With the Dyaks of Borneo: A Tale of the Head Hunters

by F. S. Brereton

"Done with yer," was the answer, growled in the huskiest of voices. "It's a fair bet, and our mates'll see who's the winner."

Laughing and chatting as they rowed, the hours swiftly passed away, Tyler having much to occupy his attention. Indeed, every bend of the river brought some recollection to his mind. It was there that they had hidden their prahu, that low sandy bank was the spot where they had landed in search of inhabitants, while, higher up, the land became even more familiar.

"That is the rock which Li Sung and I defended," he ventured to remark, when at last the expedition was close to the branch of the river upon which Rembas was situated, "and by turning to the left now we should be under their guns before we could believe it."

"Then we will keep straight on," was the reply. "But that was a capital site for defence, Mr. Richardson. For two alone it was just the isolated position which would offer a chance of success, and you were fortunate to have it so close at hand when you were capsized. But that reminds me of the bore. We will look out for a spot in which to pass the night."

When darkness fell the boats of the expedition lay snugly under the banks, while the men lay in them, smoking and waiting for the meal. Then fires were lighted and kettles set to boil, while certain of the men were told off to act as sentries. And thus, pulling cautiously by day, and tying up to the banks at night, the winding course of the river was slowly followed and Paddi approached. At length the latter was close at hand, and one fine morning, after the bore had gone sweeping past on its course, with its usual accompaniment of brushwood and drift from the banks of the stream, the expedition loaded weapons, and, pulling up their moorings, took the flood which went racing on to Paddi. Had they wished to go slow to their destination it would have been almost impossible, so strong and rapid was the stream in these upper reaches. But the pace suited the spirit of every man, and particularly of those who occupied the gig. At the helm, sitting in his shirt sleeves, was the Rajah of Sarawak, as calm as if before his own home at Sarawak, while close at hand were Captain Keppel and Tyler. Forward of them were the crew, a set of lusty fellows, whose hands itched to toss their oars aside and snatch at the cutlass which each carried in his belt. Hark! A murmur in front, a bend in the river, and nothing but trees and jungle to be seen. Was it the enemy? The commander turned his face towards his companion questioningly, and in reply Tyler nodded.

"We are close on them," he said in calm tones. "I remember that there is a hill on the left, some little distance from the main stockade, and that it has a fort on top. That is where the noise comes from."

"And here we are in sight," exclaimed the Rajah. "Now we can prepare for a peppering with slugs. But we are a bad mark to aim at, for the stream is sweeping us on at a pace. Keep a sharp look-out, for it is about here that we shall run upon a boom, and it would be bad for us if we became entangled. They will have the range to a nicety, you may be sure, and they would blow us out of the water."

The warning was given in the calmest of tones, for the Rajah was no alarmist, but a man of great courage and a tried soldier. Gripping his helm he steered the gig up the very centre of the stream, and as he reached the bend ahead shot her over to the farther side.

"There may be skulkers lying on the edge of the bank," he remarked, "and they would have us within easy range. Ah, listen to that!"

So swift was the current that the banks seemed to leap past them, and long before those aboard had time to consider what was about to happen, or realize the fact that they were practically alone, a wide interval separating them from the other boats and the main part of the expedition, the gig had swung round the bend and was in full sight of the enemy. A thousand of them, or thereabouts, lined the hill, and set up a yell of defiance which caused even the boldest of the attackers to change colour. Rushing hither and thither, and filling the air with their cries, the pirates watched the gig advance, while some of their comrades, as if to add to the note of defiance already sent up, danced a mad war-fling on the roof of the fort erected on the summit of the hill.