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

by F. S. Brereton

"The orders, sir?" demanded the boatswain, as if a long swim were nothing to him. "Do we cross to the opposite side of the creek and make along to the dinghy by means of the shore? Or shall we jest give the river a turn? It's one and the same to me, though the first'll be the easiest."

"And the most dangerous course to follow," replied Tyler curtly, "for once we landed on the farther bank we should leave traces of our presence there, and sooner or later these Malays would pick them up. We shall be wise if we leave the land alone altogether, and take entirely to the water till we reach the southern shore of the river. Yes, that is my proposal; for if we return, by whatever route, to the dinghy, our pursuers will become acquainted with the fact, and, besides, how are we to know that they have not already found and destroyed our boat?"

"Jest the thing I was about to mention, sir. And, what's more, how do we know that men have not been left in the sampan which brought these pirates from the prahu? Supposin' we was to drop down upon them, they'd raise such a shoutin' that every one of the dogs would come rushing down upon us."

For a time the prospect which had just been brought before him startled Tyler, for the Malays' boat had escaped his memory. But a little consideration showed him that to descend the river would be madness, for in all likelihood the craft lay moored off the shore, with a guard aboard her to protect her in case the fugitives should attempt her capture. And if men were there they would certainly find some means by which to attract the attention of their comrades away in the forest. A shout, the report of a gun, would go echoing along the swamp, and would soon acquaint the pursuers of the fact that their prize lay in a different direction; then back they would come, and once more Tyler and his companion would find themselves so closely pressed that they would have to consider the advisability of searching for the most suitable spot and making a stand. Yes, the dinghy was out of the question, and that being the case it was necessary at once to hit upon some other plan.

"There is no alternative," he said, suddenly turning upon the sailor, "and our way lies clear before us. We must now turn to the left and wade through the swamp beside the river until we have ascended sufficiently far to make it certain that, while venturing to swim across, we should not drift down as far as the mouth."

"Then the angle, or jest above it, will be the spot, sir, for there the river narrows, and while the stream will run strongly below, above it will be pent up and there will be little flow. That should enable us to cross easily and without being seen. But steady! Ain't that the prahu?"

He pointed eagerly between the tree trunks to the open stretch of river, and there, swiftly coming into view, was the native craft which bore Hanns Schlott and his crew of desperadoes.

"Drawn the upper reaches blank," said Tyler, lowering his voice to a whisper, as though he were fearful that the ordinary tones would carry as far as the prahu. "It is clear that they have found no trace of us above, and are returning to rejoin their comrades. How angry their leader will be when he finds that they are baffled, and how fortunate it is for us that they have deserted the water above the bend!"

"Ay, it is that," was the emphatic answer, "for it was bothering me how we were to keep out o' sight of them chaps when crossing above the bend. Now they've jest played into our hands, and if we ain't successful, well, we ought to be."