopard, his flanks and back covered with 

 blood from the clawing and biting it had suffered, 

 but still strong, nimble and full of fight ; the leopard's 

 side and neck gashed open and blood streaming 

 from the wounds. One can hardly credit the quick- 

 ness of a wild boar ; they are lightning fast on their 

 feet; their big head and thick hide are a match 

 for any tiger in a fair fight, let alone a leopard, and 

 although a leopard is very quick, the boar with its 



