imbing it, no one was prepared to stop it except the Dyak
youth Gurulam. He chanced to be standing between the mias and the tree.

Boldly he levelled his spear and made a thrust that would probably have
killed the beast, if it had not caught the point of the spear and turned
it aside. Then with its left paw it caught the youth by the neck, seized
his thigh with one of its hind paws, and fixed its teeth in his right
shoulder.

Never was man rendered more suddenly and completely helpless, and death
would have been his sure portion before the hunters had reloaded if Van
der Kemp had not leaped forward, and, thrusting his spear completely
through the animal's body, killed it on the spot.

CHAPTER XVI.

BEGINS WITH A TERRIBLE FIGHT AND ENDS WITH A HASTY FLIGHT.

The hunt, we need scarcely say, was abruptly terminated, and immediate
preparations were made for conveying the wounded man and the two orangs
to the Dyak village. This was quickly arranged, for the convenient
bamboo afforded ready-made poles wherewith to form a litter on which to
carry them.

The huge creature which had given them so much trouble, and so nearly
cost them one human life, was found to be indeed of the largest size. It
was not tall but very broad and large. The exact measurements, taken by
the professor, who never travelled without his tape measure, were as
follows:--

Height from heel to top of head, 4 feet 2 inches.

Outstretched arms across chest, 7 " 8 "

Width of face, 1 foot 2 "

Girth of arm, 1 " 3 "

Girth of wrist, 8 "

The muscular power of such a creature is of course immense, as Nigel and
the professor had a rare chance of seeing that very evening--of which,
more presently.

On careful examination by Nigel, who possessed some knowledge of
surgery, it was found that none of Gurulam's bones had been broken, and
that although severely lacerated about the shoulders and right thigh, no
very serious injury had been done--thanks to the promptitude and vigour
of the hermit's spear-thrust. The poor youth, however, was utterly
helpless for the time being, and had to be carried home.

That afternoon the party reached a village in a remote part of the
forest where they resolved to halt for the night, as no other
resting-place could be reached before dark.

While a supper of rice and fowl was being cooked by Moses, Van der Kemp
attended to the woun