174 TALES OF A NOMAD, 



position in which to fire at any object. I used always 

 to fire in the sitting position, viz., my legs spread out, 

 my feet planted on the deck, and my knees raised with 

 both my elbows fixed upon them. 



The boatmen should be instructed to drop their 

 paddles softly into the water upon a true edge, and to 

 remove them without a splash. The boat should be 

 trimmed on an even keel. On coming within range of 

 game, the boatmen should be told to make one rather 

 long stroke just to give the boat steerage way, and then 

 to cease paddling and remain absolutely still until you 

 have fired, for the least rocking of the boat is enough to 

 spoil your shot. These apparently trivial details are 

 essential to success in river shooting. Many a head of 

 game have I shot in this way, and, therefore, have some 

 right to give advice in the matter. 



A prahu, like a canoe, has no keel, and therefore is 

 disturbed by the least movement. For a variety of 

 reasons, unnecessary to quote here, they are far more 

 useful than any kind of European built boat for this 

 sort of work. 



It was a lovely evening, and the jungle was alive with 

 animal and bird life. The river made sharp twists, and 

 each time we swept round one of these our expectancy 

 was wound up to the highest pitch, for every turn re- 

 vealed fresh beauties in the way of long still pools 

 reflecting the giant tropical vegetation as though in 

 a mirror, and every new vista afforded an additional 

 prospect of seeing game. 



The worst of these rivers is that you may ascend one 

 with ease, and find no obstacle which cannot be cleared 

 away in a minute or two by a few strokes of a Dyak 

 parang ; but on descending again you may find the river 



