194 IN THE EYE OF DAY 



and I was too much absorbed in watching the 

 aerial flight of the monkey to get more than a 

 glimpse of the thief. The troop of monkeys that 

 instantly foregathered discussed the situation 

 loudly and in very obvious anger. 



In order to keep away the birds and the beasts 

 which search out this intoxicating fruit, the na- 

 tives, in the jungle near the durian trees, erect 

 large wooden clappers and other noise-making 

 instruments, which they operate by rope from 

 their watch-houses, sometimes elevated on high 

 poles. This rope is also a jungle product and 

 amazingly strong and durable. Braided into 

 varying sizes, from string to hawser, it is made of 

 a black fibre which grows around the trunk of a 

 certain kind of plentiful palm that blossoms once 

 in a lifetime and then dies. I have seen this fibre 

 rope serving as anchor cables on small Malayan 

 coastwise steamers. 



No world fruit is coveted so inordinately, or 

 consumed with such greed as this durian; nor is 

 there any to compare with its extraordinary flavor 

 and odor. A small cartload of durians will an- 

 nounce themselves long before seen, and, in hand, 

 its odor, at least to white nostrils, at first is pecu- 

 liarly offensive. I have never heard or read an 

 adequate description of either flavor or odor. 



