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

by F. S. Brereton

"Then give them the order," said Tyler. "You and I will walk together, and they can keep up with us by following the sounds."

Accordingly the men who formed the party which had set out from the camp for the purpose of watching the enemy divided, and, plunging into the trees on either hand, quickly became lost to view. Nor was it possible to hear them, as a general rule, so silent were they in their movements. At length, after a hot and weary tramp, the little band came upon a narrow stream, which the scout at once proclaimed to be part of the Sarebus river.

"We follow this for an hour," he said, "and then we strike the main channel. Another half-hour will bring us to another river, which forks with the one we shall be following, and with it pours into the wide bed of the water-way which is known as the Sarebus. There will our leader come upon the pirates, and at that spot he will see that they have a town and many forts. I myself was there in the early hours, and at once turned to come swiftly with the news. As for a path, there is one beside the larger of the streams, and we shall be able to make use of it. Is it our leader's wish that we push on?"

"Do so at once," answered Tyler, Li Sung interpreting the words. "We will halt when we come to the larger stream, and will then go more carefully."

Once again did the little party set forward, and, plunging through the trees, finally came to a spot where the smaller tributary emerged into a larger one, which in its turn discharged its contents into the main channel. And now each one prepared for instant flight or for hostilities, and, unslinging weapons, advanced in a crouching attitude beside the water.

"See, massa," suddenly whispered Li Sung when they had crept forward half a mile, "there are de huts and de stockades or forts. Dat am Paddi, de big place of de pirates, where all de gold and riches go, and where de slaves am kept. Me knowee him velly well, for it am dere dat China boy first taken when him captive, and from Paddi him pull down de river on de prahu, for de first time in him life living wid de pirates."

"And the next time you sail to the sea let us hope it will be more as your own master," murmured Tyler, scarcely able to repress his excitement at the sight of the stockades before him. "But let us get to some more advantageous point from which we can look down upon this place which you say is called Paddi. Lead us into the bushes, Li, for you must know better than anyone where we shall be able to obtain the best view."

Emboldened by the fact that no one seemed to be stirring in the neighbourhood of the pirates' stronghold, and that not a single sampan or boat of any description ferried across the water, the party of scouts pressed on, led by the cunning Chinaman, and at length arrived at a spot which permitted them to look over the walls of the bamboo stockade which surrounded Paddi, and see all that was taking place within.

"One would almost imagine that the town had been deserted," remarked Tyler in a whisper, after staring into the stronghold for some minutes. "The huts seem for the most part to be empty, and so far I have seen only women and a few old men and children. What can it mean? Surely Hanns Schlott and his followers are not scared at the thought of our coming."

"De Dutchman am too wise and too bold for dat," answered Li Sung emphatically. "Him havee some little game. Him gone into de forest, p'r'aps, to find de white men and deir Dyak friends, or him at sea looking out for oder ships to makee up for de loss of de schooner. Him not deserted Paddi, dat China boy knowee for sure."