40 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



Padang Sambai, the game-field which I have 

 mentioned, lay in the thickest part of the jungle, 

 approached only by a scarcely perceptible trail. 

 We were guided there by some hunters from the 

 Sakai hill-tribes, who had put in an appearance at 

 Grik the night before our departure. These were 

 truly remarkable specimens of humanity, short 

 of stature, wild-looking, and stark naked except for 

 a narrow loin-cloth. They went ahead through the 

 thickest jungle, absolutely noiselessly, and at a pace 

 which quickly exhausted us, over logs, through 

 streams, and always in mud nearly up to our knees. 

 The hut was found to be nearly finished, several 

 natives having been working on it for some days 

 a bamboo floor raised three feet off the ground, and 

 covered by a roof of cleverly interwoven leaves 

 which proved to be quite waterproof. Fortunately 

 it was near the river, where, in spite of Ahmed's 

 warning to look out for alligators, we at once in- 

 dulged in a refreshing swim. Our legs were in a bad 

 way from the elephant-leeches, which attach them- 

 selves when one is tramping in the jungle ; the exhil- 

 aration of walking prevents one's feeling the bite, 

 so they stay there and continue to suck the blood, 

 soon becoming three or four times their natural size. 

 Even with carefully wound putties I found it diffi- 

 cult to keep them out ; they attach themselves when 



