198 TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 
for the rhinoceros. I had confidence in my express 
rifle and I knew that the natives would not refuse 
to accompany me. It would be useless to force 
them, of course, for they would be constantly on 
the verge of a panic. I sent Ali to talk with the 
headman and bring him to my house. 
That afternoon a large part of the village across 
the river from my house burned to the ground. 
While I was sitting on my veranda, waiting for 
Ali to return with the headman, I saw smoke aris- 
ing from one of the houses in the Chinese section. 
A moment later, flames appeared, the alarm was 
given and the village was in an uproar. The flames 
leaped from house to house, running down the 
principal street, where all the godowns were located. 
I went across the river to watch the excitement 
and see what I could do to help. The natives were 
wild: rushing about, falling over one another and 
going crazy. I stood at one side, quite out of the 
way, for a native in such a condition is a dangerous 
person; the least word may send him dmok and 
start him slashing with his kris. Not one native 
thought about the safety of his women and children. 
On the contrary, he pushed women and children 
out of the way and walked on them in the excite- 
ment of rescuing the one possession that a Malay 
values—his kris. Men dashed into burning houses 
and emerged triumphantly, scorched but waving 
their krises over their heads. 
One of the tunkus managed to organize in the 
