AMOXG THE ORAISTG-UTANS. 361 



We were near tlie large trees by this time, so two of the Malays 

 seized their parongs and slid down into the water while I quickly 

 followed with my rilie and a pocket full of cartridges. Fortunate 

 it was for me in my wading after orangs that my rifle was a breech- 

 loader and that Maynard cartridges are water-proof. 



We went quite under water, at first, but after swimming a few 

 yards, were able to touch bottom. We waded up to our necks in 

 water until it got shallower, the Malays pushing ahead as fast as 

 jjossible to keep the mias in sight, until presently they stood still, 

 waist deep in the water, and pointed iipward. I soon saw the mias, 

 a fine large one, swinging himself slowly from one tree to another, 

 evidently disabled. I immediately fixed for his breast, whereupon 

 he stiniggled \-iolently for a moment, then made off in frantic haste, 

 climbing along a straight horizontal branch by the aid of his hands 

 alone, swinging along as a gymnast swings underneath a tight roj^e. 

 He reached fully five feet at every stretch. 



Presently he stopped short and let go with one hand, which 

 dropped heavily at his side and came below his knee. For three 

 minutes he hung there facing us, holding by one hand only. How 

 huge and haiiy he looked, outlined against the sky ! Presently his 

 hand sUpped, his hold gave way entu-ely and, with outstretched 

 arms and legs, he came crashing heavily down through the branches 

 and fell into the water near us with a tremendous splash. He stinag- 

 gled up and turned savagely to bay, gi-asping the trunk of a saj)ling 

 to hold himself erect. The Malays rushed at him with their pai-- 

 ongs, and one gave him a fierce slash in the neck while I was 

 shouting to them to desist. They were as yet wholly untrained, 

 and would have ruined the skin in a moment. The old mias flung 

 his long arms about, gasped and struggled violently, then quietly 

 settled down in the water, and in another moment was dead. Then 

 we towed him along back to the boat, lifted him in with consider- 

 able difficulty and began to examine our prize. 



Ti-uly, he was a prize. His back was as broad and his chest as 

 deep as a prize fighter's, while his huge hands and feet seemed 

 made with but one end in view — to grasp and hold on. His arms 

 were remarkably long and sine'oy, but his legs were disproportion- 

 ately short and thick. His body was large and hea^w, with a chest 

 both broad and full ; his eyes were villanously small and his canine 

 teeth were as large as those of a small bear. His arms and legs 

 were covered ■udth long, coarse, brick-red hair, which grew also on 

 his abdomen and sides, but the skin which covered his breast hung 



