200 



TIMOR. 



[chap. xiu. 



by twisjting a slender creeper round theoL He then 

 fastened bis clotli tightly round his loins, and producing 

 another cloth wrapped it round his head, neck, and body, 

 and tied it firmly round his neck, leaving his face, arms, 

 and legs completely bare. Slung to bia girdle he carried a 

 long thin coil of cord ; and whUe he had been making 

 these preparations one of his companions had cut a strong 

 creeper or bush-rope eight or ten yards long, to one end 

 of which the wood-torch wi^s fastened, and lighted at the 

 bottom, emitting a steady stream of smoke. Just above 

 the torch a choppiog-knife was fastened by a short cord. 



The bee-hunter now took hold of the bush-rope just 

 above the torch and passed the other end round the trunk 

 of the tree, holding one end in each hand. Jerking it up 

 the tree a little above his head he set his foot against the 

 trunk, and leaidng back liegan walking up it. It was 

 wonderful to see the skill with wluch he took advantage of 

 the slightest irregularities of the bark or obliquity of the 

 stem to aid his ascent, jerking the .stiff creeper a few feet 

 higher when he had found a firm hold for his bare foot. 

 It almost made me giddy to look at 1dm as he rapidly got 

 up — thirty, forty, filly feet above the ground ; and 1 kept 

 wondering how he coidd possibly mount the next few feet 

 of straight smooth trunk. StilJ, however, he kept on with 

 as much coolness and apparent certainty as it" be were 

 going up a ladder, till he got within ten or fifteen feet of 

 the bees* Then be stopped a moment, and took care to 

 swing the torch (which hung just at his feet) a little 

 towards these dangerous insects, so as to send up the 

 stream of smoke between him and them. Still going on, 

 in a minute more he brought himself under the Unib and, 

 in a manner quite uuiatelligible to me, seeing that both 

 hands were occupied in supporting himself by the creeper, 

 managed to get upon it. 



By this time the bees began to be alai'med, and formed 

 a dense bujszing swarm just over him, but be brought 

 the torch up closer to him, and coolly brushed away 

 those that settled on Ids arms or legs. Tlien stretching 

 himself along the limb, he crept towards the nearest 

 comb and swung the torch just mider it. Tiie moment 

 the smoke touched it, its colour changed in a most curious 



