xii] MORE ORANGS 



mens, and with the help of Atzon and my boys I soon skinned the 

 two, and roughly cleaned the bones of the larger specimen ; of the 

 small one, besides the skin, I only kept the skull. In two hours' 

 work we had completed our task, so that one man was able to carry 

 all the spoil. The female was pregnant, and I carefully preserved 

 the foetus. There was no water near, and I was obliged to wash my 

 hands with that I got by cutting through the stems of the 

 creepers, which were very abundant on the spot. 



It now began to rain, but happily soon stopped. The road we 

 had intended to take was very steep, and having more to carry we 

 thought it wiser to return by the way we came. We went back, 

 therefore, to the Sungei Pakit, on whose banks we breakfasted with 

 the cooked rice we had brought with us. It did not take long, and 

 we were soon on our way again. 



As we were passing again through the big durian trees, we sud- 

 denly caught sight of a Mayas quite close to us on some low 

 trees. I aimed at him and pulled the trigger, but both barrels hung 

 fire. My gun was an excellent Westley-Richards, but of the old 

 muzzle-loading kind, and evidently the rain had got under the caps 

 on the nipples. As I renewed the caps my men kept the big ape in 

 view ; but it did not go very far, for orangs are not afraid of man, 

 and when I was ready it was climbing up the trunk of a large durian. 

 My first shot appeared to take effect in its leg ; it stopped climbing, 

 and passed on to a smaller durian. Here, when it was well in view, I 

 fired again, bringing it to a standstill. Just as I fired, a small orang 

 appeared, but bolted into the foliage, where I lost sight of it, for my 

 men directed my attention to a huge Mayas on the very top of the 

 highest durian, where it was much hidden by the branches. I fired 

 several shots, if only to drive him out, but could not say that I had hit 

 him. The tree was more that 150 feet high, and I was unfavourably 

 placed at its base, having to fire vertically, with the rain, which had 

 begun to fall again, coming straight into my eyes. As this was 

 going on I perceived another big orang on a branch of the same tree. 

 I got my men to keep the rain off, and reloaded my gun ; but mean- 

 while both animals got on to their nests, and I could see them no 

 longer. Had I had time I should certainly have got both of them ; 

 but it was getting late, and we had to look after the first one I had 

 wounded, and which had not been seen to move from the small 

 durian. I had the tree cut down, but, to our surprise, we could not 

 find the creature amongst the branches, though I knew that it could 

 not possibly have escaped. My men were grumbling to get awa3 7 , 

 Atzon had an attack of fever coming on, and the rain was falling 

 in deluges. Yet I was not going to lose my specimen, and made them 

 hack away the branches, with axe and parang, one by one, till at last 

 we found the Mayas, quite dead, huddled up in the very centre of 

 the boughs. The day was waning, and we were still a good distance 



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