CHAP- xvO FEAR OF MYSELF. 223 



than a few words of Malay, and liardly any of the people 

 appeared to have seen a European before. One most 

 disagreeable result of this was, that I excited teiwr alike 

 in man and beast. Wherever I went, dogs barked, children 

 screamed, women ran away, and men stared as though 

 I were some strange and terrible cannibal monster. Even 

 the pack-horses on the roads and paths wonhi start aside 

 when I appeared and rush into the jungle^ and as to 

 those horrid, ugly hmtes, the buffaloes, they could never 

 be appix)ached by me ; not for fear of ray own but of others' 

 safety. They would first stick out their necks and stare 

 at me, and then on a nearer view break loose from their 

 halters or tethers, and rush away helter-skelter as if a 

 demon were after them, without any regard for what might 

 be in their way. Wiienevei- I met buffaloes carrj^ing 

 packs along a pathway, or being driven home to the village, 

 I bad to tuiii aside into the jungle and bide myself till 

 they had passed, to avoid a cafaistrophe winch would increase 

 the dislike with which I was already regarded Every 

 day about noon the buffaloes were brought into tlie village 

 and were tethered in the shade around the liouses; and 

 then I had to creep about like a thief by back ways, for 

 no one could tell what mischief they might do to children 

 and houses were I to walk among thenx If 1 came sud- 

 denly upon a well where women were drawing water or 

 children bathing, a sudden flight was the c^^rtain residt ; 

 which things occumng day after day, were very unpleasant 

 to a person who does not like tn be disliked, and who had 

 never been accustomed to lie treated as an ogre. 



About the middle of Kovember, finding my health no 

 better, and insects, birds, and shells all very scarce, I deter- 

 mined to retui-n to Manmjara, and pack up my collections 

 before the heavy rains commenced. The wind had already 

 begun to blow from the west, and many signs indicated 

 that the niiny season might set in earlier than usual ; and 

 then everj'thing becomes very damp, and it is almost 

 impossible* to dry collections properly. My kind friend 

 Mr. Mesman again lent me bis pack-horses, and with the 

 assistance of a few men to carry my birds and insects, 

 which I did not like to trust on horses' backs, we got: 

 everything home safe. Few can imagine the luxury it was 



