“The purpose is simply this,” was the rather angry reply, “that we take up our residence in kotta Djangkan and quietly await the result. If we should be attacked, we will not fail to defend ourselves bravely.”
“I really believe it safer to continue our flight; no vessel afloat can overtake us at our present speed.”
“But can we keep up that speed?” Johannes interrupted vehemently. “We may consider ourselves lucky if we can do so until [[164]]to-night, when we may perhaps reach kotta Djangkan. If we could change oarsmen from time to time it would be different, but we cannot do so. Our pursuers, I will lay any wager, have before this taken in fresh men. But courage! let us face the situation like men; we have nothing to do but to defend ourselves. You will see that a favorable result will crown our efforts.”
“God grant it,” Wienersdorf sighed.
“Amen!” cried La Cueille, “and now I think we had better give a hand at the oars. Four pair of European arms like ours are not to be despised, and the greater the distance between those cheese-heads and us the better.”
The journey was now continued with increased energy. While rowing the four Europeans observed between the white sand of the various projecting angles some large lumps of a black substance. La Cueille’s attention had been especially drawn to them, but he had not been able to distinguish their nature on account of the rapidity with which the canoe was proceeding. But arriving at one of the projections, just as their boat approached the objects, he leaped into the shallow water, grasped some of them and reappeared in the canoe again before it had rounded the point.
“Nom d’un chien!” he cried, enthusiastically showing his prize, “real coal and of the best sort I can assure you. And this is found here along the banks of the river?”
“Keep cool,” Johannes laughed, “you will see plenty more and may gather it if you like. But I am heartily glad to see it here. It is a sure sign that we are approaching kotta Djangkan. Three or four considerable strata of coal run through the hill upon [[165]]which the kotta is situated and the deepest of these is said to yield capital fuel.”
“That is indeed a treasure,” La Cueille observed.
“Yes, it would be if properly used. But the Dayak never troubles himself about coal. His forests produce sufficient wood to render coals superfluous to him. And in many places the use of it is prohibited to him as rendering him unclean. As for the Dutch——”