36 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



I told the raja and Banglan that I wanted the sun to 

 shine into the camp, and the men immediately set to work 

 with cheerful alacrity. The Dayaks have no rivals in 

 their ability to make a tree fall in the desired direction. 

 First, by carefully sigliting the trunk, they ascertain 

 the most feasible way for the tree to fall, then they chop 

 at the base with native axes, sometimes four men working, 

 two and two in unison. In a remarkably brief time it 

 begins to weaken, the top making slight forward move- 

 ments which are followed by a final sharp report an- 

 nouncing the end of their labour. 



Quickly noting that they were masters in their craft, 

 I permitted them to fell forest giants in close proximity 

 to our tents, some of which landed but half a metre dis- 

 tant. Immense specimens in their fall brought down 

 thickets of creepers and smaller growths which produced 

 big openings, so we succeeded in making quite a sunny 

 camp in the dark jungle. 



Since that experience I have made it an invariable 

 rule in my travels to cut a small clearing before putting 

 up my tent in the jungle. Sometimes the felling of one 

 or two trees will ameliorate the situation immeasurably, 

 admitting fresh air and sunlight, and there is little diffi- 

 culty about it when one is accompanied by such able and 

 willing men as the Dayaks. For their own use when 

 travelling they make simple shelters as night approaches, 

 because they dislike to get wet. The material is always 

 close at hand. Slender straight poles are quickly cut and 

 brought in to make frame-work for a shed, the floor of 

 which is about half .i metre above ground. The roof 



