nist, and brave
indeed is the Dyak who will attack him single-handed. Did he know his
gigantic strength (which, fortunately, he does not), he would make
short work of his natural enemy--man.

The "orang-utan" rarely descends to _terra firma_, but moves slowly
from tree to tree, the density of the branches rendering this
comparatively easy, and is easily kept up with by the hunter, as this
strange animal never essays to get away altogether, even when severely
wounded. He does not seem to realise the danger of his situation, and
were it not for this, it would be quite useless to attempt to follow
him, the swamps which have to be traversed rendering anything like
rapid progress quite impossible.

Reports as to the size of the orang greatly differ, but the one shot
by Mr. Wallace at Sadong (Sarawak) some years since, is generally
considered to be the largest specimen yet obtained. This measured four
feet two inches high. Stories are told by natives of the orang-utan
seizing and carrying away young Dyak girls to their dens in the
forests. This was, I believe, authenticated in one instance, the woman
returning to her tribe after a lapse of three months.

The orang when wounded utters a cry wonderfully like a child in pain,
and indeed all his actions and ways closely resemble those of a human
being; so much so indeed that a story is told of a former worthy
Bishop of Sarawak, being, while in quest of orangs, so reminded by the
features of one of them of a certain old uncle at home, that he had
not the heart to fire, but let his prey pursue his way unmolested!

Our preparations were complete about ten days after our return to
Kapit, and it was on a raw, drizzling day that we paddled down the
Kuching river with the morning tide in a sampan or native boat (pulled
by a crew of six natives), that we had hired for the occasion from a
Chinaman in the capital. More than half our journey had to be
accomplished by sea, which, as it was blowing half a gale, and looking
at the capabilities of our cranky old craft (christened _Sri Laut_,
or _Beauty of the Sea_, by her proud owner), was not a pleasant
prospect. Ere we had been half an hour afloat we were wet through with
the rain, which beat through the old palm awning as if it had been
note-paper. This state of things, with a journey of over ten hours
before us, was not cheering; but, as I have said before, Bornean
travel is not all _couleur de rose_, so, covering ourselves with a
tarp