820 TWO TEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



They are nowliere numerous, the total number in Selangore being 

 estimated at only seventy. They subsist wholly upon the fruit and 

 vegetable products of the jungle, and the game they kill with their 

 sumpitans, or blow-guns and poisoned arrows. Some of them are 

 said to be very expert in the use of this singular weapon. The 

 present Rajah Brooke states that he once saw a Jacoon drive an 

 aiTOW into a single crow-quill at a distance of fifteen yards ! We 

 learned accidentally, a few days later, that the Jacoons are very 

 fond of bats, and were stopping at that place in order to capture 

 them in some large caves near by. 



They were very accommodating people, and our party held quite 

 an animated conversation with them vipon the subject of wild game, 

 as they sat perched aloft and looking down upon us. Fortunately 

 they knew the value of money, and we engaged two of the men to 

 act as our guides when we went in quest of wild cattle, rhinoceros, 

 and other animals. One of them came down forthwith and led us 

 a long tramp through the silent and gloomy forest for the remain- 

 der of the day, but we saw nothing worth shooting. Much to our 

 disappointment, the Jacoons said there were, at that time, no rhi- 

 nocerous in that region, but plenty of elephants. 



The next morning about daybreak, as we were dozing comfort- 

 ably in our hammocks, our sleepy ears were suddenly saluted by a 

 clear, ringing note, like a blast of a hunter's horn, coming from the 

 thick jungle half a mile away. We were instantly galvanized into 

 action. 



" Elephants ! " we both exclaimed in the same breath, as we 

 sprang out of our hammocks, and into our clothes. Never was a 

 reveille responded to with more alacrity. 



We swallowed our cofifee, albeit rather hastily, crammed down 

 a substantial breakfast, buckled on our hunting-gear, and mustered 

 the men, who were ready as soon as we were. The Jacoons were 

 not there yet, but no matter ; I knew we could track up a herd 

 without them. Leaving orders for the Jacoons to track us up if 

 they came, and overtake us as soon as possible, we hurriedly set out. 



To our surprise it took us nearly an hour to find the trail of the 

 herd, and even when we did it was apparently two to three hours 

 old. Evidently we had lost our bearings, to begin with. There 

 was nothing to do but follow up the spoor as we found it, so away 

 we went. Our whole party was there, except IVIr. Syers' cook, 

 Cat's Face. 



My weapon was a rather ancient Sneider rifle, and Syers was 



