He waited for a quarter of an hour, by which time he was joined by that portion of his followers which had pursued the Malays. Many of them carried human heads in their hands and, by the number of these, Harry saw that very few of his native escort could have escaped. The chief ordered his men to pick up the packages that had been thrown down by the bearers, and then turned off into the forest.
After a quarter of an hour's walk, they arrived at the spot where a still-smoking fire showed that the band had halted. No pause was made, however, and the party kept on their way and, in two hours' time, reached the foot of a high range of mountains that had been visible from the coast. The climb was a severe one but, in another hour, they came out upon a flat plateau. Here, in a small village, a considerable body of men were gathered; who hailed the arrival of their comrades, with their ghastly triumphs of victory, with loud shouts.
The chief of the band led his captives to a hut, somewhat superior in appearance to the others, in front of which stood a man whose bright attire and ornaments showed him to be a chief of importance.
"Who is this white man," he asked, "and these soldiers who are with him?"
The officer repeated the description that he had received from the interpreter, whom he pointed out.
"Why was this white man going to Johore?" he asked.
"He was sent by the white lord of India, my lord."
"Ask him why he was sent?"
"I was sent to Johore to ask the rajah if he would grant a trading station to the English."
"We want no English on our coast," the chief said. "There are the Dutch, at Malacca--some day we will turn them out.