X.] STAG-HUNTING ON FOOT. 245 



of their hunts, in which no other weapon bvit the spear is used. 

 The side of a large ravine which had been partially cleared, and 

 presented a confused jumble of "fallen trees and low brushwood, 

 was assigned to us as our post, and from the extensive view it 

 commanded we were able later in the day to watch one run almost 

 from start to finish, although at first the sport appeared to be 

 successful in every direction but our own. At length a stag broke 

 cover about five hundred yards above us, and descended the slopes 

 of the ravine, but shortly afterwards turned and made for the 

 forest again. He was met l^y some of the hunters and driven 

 back, but the dogs were now in full cry, and pressed him hard, the 

 hunters meanwhile racing at their utmost speed above, in order to 

 prevent his regaining the jungle. He now altered his direction, 

 and turned down once more towards us, but the fallen trees were 

 here so thick that the dogs rapidly gained on him. He made one 

 more effort for his life by doubling, but it was too late, and in 

 another moment the dogs and hunters had fairly run him down. 



The natives who make their living in this manner are, as may 

 he imagined, capable of undergoing a great amount of fatigue, but 

 it is not an uncommon thing for them to die of sheer exhaustion 

 during a hunt. One of our Batchian friends told us that he had 

 actually witnessed such a case himself, and had also been present 

 on another occasion when a hunter had died under similar cir- 

 cumstances. They apparently begin to learn their trade early, 

 for we noticed among our party two boys of nine or ten years of 

 age, who, unencumbered with any clothing whatsoever, and 

 carrying a little spear, managed to keep up with the others, and 

 to be in at the death of the stag. The dogs are most carefully 

 trained, and are always rewarded by the head of the animal, 

 and it was only after much discussion that we were in this case 

 allowed to take the trophy. 



It was at Batchian that we first saw sago in process of manu- 

 facture by the natives, and it was interesting to note that the 

 method employed was almost identical with that described by Mr 



