WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



but before leaving I promised myself that I would 

 come back and have another attempt at the great 

 hornbill. When I did so a week later I found, to my 

 intense disappointment, that the nesting hole had been 

 unbarred and the birds had gone. So I had my long 

 journey for nothing. 



From Sandakan I went back to Kudat, where I had 

 left my developing kit in the care of Walter Hastings, 

 a son of Admiral Hastings, and a most excellent fellow 

 in every way. He was of great assistance to me on 

 account of his knowledge of the country and its people, 

 a knowledge acquired during sixteen years' work in 

 the service of the Government. I remember how 

 concerned Hastings used to be over the tins full of 

 insects which I collected in my room for future study 

 or as specimens. One day his boy rushed in to him in 

 a state of terror, and declared that he would not make 

 my bed again, as I had overstepped the limit altogether 

 by having a live snake tied up to my bed-post. Hastings, 

 knowing my aversion to snakes, felt a little doubtful 

 of the story, so, taking the boy with him, he went to 

 investigate. There certainly was a snake coiled round 

 the bed-post, one of the deadly whip-snakes, which he 

 promptly killed ; but it did not need my assurance 

 to make him believe that I had had no hand in 

 introducing it into the bungalow. 



The boys themselves took a great interest in my 

 insect hunting, and occasionally brought me specimens. 



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