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

by F. S. Brereton

With a vigorous shake of his head, and a hitch to the bag suspended about his shoulders, which had swung too far to the front owing to his active movements, the boatswain intimated to Tyler that he was ready to proceed, and instantly fell in behind his leader. It was nervous work wading through that swamp with the dull echo of splashing water reverberating amongst the trunks, for the sound which they made as they plodded forward seemed to their anxious ears so loud that those who were in pursuit of them would certainly hear. Then, too, the dread lest a clearing should suddenly bring them face to face with the Malays filled their minds, and caused them to halt every few minutes. But not a splash, not an answering sound, came back through the dreary forest, and but for the fact that they had full knowledge that Hanns Schlott and his crew were in the neighbourhood, they would have imagined that they were the only two human beings for miles around. But hark! Shouts from the mouth of the river attract their attention, while the sight of the prahu standing up-stream again causes them to crouch low in the water.

"Steering for the creek," whispered Tyler. "She is going there to help our pursuers, and no doubt will soon clear up the mystery. Let us push on without a moment's delay."

Stimulated to greater exertions by the thought that the course of their flight was already discovered, and that even at that moment the pirates were following in hot haste, the two forgot their weariness, forgot the fact that their limbs ached with the effort of ploughing through the swamp and mud, and filled with the determination to make good their escape, they plunged forward as though they were incapable of experiencing fatigue. Then, too, convinced that any sounds which they might make would fail to reach the enemy, they crashed on at their fastest pace, without care or thought for the traces which they might leave behind them. Indeed they had already planned a clever ruse which had gained a long start. But both knew that ere many minutes had passed the lynx-like eyes of the searchers would discover some sign of the fugitives, and that done, to trace them would be a matter of no great difficulty, for their course could only take them through the swamp which lay at the margin of creek and river. Without pausing, therefore, to look back, Tyler and John Marshall trudged on and fought their way through the water till they reached a spot which was some little distance above the bend in the river which hid the upper reaches from the view of those who entered at the mouth. And here they came to a halt at the edge of the swamp and peered across at the opposite side.

"The current is sluggish, as you said," observed Tyler thoughtfully, "but the distance is greater than I had anticipated. It will be a long swim."

"But it has to be faced, sir, and we had best set about it at once. When all's said, it's little after what we have gone through."

"We shall do it, I have no doubt," was Tyler's reply, "but I was thinking of our weapons and of our kit. You see, this is a far longer swim and a far bigger crossing than we had to face at the creek, and even there I am bound to admit that I felt done. The effort of holding a rifle in the air is by no means small."

"Then let's get something to float 'em on," said the boatswain suddenly. "Now that we've carried our packs so far we are not going to desert them without an effort, particularly the guns, for our lives depend upon 'em, do yer see, Mr. Richardson. Ain't there some sticks or something of that sort hereabouts upon which we could give them a lift to the opposite shore?"

"Sticks? Of course there are, and creepers in abundance," cried Tyler, leaping at the plan thus put before him. "John, you have a knowing head, and have been of the greatest help to me. Wait here while I see to the matter. I will get on to the dry land and out of this swamp, where I shall be able to obtain the materials which we want."

Not for a moment did Tyler allow the fact to escape him that it was necessary to blind their pursuers as much as possible and throw dust in their eyes. True, he and the sailor had dashed forward through the swamp at their topmost speed and without any great amount of care; but they had been particularly cautious when first they had turned from the direct course of their flight, and here, at the point where they were again about to make a break in the line, the necessity for thought occurred to him.

"We must not let them think that we have made across the river just here," he said to himself as he turned from his companion. "They must be led to imagine that we have pushed directly on, and as the river is wide at this point they will readily believe that we are still in the swamp. For that reason I will get to the dry strip of land beside the swamp by other means than by my feet. Ah, here is a likely tree!"