IX.] A BABIRUSA " OURRAL" 201 



for, despite the march of ci\alisation, the wants of the people appear 

 to be but few. 



The Kontroleur of Kema, to whom we had ah-eady sent letters 

 overland, was fully prepared with native hunters, and having 

 collected nearly fifty, we took about half that number on board the 

 yacht, and despatched the rest in praus to Limbe Island, whither 

 we ourselves followed next day. Anchoring was attended by the 

 usual difficulties, which were in no way lightened by foul and 

 rocky ground and an absence of any chart to aid us, but we 

 eventually found a tolerably secure berth just within the northern 

 entrance of the straits, and landed our hunters. In a tropical 

 country it does not take long to construct efficient shelter of some 

 kmd or other. Before many hours had elapsed some admirably- 

 contrived huts had been built beneath a gnarled old forest-tree, 

 whose trunk was clothed with masses of fern and A'egetable para- 

 sites, and, having fixed roofs constructed of the large leaves of the 

 Livistonia, the natives departed for a certain spot known to them 

 about two miles farther to the north, wdiich was destined to be the 

 scene of operations. 



The hunt was to be carried out upon kcdda.k principles, 

 dependent upon the fact that the island here contracts to a narrow 

 isthmus barely a hundred and fifty yards across, instead of being, 

 as represented in the Dutcli and English charts, about two miles 

 in breadth. It was arranged to bar this neck of land across as far 

 as it was possible to do so, and to l^eat towards it from the north 

 end of the island, a distance of nearly three miles. On the third 

 day the preparations were complete, and we started soon after 

 daybreak in the boats to sail up the straits to the spot wdiere the 

 Jccddah had been built. It was blowing hard from the southward, 

 with an uncomfortable sea runnmg, and when about a mile from 

 our destination an accident occurred wliich m any other of oui- 

 boats would have been a serious affam We had not all shifted 

 our places before gybing, and a little stronger puff happening to 

 catch us just at the moment, we were swamped in an instant. 



