2O4 TALES OF A NOMAD. 



them shaking, and to my astonishment immediately 

 afterwards saw a large wild pig trotting along the bank 

 in the direction of our prahu. 



He was bleeding from the jaws, the hollow ball from 

 my express having gone through his cheeks. 



When he reached a point on the bank opposite to our 

 prahu he halted, and eyeing us for a moment, gave a 

 grunt and plunged into the river to swim out to us. He 

 came up on the right bow. A Dyak pushed him off 

 with his paddle and the pig drifted down stream with 

 the current past the prahu. 



To my amazement he came swimming up stream and 

 tried to board us on the left quarter. I cocked the left 

 barrel of my rifle, thinking he might put his feet on the 

 gunwale and capsize us, for we were rather crank ; but 

 one of my Dyaks drew out his parang and leaning over, 

 gave him a cut which half severed his head from his 

 body, and he went floating down stream. 



I have often heard of the pugnacity of the wild pig 

 upon occasion, but I should never have believed such a 

 thing as this unless I had witnessed it. 



But to return to the subject of the beef of wild cattle. 

 Next morning I sent up a boat from the camp to bring 

 the beef, which the natives seemed to appreciate, though 

 I did not like it. Most natives have a capacity for 

 stowing away quantities of beef when they get the op- 

 portunity, and also of going a long time without food 

 when food is not to be had. 



I remember on one occasion going on an expedition 

 with the deputy governor. Our provisions ran out. 

 The men had to work terribly hard in dragging boats 

 over stones and rapids. They went for a day and a half 

 upon one sardine apiece which we gave them, and then 



