chap, iv.] BAGGING A GIANT. 75 



some lower trees, on the branches of one of which he fixed 

 himself in such a position that he could not fall, and lay 

 all in a heap as if dead, or dying. 



I now wanted the Dyaks to go up and cut off the branch 

 he was resting on, but they were afraid, saying he was not 

 dead, and would come and attack them. We then shook 

 the adjoining tree, pulled the hanging creepers, and did all 

 we could to disturb him, but without effect, so I thought it 

 best to send for two Chinamen with axes to cut down the 

 tree. While the messenger was gone, however, one of the 

 Dyaks took courage and climbed towards him, but the 

 Mias did not wait for him to get near, moving off to another 

 tree, where he got on to a dense mass of branches and 

 creepers which almost completely hid him from our view. 

 The tree was luckily a small one, so when the axes came 

 we soon had it cut through; but it was so held up by jungle 

 ropes and climbers to adjoining trees that it only fell into 

 a sloping position. The Mias did not move, and I began 

 to fear that after all we should not get him, as it was near 

 evening, and half a dozen more trees Avould have to be cut 

 down before the one he was on would fall. As a last 

 resource we all began pulling at the creepers, which shook 

 the tree very much, and, after a few minutes, when we had 

 almost given up all hopes, down he came with a crash and 

 a thud like the fall of a giant. And he was a giant, his 

 head and body being full as large as a man's. He was of 



