140 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 
fall, so that there might be nothing underfoot to 
interfere with rapid work; then I gave the signal 
for the tom-toms. The racket began again and the 
crew of men detailed to cutting the tree ran through 
the smoke barrier, waving their parangs and shout- 
ing. I stood outside, near the net, watching the 
orangs and keeping the men at their stations. 
Omar was with me, and Munshee was with the 
men who were doing the cutting. We could hear 
the big knives hacking into the tree. 
A messenger from Munshee came with the word 
that the tree was ready to drop. I gave a hasty 
glance around me, told the men to be on the alert 
and sent him back with instructions to let the tree 
fall. Once again through the din of tom-toms and 
shouts we could hear chopping; the tree swayed for 
a moment, the orang-outangs screamed with terror 
and the men with the nets crouched, ready to spring. 
Slowly the tree toppled and came down, gathering 
speed as it fell, exactly in the spot we had marked. 
When it struck, the entire jungle seemed to be in 
upheaval. 
The orang-outangs abruptly stopped their out- 
cry. As they hit the ground, they were paralyzed 
with fright. A net went sailing over them. In an 
instant they came to their senses and began fighting. 
With long, black, powerful arms they lashed at the 
rattan; they leaped and struggled, biting the ropes 
and tearing great gashes in their bodies. They 
screamed and chattered furiously. One of them 
