ing it, and, the stream again widening, the scenery again
became flat and monotonous. We reached the hunting-grounds at about
five p.m., after a hard pull against the stream, and mooring the _Sri_
to the bank made all snug for the night.

We landed, or I should rather say left the boat, next morning about
eleven a.m., for of dry land, excepting a dismal mangrove swamp
extending far away on either side of us, there was none. Our shooting
costumes were more light than elegant, consisting as they did of a
pair of white duck trowsers, a thin jersey, no socks, a pair of white
canvas shoes, and a sun helmet, the latter filled with cartridges.
Struggling ashore with some difficulty, we found ourselves without
further ado up to our waists in swamp, or rather a substance the
colour of but considerably thicker than pea-soup. Bakar (the Dyak
hunter) and a Malay boatman preceded us with parangs to clear the way
of branches before us, and, all being ready, we set off.

I shall not readily forget the pleasures of that day's walk! For three
long hours did we struggle on through the dense jungle, without a
sight of living animal, to say nothing of an orang. To make matters
worse, the sun was fearfully hot, and beat down on our heads with a
force that the dozen or so of cartridges we carried in our "topics,"
did not tend to alleviate; the smell also of decayed vegetation
arising from the ground was well-nigh sickening.

We cried a halt after three hours of this, and discovered from Bakar
that we had gone a distance probably of about a mile and a half since
we started, which will give the reader some idea of jungle walking in
Borneo. Our dismal faces at this species of sport(!) must have
excited the compassion of Bakar, for he volunteered the remark that
this _was_ rather hard walking, even for Borneo, a remark with which
we cordially agreed.

Up till now we had seen no vestige of living creature, bird or animal.
On my observing this, our guide replied: "Oh, never mind! We've eight
hours before sundown. We must get on. Time is precious!"

Mentally registering a vow that I would see Bakar in a considerably
hotter climate than the inhabitants even of Borneo are accustomed to,
if even two hours of this work more saw me at it, we started off
again.

Another hour passed away, and well-nigh done up, I was about to
suggest a retreat to the boat when we were brought up all standing by
a cry from Bakar of "Moniet, Tuan!" and an injunction