long passed that stage of society in which the chace
is pursued for subsistence. From the circumstances
of the country, the probability indeed is, as
has been pointed out elsewhere, that the progress
towards civilization was not in general from
the hunter state, but that of the fisherman. Some of
the more abject tribes of savages, however, confined
to the mountains and forests of the interior, while
the fisheries of the coasts and rivers are in the occupation
of powerful enemies, pursue the chace as the
principal means of subsistence. The negro races
which inhabit the interior of the Malayan Peninsula
hunt the deer, the hog, the monkey, and all
the animals of the forest, as the chief means of
livelihood, and use poisoned arrows to destroy their
game.
Of the civilized races who pursue the chace for
amusement, the most celebrated hunters are the na*
tives of Celebes, who are passionately fond of the
chace.
Celebes, contrary to the more usual character of
the other great islands, abounds in extensive grassy
plains free from forests, which afford the proper
cover and food for a variety of the best game, such
as various kinds of deer, the wild hog and ox,
which are not disturbed by beasts of prey ; for in
Celebes the tiger and leopard, which are plentiful
in the western countries, do not exist. These
plains are looked upon as the common property of
the tribe to whom they belong, and are so jealously
guarded from the intrusion of strangers, that
it would be death to an alien to enter them. No
sooner is the rice seed cast into the ground, than
the chiefs and their retainers fly with enthusiasm
to the sports of the field. Persons of all ages join
in the diversion. A native, describing to me the
ecstasy of the hunters on these occasions, observed,
with the strongest allusion which their manners could
suggest, that all care and anxiety were buried in
the transports of the chace, a man then forgetting
that he had a family, and that he was a father. A
hunting party frequently consists of not less than
200 horsemen. A man of sixty has been pointed
out to me, who, on such occasions, has hunted
everal stags in a day’s chace. Although
pretty strict Mahomedans, at such times they will
not even disdain the pursuit of the wild boar, but
follow him with ardour.
The chace is pursued on horseback. The horses
of Celebes, though small, seldom exceeding thirteen
hands high, are larger, and unite a greater
share of blood and strength than any other breed
of the Indian islands. They are regularly trained
to hunt, and possess a considerable share of
fleetness, and more of perseverance. They are
not encumbered by any useless weight, being rode
bare backed, with a very slight snaffle bridle.
The hunter is armed with a light spear, to the