360 TWO YEAES IX THE JUNGLE. 



nipa palm had been replaced by the screw pine, rasow etam of the 

 Malays {Pandanus candelabrum), which formed a fringe along both 

 sides of the river. They gi'ew in water eight to ten feet deep and 

 very thickly togethei*, so that no boat could reach the shore with- 

 out a great effort to get thi-ough them. The stems were from two 

 to three inches in diameter and thickly studded with short spines. 

 Owing to the depth at which they grew, it was sometimes possible 

 to push them aside and drive a boat thi'ough them, when they grew 

 rather thinly, but iisually it was necessaiy to cut a passage in order 

 to reach the shore. I mention them thus particularly because they 

 afterwards caused us gi'eat trouble. 



We saw no proboscis monkeys that morning, nor any others. 

 The men had to work hard at the paddles to make headway against 

 the rapid current. Early in the day we passed several abandoned 

 orang-utan nests, which aroused expectations of something better, 

 and presently we passed a green nest. From that moment four 

 pairs of eyes shai'ply scrutinized every dark object or moving twig 

 in the tree-tops as we paddled slowly and sUently along. Everj- 

 doubtful object was instantly pointed out and examined by the 

 " tuan " with the field-glass. 



We had just sighted another veiy green and fresh-looking nest, 

 when there was an excited whisper of, 



" Mias, tuan ! mias ! mias ! " and a long arm in front of me 

 pointed it out. 



" There he is, sir ! there he is !" (in Malay, of course). The light 

 sampan faii'ly flew along untU we came neai'ly opposite the tree 

 containing our intended victim, but he had recognized the approach- 

 ing danger and hidden himself in a thick clump of leafy branches. 

 Presently we saw a big hairy arm clasping the trunk of the tree 

 about fifty feet from the ground, but that was all. The boat was 

 stopped directly, and as we could do no better I stood up and sent 

 a bullet through the arm that was exposed, to stir the old fellow up. 

 It startled him, for with an angry gi'owl, he immediately showed 

 himself and started to cUmb away. As soon as we saw his body I 

 fired again, which caused him to stop short for a moment. Then 

 the two Malays put forth all their strength and drove the boat as 

 far as possible into the thick fringe of screw pines. They stood 

 very thickly together, but their stems yielded a good deal, and by 

 frantic pulling, pushing aside, and chopping we forced a passage 

 through for several yards. At last we came to a dead stop ; there 

 was not a speck of land in sight, but the boat could go no farther. 



