SLADANG. 101 



It adds to the difficulties of attempting to pick a 

 way over a carpet of fallen twigs and crackling leaves, 

 when you see that a leech is racing to catch your boot. 

 In another two or three strides it will reach you. To 

 move your foot before you can seize hold of it may 

 mean that you may snap a dry branch underfoot, and 

 alarm the animal you are stalking ; to let the leech 

 get on to you, means that unless you stop to pick it off 

 it will leave a punctured wound upon you that will 

 cause you some days of considerable irritation ; and to 

 stop to pick it off may mean that another leech, or 

 perhaps two, will take advantage of the delay to climb 

 upon you unawares. Among your winged worries are 

 mosquitoes, horse-flies, and an occasional skirmisher 

 from a wasp's nest. 



I well remember the leeches in this patch of forest, 

 for one of the bites ulcerated, and some months elapsed 

 before it was cured. When we got to the forest edge 

 I got on my hands and knees, and crawled until I 

 could peer over the plain. What a sight it was ! 

 Instead of the two sladang that I had seen, a herd of 

 eleven of these magnificent animals was quietly grazing 

 in the open plain in front of me. Not thirty yards 

 away, and just opposite to me, were a couple of bulls. 

 A huge gaunt cow was a little distance behind them, 

 and beyond her the farthest of all but not more 

 than seventy yards away, was the big bull of the herd. 

 A smaller bull and some cows with calves were feeding 

 a little way apart, and somewhat to my right. The 

 little bay or inlet, where the plain ran into the forest, 

 was slightly to my left. The wind blew from them to 

 us, bringing a faint odour of the sweet rich fragrance 



