54 - 
TIGERS. 
circled by verdurous broad-leaved bananas, and the 
blackened stems of burnt palms, while some were 
overgrown with ferns, or half bmied beneath dense 
masses of parasitic creepers. The capsicum and 
cotton-j>lants around were choked by ^be rank 
growth of trailing convohuili, and the village paths 
were green with weeds, and obstructed by rotten 
trees swarming with centipedes and scorj^ions. 
Absorbed in the contemplation of this strange scene, 
I was startled by the sound of heavy, flapping 
wings, and looking up saw two large birds with 
outstretched necks, winging their way to a tall bare 
tree adjacent ; as they perched side by side upon 
it, I recognised the great black-and-white hornbill. 
In the perfect solitude of the jungle, sudden sounds 
of mystery, like the vibration of the wings of these 
buxls, the light crafty step of the tiger, or the 
apprehension of the unknown horrors of the jungle, 
induce one to carry his hand instinctively towards 
the faithful revolver. The tigers were very per- 
severing in the pursuit of their prey. Several 
Malays had come over here to avoid those which 
