The manner in which Malays often obtain the confidence of wild animals is a very pleasing trait in their character, and is due in some degree to the quiet deliberation of their manners, and their love of repose rather than of action.

The young are obedient to the wishes of their elders, and seem to feel none of that propensity to mischief which European boys exhibit.

How long would tame squirrels continue to inhabit trees in the vicinity of an English village, even if close to the church?
They would soon be pelted and driven away, or snared and confined in a whirling cage.

I have never heard of these pretty animals being tamed in this way in England, but I should think it might be easily done in any gentleman's park, and they would certainly be as pleasing and attractive as they would be uncommon.
After many inquiries, I found that a day's journey by water above Palembang there commenced a military road which extended up to the mountains and even across to Bencoolen, and I determined to take this route and travel on until I found some tolerable collecting ground.
By this means I should secure dry land and a good road, and avoid the rivers, which at this season are very tedious to ascend owing to the powerful currents, and very unproductive to the collector owing to most of the lands in their vicinity being underwater.

Leaving early in the morning we did not reach Lorok, the village where the road begins, until late at night.