IX.] CHARGE OF BOAR BABIRUSA. 203 



net at intervals of a few yards, each grasping his spear, and hidden 

 from view by a huge Livistonia frond planted in the ground before 

 him. We had not long been settled before a peculiar barking 

 grunt in the distance announced the arrival of the first victim. 

 Every one was instantly motionless, and directly afterwards a dark 

 object dashed up at great speed and buried itself in the net a short 

 distance down the slope. The staking had been purposely left 

 loose, so that the animals should not be barred by, but become 

 entangled in the net, the top of which was instantly pulled over by 

 the nearest native. There was a short struggle, and in less than 

 five minutes the captive — a full-grown female Babirusa — was 

 quietly reposing on her back with her legs tied together with 

 rattan, and we were once more in ambush for the next comer. 



We were hardly quiet before the same peculiar sound was 

 heard rapidly approaching, and the next moment a magnificent 

 old boar Babirusa rushed past within five yards of us, and plunged 

 into the net between our tree and the entrance to the " curral." 

 His long tusks became entangled in the meshes, and the natives 

 ran up to spear him. Just at this moment, however, he broke 

 loose, and turning on his antagonists, scattered them in all direc- 

 tions. It was a most determined charge, and, as we were unable 

 to fire for fear of hitting some of our men, it might have proved a 

 serious affair for the native he singled out. Luckily a convenient 

 tree was close at hand, and the man lost no time in taking ad- 

 vantage of it. The Babirusa pulled up at the bottom, and, to our 

 intense astonishment, proceeded to verify the statement made to 

 us by the Hukum Kadua at Likoupang, by trying to scramble up 

 the sloping trunk after his antagonist. How far he could have 

 ascended we unfortunately never had the opportunity of knowing, 

 for he had hardly got his feet off the ground before his progress 

 was stopped by a ludicrous incident. Anxious to escape, the man 

 had got too far out upon a branch. It gave way, and the unlucky 

 hunter was suddenly deposited on his back within a yard or two 

 of the formidable, needle -pointed tusks of his adversary. Fortu- 



