JUNGLE HUNTER 263 



camp inland about ten miles, where I stationed the 

 Chinamen, one of the Malays* and the provisions, 

 while Uda, two of the natives and I went after 

 rhino. My scheme was to use this camp as a sup- 

 ply station, making from it trips of three to four 

 days' duration, until I had worked over all the sur- 

 rounding territory, and then to reestablish the sup- 

 ply camp, again and again, until I got what I 

 sought. I found here the most attractive country 

 I had hunted in Sumatra, though that is not saying 

 a great deal, for, speaking generally, it was the 

 same dense jungle as elsewhere, only here were 

 upland stretches of comparative openness and dry- 

 ness. It was a delight to come out of the dark, 

 cheerless jungle into the sunshine, hot as it was, 

 where the birds were calling. There was the 

 mynah bird, rather effectively marked in black and 

 yellow, which I was told can be taught to talk if 

 taken when young; and there was another bird 

 about the size of a pigeon, with black plumage and 

 forked tail, which, in fairly plentiful numbers, zig- 

 zagged across the heavens, uttering one or two not 

 unmusical notes. 



One of the most attractive birds I saw was a bril- 

 liant kingfisher; and one of those I did not see 

 was the jungle fowl, of which I had heard, but 

 which, I understand from good authority, is not 

 to be found in Sumatra. Once in a while I saw 



