1<J2 A SHOOTING EXCURSION- 



the clothes off our backs, and emulating the folly 

 of the wise man of Thcssaly, we again determined 

 to make for Pritie, or at least to try and find it. 

 The tide too now served, and after a pull of some 

 hours, carefully examining every creek and bight, we 

 spied at lengtii two canoes hauled up among a patch 

 of mangroves. Landing, we soon found some houses, 

 and a person to shew us the road to Pritie ; for we 

 had still a walk of three miles across a well watered 

 flat piece of country. We were highly pleased with 

 this, to us, novel sight ; and our enjoyment was 

 heightened by beholding the tricks and grimaces of 

 some impudent monkeys perched on the tops of the 

 lofty trees, out of shot range, and too nimble to be 

 hit with a ball. 



We at last reached our destination, on the eastern 

 side of a beautiful stream. Immediately to the 

 northward some lofty peaks reared their rugged 

 summits in an amphitheatre round the rich and 

 picturesque vale of Pritie, which lay at the feet of 

 their varied slopes, one mass of tropical vegetation. 

 Trees of enormous height shot up by the water side, 

 and between them, as we approached, the little 

 sharp-roofed houses of the village of Pritie could be 

 seen scattered here and there amidst their gardens. 



Our old guide, who had by this time recovered 

 his serenity of mind, led us direct to the Command- 

 ant, a mild and very civil old Javanese, to whom 

 orders had been sent by the Resident at Coepang to 

 shew us every attention. His room was adorned by 



