Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 16, 2025
The other Malay brought from the sampan a couple of spears, a parong latok, and a bundle of ropes and rattans. "Do they use the sumpitan in Borneo now, Achang?" asked Louis. "Not Dyaks, Mr. Belgrave; Kyans use it; shoot poison arrows; sure death; very bad."
He isn't a very desirable fellow to have as a companion on board." "What is the use of killing him? He would only be food for the crocodiles," protested Louis. "Do what you like with him, Louis," added the captain. "I certainly will not have him killed. If Achang never saw but one of the kind, there cannot be a great many of them in this part of the island.
Some are killed every year, and the government pays one and sixpence apiece for the heads." "That looks like a war of extermination upon them," said Morris. "I don't know what that is; but they want to kill them all off," replied Achang, who had improved his language so that his tutor seldom had to correct it. "That is the same thing. They pay by the foot for crocodiles here."
"Faix, the bridges betune oursels and civiloization are all broke down!" exclaimed Felix McGavonty, who sometimes used his Milesian dialect in order, as he put it, not to lose his mother's brogue. "Not so bad as that, Felix; for there is considerable civilization lying around loose in Borneo," replied Louis Belgrave. "Not much of it here is found," added Achang Bakir, the Bornean.
Each of the rifles could send out nine bullets, fixed ammunition, contained in cartridges, nine of which was the capacity of the magazine. Those on deck watched the group of saurians; but Louis fired the first shot, and immediately there was a sensation among the reptiles. One of them made a spring, and came over on his back. "Mr. Belgrave fired that shot," said Achang to the hunter's mother.
"She makes a new nest when the branches of the old one get dry; she like a soft bed," said Achang. "But the tree will come down now; big fight, they kill her." He had hardly spoken these words before the tree suddenly toppled over, and fell upon the ground with a heavy crash. The orangs seemed to have no idea of what was going on at the foot of the tree, and they were pitched out.
"He is dead shot, and he never miss his aim." "There is another turning over on his back," added the lady. "I think Mr. McGavonty fired that one; for he is a dead shot too, but not quite so sure as Mr. Belgrave," said Achang; and he was correct in his supposition. Both of them hit the crocodile in the eye.
It was a queer-looking creature about the head, and no one on board except Achang had ever seen one like it. For the length of the head, the muzzle was very broad, hardly less than three inches. It was covered with a soft and rather long fur on its body, dark brown in color. "What do you call my game, Mr. Naturalist?" demanded Felix, addressing Louis, who was looking the animal over.
While the native was talking, the seamen, by order of the captain, had hoisted the head of the saurian into the sampan towing astern, placing it on a piece of tarpaulin. The carcass was cast loose, and probably was soon devoured by others of its own kind. "We might find some eggs in the crocodile," said Achang, as the body floated past the boat.
"One is a big one, and the other is her baby." "But what are the Malays doing now?" asked Louis. "Make a stage to stand on," replied Achang. "What do they want of a stage?" demanded Lane contemptuously. "You will see if you wait," added the captain. They were picking up poles where they could find them, and cutting saplings, which they dropped with a single blow of the biliong.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking