IN SEARCH OF BIG GAME. 
found that it had crossed the path find gone away to the right. 
This was where we had failed to notice the newer track. 
These incidents are good for the disciphne of one's mind, 
in case at any time one should imagine that in following the 
tracks of an elephant one would be incapable of making a 
mistake. Presently the carriers started to come in and told 
us that one of their number and Ah Ton^; had got fever 
and had been left miles behind. They arrived however 
about dnsk, but knocked up with their fever. Their feelings 
can better be imagined than described when we informed 
the carriers that the last six hours tramping over the most 
heart-bre;iking ground had been done in vain because we 
had returned to where we had been at ^'o'clock that morning. 
A >Iaiay hates work at the best of times, but when his work 
has obviously been useless he takes it as a personal insult. 
In this case they were very sorry for themselves having 
had fairly heavy loads. It was a fine night and after our 
evening meal I took slock of our rice. We iiad enough to 
last for two davs on full rations for the whole party. This 
would not do so I decided to scud back Ah Tong, who now 
that he had got fever would be better back at the base, and 
three of the Malays to Kuala Mahang, with instructions to 
Mat Linggi to send the boat back to Puiau Hesar with .Ah 
Tong and two of the Malays, and to come to us as soon 
as possible with the remaining Malay and all the rice and 
stores we had left in camp. I knew that if I told Mat 
Liiiggi to bring up the rice, that the rice would arrive. 
Next morning, the 14th of August, wx^ continued our 
tracking after having safeh' seen the homeward part\* on 
their way. I sent back some of my clothes and most of my 
bedding' having only three men with me now excepting 
Wan Hadji and Yasin. We soon found that we were getting 
close to otir rjuarr)'. He had stopped for a long time fin a hill 
within about two miles of our camping place, and had we not 
made the mistake on the previous da\' we should have found 
him there. Unfortunately shortly afterwards hi,s tracks got 
mixed up with those of the large herd which he had evidently 
been following and we spent hours trying to puz;;le the tracks 
oiit. In this lierd there was a big bull, and the two bulls had 
a playful tussle on the edge on the river having ploughed up 
the ground as they pushed each other to and fro. 
The tracks of the second bull complicated matters a good 
deal, because although they were slightly smaller than those of 
the solitary one, it was difficult to tell them apart except in 
quite soft ground. Peculiarly enough the two bulls had finally 
gone off together, and following these two tracks we were soon 
