262 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



and before we could turn it too would fall back into 

 the water. Beside each of us there grew up a pile 

 of splendid fish. 



One magnificent fish a great temoli, weighing 

 perhaps sixty pounds twice launched itself at the 

 barricade, and twice escaped in safety back into the 

 water ; but each time it fell back on the up-stream 

 side, and safety from the tuba only lay in flight and 

 access to the down-stream side. 



Then, during a lull, while all were waiting, the 

 great fish broke the surface of the water some eight 

 feet away from the barricade, and, cleaving through 

 the air like a broad spear-head, rose up to the top 

 of the bamboo framework. It hit the barricade some 

 few inches below its summit, and hung balanced for 

 a moment. Two men thrust at it and missed it, 

 and then the framework bent back under the great 

 weight, and the noble fish fell into the water on the 

 down-stream side safe. 



This was one of the last fish of the day, and be- 

 fore long all was over. We made our way to a sandy 

 spit where the day's catch was exhibited. Malay 

 women appeared on every side, bringing great earthen 

 jars in which such fish as were not to be eaten fresh 

 would be made into highly-flavoured, awful-scented 

 pickles for future use. But at the meal which now 

 awaited us it was fresh fish that we were to feast 

 upon, fish, fresh from the river, and held, before 

 their scales had ceased to glisten, over the fire to 

 grill: merely split down the middle, and impaled 

 upon a toasting-fork of sharpened bamboo. Grilled 

 fish eaten with rice and coarse rock-salt nothing 



