Allen, an English lad of sixteen, accompanied me as an assistant]
rushed in out of breath with running and excitement, and
exclaimed, interrupted by gasps, "Get the gun, sir,--be quick,--
such a large Mias!" "Where is it?" I asked, taking hold of my gun
as I spoke, which happened luckily to have one barrel loaded with
ball. "Close by, sir--on the path to the mines--he can't get
away." Two Dyaks chanced to be in the house at the time, so I
called them to accompany me, and started off, telling Charley to
bring all the ammunition after me as soon as possible. The path
from our clearing to the mines led along the side of the hill a
little way up its slope, and parallel with it at the foot a wide
opening had been made for a road, in which several Chinamen were
working, so that the animal could not escape into the swampy
forest below without descending to cross the road or ascending to
get round the clearings. We walked cautiously along, not making
the least noise, and listening attentively for any sound which
might betray the presence of the Mias, stopping at intervals to
gaze upwards. Charley soon joined us at the place where he had
seen the creature, and having taken the ammunition and put a
bullet in the other barrel, we dispersed a little, feeling sure
that it must be somewhere near, as it had probably descended the
hill, and would not be likely to return again.

After a short time I heard a very slight rustling sound overhead,
but on gazing up could see nothing. I moved about in every
direction to get a full view into every part of the tree under
which I had been standing, when I again heard the same noise but
louder, and saw the leaves shaking as if caused by the motion of
some heavy animal which moved off to an adjoining tree. I
immediately shouted for all of them to come up and try and get a