Evening star., 1921-06-26

i charge until they are cornered: they
are instantly on the offensive. The
hunter becomes just as much hunted
as his quarry: each tries to attack Gy
running down seladangs for the hunt
et to, keep his feet clear Of vines and
creepers. so that he can be free TO
jump; and also to keep his eye on Il
he needs 1t. The only possible way
for Il hunter to escape the direct
charge of a seladang: is to fall fiat
and let 1t run over him; its neck Is st
short that. when he is prostrate.
cannot reach him with it's horns
Then, il the hoofs have not knocke
him unconscious or broken his bone.
he can jump up before the selandan
can check itself. and run for "A tree
For the man once caught on the
beasts horns. there is no escape; II
tosses victim time after time anu
then tramples him.
/ had never met seladang-and
must admit that I was not especially
anxious to meet one-but l had no
doubt of my ability to handle It II the
emergency arose, and so | determin-
ed to go to Rawang for the rhinoce-
ros. ! had confidence in my express
rifle and l knew that the natives
would not refuse to accompany me. IL
would be useless to force them. or
course. for they would be constantly
talk with the headman and bring him
to- my house.
That afternoon large part of the
village across the river from my house
burned to the ground while l was
sitting on my veranda, waiting for
Ali to return with the headman. saw
smoke arising from one OF the houses
in the Chinese section. a moment
later flames appeared. the alarm was
given and the village was in an up
Il fVn
to house running down the principal
street, where all the godowns were
located. went across the river TO
watch the excitement and see what
could do to help. The natives were
wild, rushing about, falling over one
one side. quite out of the way. Tor a
native in such a condition is q dan
gerous person: the least Word may
send him amok and start him slash
ing with his kris. Not one naive
thought about the safety of his worn
en- and children. On the contrary. he
nushed women and children out or
the way and walked on them. in the
excitement of rescuinS the one posses
sion that Malay values-nls KRIS
Men dashed into burning houses ana
emerged triumphantly. scorched put
waving their krisses over their heads
! One of the tunkus managed to or
| gan:ze in the midst OF the turmoil
what passed as water-chain. Inc
natives grabbed buckets and ran to
the river. returning at full speed.
waving their. buckets and getting IN
,ne anothers way. I doubt II sim
gle bucket reached the fire with more
| than a cupful Of water In IT, IL was
F.; no funny that had 10 hide where no
/ one could see me laughing. heard
later that the old sultan laughed until
| he was weak.
He feared only that me wlhI .h,sut ,I
change ard bring the fire on ms pal
ace: and he sent Mohammed Yussf TO
! find me and ask my advice iush
i and I decided that. Il the wind SHOW
! ed anv signs Of changing. 1t would ne
best to tear down some OF the village
| to make a protecting strip. ven
| hack across the river to my house Tor
dynamit"- to aid in the work OF demo
I;tion However, the wind did not
change. and. in exactly IA hundred mir
utes after 7 saw the first smoke. the
fire had run its course.
tn that time ;23 houses had burned
to the ground. but no lives had
been lost, And so it was not a seri-
Gus calamity. since house building
in that section of the country is,A
simple matter. The Malays thought
FIT a great joke that the stores that
were destroyed belonged to the
Chinese: for the Chinese were always
cheating them. BY the time evening
came II was as IL the fire had been
arranged to give the population an
exciting and amusing holiday.
That night. Ali. after indulging in
some eloquence on the subject of my
express rifle. brought the headman to
me. Until late, we three sat on the
veranda of my house. talking about
the rhinoceros hunt and the chances
of encounterinS seladang. At last
the headman said that he would think