EXPEDITION INTO THE JUNGLE 35 



the result of a valorous fight with a crocodile, by which 

 his prahu (native boat) had been attacked one day at dawn 

 in a small tributary of the river. The animal actually 

 upset the prahu and killed his two companions, in trying 

 to save whom with no weapon but his bare hands, he 

 lost one in the struggle. In their contact with the croco- 

 diles the Dayaks show a fortitude almost beyond belief. 

 A Dutch doctor once treated a man who had been dragged 

 under water, but had the presence of mind to press a 

 thumb into each eye of the reptile. He was badly man- 

 gled, but recovered. 



As long as we remained at a low altitude camping out 

 was not an unalloyed pleasure, because the tormenting 

 gnats were exasperating, and at night the humidity was 

 great, making the bed and everything else damp. The 

 atmosphere was heavy and filled with the odor of decay- 

 ing vegetable matter never before disturbed. In the 

 morning at five o'clock, my hour for rising, there was con- 

 siderable chill in the air. It was difficult to see a star 

 here and there through the tall trees and dense under- 

 growth that surrounded us as closely as the walls of a 

 cave. 



The stagnant atmosphere and dark environment, 

 which the sun's rays vainly attempted to penetrate, began 

 to have a depressing effect on my spirits. After a couple 

 of nights spent thus, a longing for sunshine came over me 

 and I decided to stay one day, make a clearing, dry our 

 belongings, and put up a shelter in which to leave some of 

 our baggage; all of which could not be carried up the 

 hills. 



