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

by F. S. Brereton

"He is anxious to learn whether there is any news of us," thought Tyler, "and I am sure that he has not the faintest notion that we are watching him at this moment. Wait, my friend, and I will show you that an English lad can beat you, even though you have so many villains to count upon and to come to your aid. But what is coming now?"

His gaze left the leading prahu and went back to the bend of the Sarebus, round which other vessels were now appearing. But on this occasion their progress was slower, though it seemed that they were employing a similar number of sweeps. But closer inspection soon showed the reason, for a rope was seen stretching taut behind the foremost to a second prahu, which again was made fast to a third.

"Towing something, a prize of some sort," said Tyler, "and in a few seconds we shall be able to see. Perhaps they have been making a raid upon some of the neighbouring towns, or have captured a prahu sailing with merchandise from Singapore. By Jove!"

A startled cry escaped his lips as another object came round the bend; and well it might, for, dragged into sight at the tail of the last of the three prahus, came a vessel of European build, with high bulwarks and tapering masts, which seemed to strike against the trees which overhung the river. On her deck were some ten of the Malays, with long poles in their hands with which to propel her should she come to shallow water and show signs of holding there. In addition, four of their comrades had placed themselves in the bows, and were busily seeing to the anchor, preparing to let it go.

"Where could the ship have come from? Who was the owner, and what had became of the unfortunate crew?" Tyler found himself wondering vaguely, and attempting to find a solution to the questions. "The last is easy to reply to," he said bitterly. "Hanns and his rascals will have killed them without mercy, and will have thrown them overboard. But a European vessel! That must be a prize indeed, and adds another to the many serious crimes which Hanns Schlott has committed. But they are nearly at their berth, and we shall see what is to happen; and here are other prahus coming round the bend."

Breathless with excitement, and almost unable to remain still in hiding, he watched eagerly the scene taking place before his eyes. It was evident that the pirates were filled with elation at their capture, and that they had returned to their stronghold in the best of spirits, for they shouted to one another, and as the walls of the fort were lined with their women and children, they answered their cries of welcome with thunderous shouts of joy and triumph. Then, as the leading prahu came opposite the first of the stockades, and within a stone's-throw of the boom across the entrance to the river beside which Tyler was hiding, she was thrown into the wind, the sweeps were taken in, and an anchor dropped. Almost at the same moment a big sampan splashed from her deck and Hanns Schlott descended into it.

"Let all come to their moorings and bring our prizes ashore," he called out so loudly that the words came clearly to the ears of the watchers and were promptly interpreted by Li Sung. "When we have had a meal we will see to that beggarly Englishman who is journeying this way, and I shall hope to hear from the men whom we sent towards the mountains that they have sighted them, and are merely awaiting our help to fall upon them and kill every one of the tribe, their leaders included."

Waving his arm to his followers he sprang into the sampan, his bulky weight causing the frail boat to rock dangerously and ship some water. Then the oarsman, who stood in the stern with a couple of long paddles, the handles of which crossed, bent to his work and ferried his leader to the forts. A minute later and the rascally Dutchman had disappeared behind the stockade, and later on was seen to enter the largest of the huts which lay inside. By now the remaining prahus had reached their moorings, and at once a busy scene ensued, the men dropping into their sampans, which the majority of the vessels had in tow, and taking the ropes to the barrels and kegs which floated on the surface of the river with an anchor or a heavy stone to hold them to the bottom. As for the big ship which had fallen a prize, her new crew kept her with head up-stream, and conscious that she would require more than a single anchor, for the stream came strong and swift, sent out a couple of extra cables which were made fast to trees which grew on the bank. Then they prepared to leave her and go to their homes.

"Let us hope that they will remain there over the night," said Tyler in a whisper, scarcely able to repress the excitement with which he was filled. "Or better, perhaps they will send off a large party to join those who have gone to the mountains in search of ourselves, leaving fewer for us to deal with. How many men do you think there are?"

"First count de prahus, massa, and den easy tell. Dey carry fifty to eighty on board, and sometimes more. Plenty men dere, massa."