THE ORANG-OUTANG. 119 



describe this adventure, — marching through the water, 

 pursued by crocodiles, not daring to put down one's foot 

 until assured by sounding that it would reach something 

 solid. Although the island grew perceptibly nearer, our 

 hungr}' neighbors did too, and at an increasing pace. 

 Still we were distancing them, — for over many of the 

 shoals they could not swim, and wading, for a crocodile, 

 is a slow process, — when, without warning, and as quick 

 as lightning, we felt the ground sink beneath our feet, 

 and we were all four precipitated simultaneously into the 

 swamp. Instinctively, Thursday and I raised our weapons 

 and ammunition high over our heads, for when we touched 

 bottom — that is, a fairly solid layer of vegetable matter 

 — the water reached our arm-pits. 



"We might as well give up," said I, in despair; "this 

 time we are lost ! " 



" Oh, don't give up yet. Sahib. We are so low that, 

 with this head wind, the crocodiles cannot see us and will 

 perhaps be unable to find us at all. Let us cover our 

 heads with these marsh grasses and leaves and ' lie low.' " 



His advice was so evidently good that instead of a vain 

 attempt to reach the firm land with its inevitable ex- 

 posure to the hungry eyes of our terrible pursuers, we 

 acquiesced at once. After several minutes of suspense, 

 the Dyak raised himself slightly on a hummock, and 

 glanced cautiously toward the spot where we had last 

 seen them. His face cleared at once, and he cheered us 

 with, — 



