118 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



like a disembodied creature, blows chill upon one's 

 cheek, and there is an eerie feeling of expectancy that 

 will not be dispelled from the mind of any one who is 

 alone at this time in the forest. The darkness increases 

 rapidly. It seems to settle down among the tree-tops 

 in layers, and to sink thence slowly to the ground, 

 falling like black, impalpable snow and shutting out 

 the light above. Even at sunset I doubt not that 

 Baginda Sutan felt that he had been over daring. 

 One knows that at nightfall the animals whose tracks 

 may be seen on every side, but which themselves are 

 rarely seen in the daytime, will be moving in search 

 of food. The great tree-trunks stand like enchanted 

 giants, and seem only to await some signal to escape 

 from the charm that binds them. Again the little 

 damp breeze puffs upon the belated Malay, and this 

 time it seems to have been blown by some unseen 

 mouth. The animals that have slept all day are 

 stirring now, and he cannot but doubt that so too are 

 the spirits. A shadow seems to move from one tree- 

 trunk to behind another, and as he turns his head sud- 

 denly towards it, he sees at the side of his eye other 

 shadows move at the spot from which he has just turned. 

 Then, as it gets darker, everything around him alters 

 its appearance; where stood a bush now looms the 

 shadowy form of a rhinoceros, and something with the 

 outline of a tiger crouches at the foot of a black tree- 

 stump. The more his eyesight strains, the less real 

 does the object on which he gazes become, and lights 

 and spots dance and flicker beside his eyes. Curious 

 squeaking, chirping noises become more frequent as 

 the darkness increases, and as they cannot be defin- 



