carcity of animals, walking is rendered well-nigh
impossible by the swamp and dense undergrowth which exists, with but
few exceptions, throughout the island.

None of the larger carnivora--such as lion, tiger, &c.--have as yet
been found in Borneo, but wild cattle and a small species of elephant
are said to exist on the large grass plains around Brunei in North
Borneo, the only part of the island entirely free from jungle. The
animal tribe, then, is reduced to the following:--Orang-utan, tiger
cat, wild pig, deer, and snipe; the pretty "plandok" or mouse-deer,
and honey-bears, being also occasionally met with.

Although the aforesaid animals are known to exist in the island, they
are extremely hard to get near, and the discomfort of lying out in the
jungle all night, eaten up by mosquitoes and other abominations, is
scarcely repaid by the chance of a shot at a deer or a pig, which is
even then but seldom obtained. The natives, however, are very clever
at deer-snaring, and their sporting expeditions are generally attended
with success; but the hardships undergone by them on these excursions
would completely knock up a European constitution. A few remarks as to
the orang-utan, or wild man of the woods, which, as I have said, is
the largest wild beast found in Borneo, may not be here amiss, as this
chapter is to be devoted to an expedition made by L. and myself in
quest of these strange creatures.

The "orang-utan" (a word derived from the Malay, _orang_, man; and
_utan_, woods) is the sole wild animal of any size yet met with in
Borneo. He is found only in certain districts of the island, those in
Sarawak being Sadong and Lingga (the former of which we were about to
visit), it is supposed on account of the enormous quantity of wild
fruits produced in these regions. Lingga, in particular, is famed for
the "Durian," a sort of bread-fruit, of which he is very fond. The
outside of this fruit is covered with thick, sharp spikes, and when
hotly pursued the orang will sometimes make use of it as an article of
defence, flinging it on to the heads of his pursuers below. The
"Durian" is very heavy, and natives have been known to die from the
effects of a blow from this fruit.

Unlike his African brother the gorilla, the orang is seldom of a
savage disposition, and will always rather avoid than molest the
intruder on his privacy. Nevertheless, at close quarters his enormous
reach of arm and strength render him a dangerous antago