238



S. Porter—Wanderings in the Far East



and it was not looking at all well, in fact it might die at any

moment and that of course would be a great shame. So eventually

the bird became mine on the condition that I would give the children

some Chinese records, when I heard the records, I knew at once which

I would rather hear, the bird or the so-called Chinese music !


So “ Tuang-ku ” was borne back in triumph to the bungalow.

During my stay on the estate the bird had to be hung some distance

from the bungalow owing to its noise, which did not in the least disturb

me. Often wild birds would come around in answer to its calls and

whistles. The bird had such a varied repertoire of calls that it was

difficult to know which were its natural ones. These birds are quite

common in Malay and later on during my sojourn in Malaya I frequently

saw them flying over the garden, easily distinguishable by the round

white patch in the wing. Sometimes the birds would alight in the

rubber-trees and answer the tame bird. A Malay boy once brought

me a youngster which he had recently taken from the nest; as I had

so many birds I did not purchase it. The natives never treat “ Softbills ”

very well and none of these birds which I saw in captivity ever looked

in good condition.


“ Tuang-ku ” certainly talked better and more distinctly than any

parrot I have ever heard.


Alas ! he was fated never to leave his native shores: just before

we were leaving for England he died. It was my fault, and I have

never been able to forgive myself for the act which robbed me of a

real companion and friend. I felt that I had murdered him. I had

sweetened his rice with a small amount of sunbird mixture and, staying

away longer than I anticipated, the food went sour and he must have

eaten it. The next day I could see that he was fated to pass to “ that

last strange change 55 . I could do very little. I stayed up all night

and at one o’clock he died on my knee. I never thought I could care

for anything or anybody as I cared for that bird. I felt his loss more

than if it had have been my best friend. For a time it was impossible

to realize that he had gone. I seemed to hear his voice everywhere,

I realized the terrible irrevocability of Death. What would I not have

given if I could have but saved him ! Poor “ Tuang-ku ”, we buried

him in the full blaze of a tropic day beneath the waving palms near



