144 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



shooting in the evenings, it may perhaps be necessary 

 to buy a box that will make pictures by moonlight." 



The sun was sinking fast, and we were hurrying to 

 make our way back to the main road to seek assist- 

 ance in removing the trophies, when we heard the 

 calls of some Malays in the distance. We answered, 

 and they soon came up. Luckily they were rattan- 

 cutters, and their heavy knives soon hacked off the 

 head and feet, which we carried back in triumph to 

 the little roadside shop. 



Towards the end of the next week Malias came to 

 me to receive instructions for the following Sunday. 

 He had no information regarding big game : the 

 sladang had not been seen for some time, there was 

 no news of any rhinoceros, and he had no suggestions 

 of any kind to make. The sulphur spring of Jenali, 

 of course, no longer availed us anything. We were 

 therefore forced to come to the lamentable conclusion 

 that there was nothing to be done on the following 

 Sunday but to stay at home, and then for the first 

 time we realised what a blank in our lives the death 

 of " our tapir " had made. 



