RAVEN — ^JACKING IN EAST INDIAN JUNGLES 
27 
We were crossing a large level part of the plain when, a little to one 
side and about three hundred yards ahead, I caught a glint of light; 
a few steps further, and I could distinctly see the reflection of four 
eyes. I held the lamp so that the boy carrying the rifle could see the 
tiny yellow balls of fire, just the color of a flame from an ordinary oil 
lamp. He said excitedly in a loud whisper ^‘paiaw dua, Tuan” (two 
sambur. Mister), and then turning to the boys strung out behind him 
hurriedly whispered his information several times. At the same time 
I was telling them to be quiet lest the animals run away. 
With the lamp held high, on or slightly above the level of my eyes, 
I began to go forward, at first very slowly and then, finding that I was 
more sure footed if going a little faster, I increased my speed. The 
deer seemed to be getting nervous and could be seen shifting their 
position, though as yet all that was visible was the reflection of the 
eyes. We were getting closer and the eyes appeared much brighter 
when I nearly spoiled our plans by stumbling into a muddy ditch 
about three feet deep. I managed to keep from dropping or break- 
ing the lamp, however, and went on until, with a thrilling, whistl- 
ing call, one of the deer turned and bounded away, but only for a 
few yards for it stopped and we could again see its brightly reflected 
eyes as it turned towards us. I approached until I could very faintly 
see the outline of the animal and immediately handed the lamp to the 
boy from whom I received my rifle. The boy stood to my left and the 
light from the lamp shone on the fore sight of the rifle. When the 
sound of the shot died away we could hear the stamping of only one 
deer as it bounded off into the darkness. The other was dead, the 
bullet having passed through the anterior part of its back almost at 
the base of its neck. 
At Karang Tigau, another camp farther north along the coast, where 
I stayed for about a month at the mouth of a little river, I did a great 
deal of hunting at night. At this place or near it there were no native 
habitations, and for the month that we remained we saw no one. I 
had with me a Chinese boy and three sea-faring Malays, or Bajau, as 
they are called. 
The forest at Karang Tigau was virgin and tropical and came right 
down to the edge of the water. At high tide the branches of some of 
the trees actually dipped their ends into the water which covered the 
sandy beach up to the line of drift. Most of my time during the first 
few days at this camp was occupied so fully in setting lines of traps and 
preparing specimens that the only hunting I did at night was to go 
