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Updated: June 16, 2025
Taking their places in the yacht, the captain gave the order to cast off the fasts, the boat stood up the river, and soon passed the scene of the morning's conflict. "Gibbons!" exclaimed Achang, pointing to a portion of the forest where the trees were sparsely scattered. There were half a dozen of them, and they seemed to be engaged in a frolic.
The animal was fully three feet high, and at a second glance it did not look much like a bear. Whatever it was, it took to its heels when the sound of the steamer's screw reached its ear. But Morris fired before the boat started, and the others did the same. "That is not a bear, Mr. Morris," interposed Achang, laughing as he spoke. "What is it, then?" demanded Morris. "A pig."
It was heavy enough to require a strong arm to handle it; and it was sharp enough for a giant's razor, if giants ever shave, for most of them are pictured with full beards. "I suppose this is a native's sword," said Louis, as he passed it to the captain. "Dyak parong latok; parong same thing, not so long," Achang explained.
With the assistance of Achang, a small sampan, a kind of skiff, was purchased; for the Bornean declared that it would be needed in the hunting excursions of the party, for much of the country was flooded with water, a foot or two in depth. The young hunters slept on board of the Blanchita, and they were delighted with their accommodations.
"Captain Achang Bakir was with us; and he has sailed in all the seas of the Archipelago in an open boat, and we had his advice. Then we sailed all the way to the entrance of the Gulf of Siam in company with the steamer Delhi, whose captain agreed to stand by us, and to supply us with coal if we came short." "That puts a new face on the matter."
Louis and Scott laughed heartily at this calculation, and thought the idea was derogatory to the character of true sport, though they did not object to turning their victims of this kind into money. "Must we carry the carcass of this beast down to Kuching in order to get the reward, Achang?" asked Morris. "The head will be enough; and they can tell how long he is by the size of it."
After he saw that blows with the weapon accomplished nothing, he plunged the blade into the body of the brute several times in quick succession. These stabs ended the battle. The orang rolled over, and then did not move again. Both of the human combatants then walked down to the Blanchita, one of them limping badly. They showed their wounds, and through Achang asked to be "doctored."
"Plenty of elephant monkeys in here," said Achang. "Elephant monkeys!" exclaimed Louis. "I never heard of any such animals. Are they called so because they are so large?" "No, sir," said Achang; "because they have such long noses." "There are a dozen monkeys in that tree, and they look very queer," said Louis, as he elevated his double-barrelled fowling-piece, loaded with large shot, and fired.
"They are going to cut down a tree with the biliongs," said Achang. "Sometimes do that to get the game." "They couldn't cut down a tree a foot through with those things in a week!" exclaimed Lane. "So quick as you could cut it down," insisted the Bornean stoutly. "Dry up, now, and let us see the Malays work with the thing," interposed the captain.
At noon on this day the two vessels were forty-four miles up the Gulf of Siam. The prophecies of Captain Rayburn and Achang in regard to the weather proved to be correct. The monsoon blew steadily all the way, and the yacht carried her sail. Not even a squall disturbed the serenity of the voyage, and everything went on as during the first and second days.
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