CHAPTER XIV 



THE SCALY ANT-EATER — ^THE PORCUPINE — THE BLOW-PIPE 



^AN UNUSUAL ADVENTURE WITH A SNAKE HABITS 



AND CUSTOMS OF THE MURUNGS — ^AN UNPLEASANT 

 AFFAIR 



A MuRUNG one day brought and exhibited to us that 

 extraordinary animal, the scaly ant-eater (w<2mj), which is 

 provided with a long pipe-like snout, and is devoid of teeth 

 because its only food, the ant, is gathered by means of 

 its long tongue. The big scales that cover the whole body 

 form its sole defence, and when it rolls itself up the dogs 

 can do it no harm. Unable to run, it cannot even walk 

 fast, and the long tail is held straight out without touching 

 the ground. Its appearance directs one's thoughts back 

 to the monsters of prehistoric times, and the fat meat is 

 highly esteemed by the Dayaks. The animal, which is 

 possessed of incredible strength in proportion to its size, 

 was put in a box from which it escaped in the night 

 through the carelessness of Rajimln. 



A large live porcupine was also brought for sale by a 

 Dayak woman who had raised it. The creature was 

 confined in a kind of bag, and by means of its strength 

 it managed to escape from between the hands of the 

 owner. Although she and several Dayaks immediately 

 started in pursuit, it succeeded in eluding them. How- 

 ever, the woman believed implicitly that it would return, 

 and a couple of days later it did reappear, passing my tent 



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