xn] A FORTUNATE ORANG HUNT 



head to look at me as it held on to the branches above with its hands. 

 It was in this position when I fired. I saw at once that I had wounded 

 it severely, for it threw itself back into the nest bellowing loudly. 

 At this moment in the midst of the branches I caught sight of a second 

 orang on another nest. Although I could not see it well, I fired ; the 

 explosion frightened it, and it left its nest and climbed towards that 

 of its wounded companion, whose lamentations were painful to hear. 

 As soon as it caught sight of it, it fled as if frightened, and hid so 

 well amongst the branches that I saw it no more. It was a youngster, 

 possibly the offspring of the one I had shot. 



I was thinking of having the tree cut down to get the wounded 

 orang, when to my surprise it got up, endeavouring to escape, and 

 a second bullet brought it to the ground. It was an adult female 

 Mayas Kassa, but was so badly injured in the forehead by my two 

 shots that it was not worth preserving. The tree on which it had 

 built its nest was a species of wild mango, 1 on whose as yet unripe 

 fruits it had evidently been feeding. 



This incident with the Mayas had kept us about an hour. We 

 proceeded on our journey, and in another half hour arrived at 

 Lanko Labok, a temporary Dyak station where they meet when out 

 hunting or searching for forest produce. The lanko, or rude hut. 

 was deserted and in bad condition, but it was in lovely surroundings, 

 being admirably situated just at the end of the succession of hills 

 over which we had been travelling all the morning. After a frugal 

 repast consisting of rice and sardines, and a couple of hours' rest, 

 I sallied out again with my gun, accompanied by Atzon, and took a 

 turn in the forest. This was here singularly grand, formed of 

 colossal trees, among which it would have been delightful to wander 

 had it not been for the land leeches, which swarmed in myriads 

 amongst the damp fallen leaves, always ready to attach themselves 

 to our legs. As it was, when I got back in the evening to the lanko, 

 I removed some two dozen of these horrible creatures from my feet, 

 enormously gorged and distended with my blood. Yet I had taken 

 the precaution before starting to tie the lower end of my trousers 

 tightly round my shoes, but in vain, for when fasting the leeches are 

 as thin as needles, and penetrate even cloth. Gaiters are also useless 

 to keep them out. After having begun so well we hoped for a 

 continuation of our good luck ; but though we wandered about till 

 dusk we did not meet a single animal, and were compelled to return 

 empty-handed to camp, We had our evening meal, as frugal as 

 the noonday one, and retired to get what rest we could on our bark 

 couches in the lanko. 



1 A Mangifera which the Malays have named " Bua kalamantian/ ' and 

 the very tree which, according to some authors, has given its native name 

 to the island of Borneo. 



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