122 HUMAN TREE-DWELLEES 



ited at the base of a tree where the strangers had 

 been standing. Then lie returned to us. In ten 

 or fifteen minutes the Sakais came back, their 

 numbers greatly augmented, took away the rice, 

 and replaced it with some roots and other things 

 which looked like vegetables or fruit. 



It was early in the afternoon when I had first 

 sighted the Sakais, but what with palaver and ex- 

 change of gifts and long-range conversation, dusk 

 came upon us while we tarried. I had not for- 

 gotten the rhino, but I had not quite found myself 

 in these new surroundings and thought best to 

 make haste slowly. Moreover, I was sincerely 

 glad for the opportunity of seeing something of 

 these Sakais, because they are a people about whom 

 almost nothing is known, and of whom only one 

 white man— an Italian— Captain GL B. Cerruti, has 

 made a study. 



They seemed to be very curious, and quite de- 

 sirous of watching us, but were shy of our ap- 

 proaching them. They hung on the edge of our 

 camp, maintaining a constant jabber with my 

 Malays. With a thought of getting better ac- 

 quainted, I went toward them, but they fled precip- 

 itately, and although I walked after them, they 

 never permitted me to get near. It occurred to 

 me that my rifle, perhaps, might be a bar to closer 

 acquaintance, so I went back to camp and laid it 



