went into
dire convulsions, and making for deep water, plunged his foe therein
over head and ears. Nothing daunted, the mias regained his footing,
hauled his victim on to a mudbank, and, jumping on his back began to
tear and pommel him. There was nothing of the prize-fighter in the mias.
He never clenched his fist--never hit straight from the shoulder, but
the buffeting and slapping which he gave resounded all over the place.
At last he caught hold of a fold of his opponent's throat, which he
began to tear open with fingers and teeth. Wrenching himself free with a
supreme effort the crocodile shot into the stream and disappeared with a
sounding splash of its tail, while the mias waded lamely to the shore
with an expression of sulky indignation on its great black face.

Slowly the creature betook itself to the shelter of the forest, and we
need scarcely add that the excited observers of the combat made no
attempt to hinder its retreat.

It is said that the python is the only other creature that dares to
attack the orang-utan, and that when it does so victory usually declares
for the man-monkey, which bites and tears it to death.

The people of the village in which the hunters rested that night were
evidently not accustomed to white men--perhaps had never seen them
before--for they crowded round them while at supper and gazed in silent
wonder as if they were watching a group of white-faced baboons feeding!
They were, however, very hospitable, and placed before their visitors
abundance of their best food without expecting anything in return. Brass
rings were the great ornament in this village--as they are, indeed,
among the Dyaks generally. Many of the women had their arms completely
covered with them, as well as their legs from the ankle to the knee.
Their petticoats were fastened to a coil of rattan, stained red, round
their bodies. They also wore coils of brass wire, girdles of small
silver coins, and sometimes broad belts of brass ring-armour.

It was break of dawn next morning when our hunters started, bearing
their wounded comrade and the dead orangs with them.

Arrived at the village they found the people in great excitement
preparing for defence, as news had been brought to the effect that the
pirates had landed at the mouth of the river, joined the disaffected
band which awaited them, and that an attack might be expected without
delay, for they were under command of the celebrated Malay pirate
Baderoon.

Ni