198 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



for the rhinoceros. I had confidence in my express 

 rifle and I knew that the natives would not refuse 

 to accompany me. It would be useless to force 

 them, of course, for they would be constantly on 

 the verge of a panic. I sent Ali to talk with the 

 headman and bring him to my house. 



That afternoon a large part of the village across 

 the river from my house burned to the ground. 

 While I was sitting on my veranda, waiting for 

 Ali to return with the headman, I saw smoke aris- 

 ing from one of the houses in the Chinese section. 

 A moment later, flames appeared, the alarm was 

 given and the village was in an uproar. The flames 

 leaped from house to house, running down the 

 principal street, where all the godowns were located. 

 I went across the river to watch the excitement 

 and see what I could do to help. The natives were 

 wild: rushing about, falling over one another and 

 going crazy. I stood at one side, quite out of the 

 way, for a native in such a condition is a dangerous 

 person; the least word may send him amok and 

 start him slashing with his kris. Not one native 

 thought about the safety of his women and children. 

 On the contrary, he pushed women and children 

 out of the way and walked on them in the excite- 

 ment of rescuing the one possession that a Malay 

 values his kris. Men dashed into burning houses 

 and emerged triumphantly, scorched but waving 

 their krises over their heads. 



One of the tunkus managed to organize in the 



