to keep
perfectly still.

[Illustration: RIVER SCENERY NEAR SADONG.]

"Moniet"[11] there might be, but I could discern nothing until, after
a few moments of intense excitement as to whether the "moniet" was
but a common proboscis or wa-wa, Bakar came splashing back through the
dirty water, and, seizing my shoulder, breathlessly exclaimed, "Moniet
besar, Tuan! orang-utan!"

Hurrah then! At last we had got near one of these brutes, and our
troubles had not all been in vain. But the next thing was to get a
sight of him, and this, through the dense undergrowth and brushwood
which intervened, was by no means an easy task. For some time did I
gaze through the thick network of green leaves, till, at last,
following the direction in which our guide was pointing, I dimly made
out a square patch of brown against the green leaves, and, trusting to
chance, fired. The spot I had aimed at was not the orang, but the
report of the rifle had the desired effect of dislodging the brute
from his hiding-place, and bringing him full into view. A fine,
strapping fellow he seemed as he remained stationary for some seconds,
looking down at us with a puzzled expression, as if he scarcely knew
whether to greet us as enemies or as strange specimens of his own
species. L. now cut short his reflections with a bullet, which this
time had more effect, as was evinced by the sharp cry he gave as he
sprang into the branches of the adjoining tree, closely observing all
our movements as we waded through the stagnant water beneath him, and
took up a favourable position for our next shot. This was again
successful, breaking his left fore-arm. Moving slowly on after him,
for at least three-quarters of an hour, we fired shot after shot with
variable success, until a bullet from L.'s rifle caught him full in
the neck, and brought him crashing through the branches to our feet.

On measuring him, we found him but a moderate-sized animal, standing
three feet seven inches from the top of the skull to the tip of the
toes. This seemed a poor return after the amount of labour we had gone
through; however, "experientia docet," and we determined that this
should be our last attempt at orang shooting, and, hoisting our prize
on to the shoulders of the faithful Bakar, we set out to regain the
sampan. This, however, proved no easy task. The erratic movements of
our guide shortly after leaving the spot where we had shot the Mias
had attracted our attention, and the rea