Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/157

Rh something like those of the jessamine at a distance, impregnating the air with delicious perfume.

Wild boars are as common as rabbits in a warren. Fat, burly-looking monsters sprang out of the jungle before us, and crossed the road, apparently quite unconcerned at the appearance of strangers, though some of the smaller and more frisky ones scampered away grunting, probably with dissatisfaction at their privacy being intruded on. From the depths of the thicket, as it became more dense, issued sounds resembling a series of " ohs!" uttered in a melancholy tone. On inquiry we found that these sounds were made by the ape known as the Untah, some of which, before we reached our journey's end, we saw jumping from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, in a most amle manner.

A native gave me a curious version of his belief as to the origin of these monkeys. " Their ancestor," he said, " was the son of a Malay king,