CHAPTER XXXII. 



COLLECTING AROUND SIMUJAN. 



Native Hunters. — Two Orangs Killed at Simujan. — Nest-making by an Orang. 

 — A Harvest of Mammals. — A Deputation of Dyaks from the Sibuyau. — 

 An Inviting Invitation. — The Rise and Progress of the Baby Orang. — An 

 Interesting Pet. — Humanlike Habits and Emotions. — A Tuba-fishing 

 Picnic. — Third Journey up the Simujan. — Snake Curry. — A Voyage in 

 the Dark. 



I GAVE gunpowder (" obat," or gun-medicine !) quite liberally to all 

 the natives who requested it, Dyaks, Malays, and Chinese, and in 

 every possible way encouraged them to hunt animals for me. I 

 found them very diligent and businesslike, and not in the least 

 tricky or dishonest, as were the natives of India and Ceylon, whom 

 I had occasion to employ in the same way. It was a gi-eat pleasure 

 to deal with the Simujan peoj)le, for they were so frank and honest. 



Only one of my hunters was ever giiilty of a breach of trust, 

 and that was a young Chinaman of our village, who shot a wild 

 boar in the jungle, a mile from the kampong, and cut it up without 

 giving me a chance to skin it. Getting word of it I went over, con- 

 fiscated the head, and read the young celestial a lecture that he re- 

 membered afterward to our mutual advantage. 



After getting back from my second trip up the Simujan I de- 

 termined to remain some weeks at the village, and, with the aid of 

 my native hunters, give that locality a thorough overhauling. 



Early one fine morning we heard the report of firearms coming 

 from the jungle on the right bank of the Sadong, not more than a 

 mile below the village. It continued for about an hour, during 

 which time about twenty-five shots were fired, when it ceased, and 

 a Malay came with a sampan after me. I got my rifle and returned 

 with him, and, on wading three hundred yards into the forest, we 

 found a large party of Dyaks and Malays with a dead mias on the 

 ground and a live one " treed " in the top of a lofty tree. They 



