Ran away from the Dutch

by M. T. H. Perelaer

He would undoubtedly have been successful now but for the Europeans within the fortification. These, as soon as they perceived the enemy to be within range, discharged their guns loaded with grape, which made the assailants waver. A lively rifle fire terminated the hesitation of the heroes and drove them to flight before they had had an opportunity of discharging a single shot. When Harimaoung Boekit witnessed their retreat he could hardly control himself. He darted out of the fortification to hunt for heads. But while hacking about among the struggling fugitives a troop of armed warriors suddenly appeared from behind some ambush and surrounded him. They threw a lasso round his neck and dragged him away half strangled. Wienersdorf and Schlickeisen, on seeing this, collected some of their men and hurried to the spot with all speed.

Arriving at the slope of the hill they saw the body of the Poenan being carried off by a few men. Taking careful aim they discharged their rifles and laid four of the enemy lifeless. The others hesitated, but knowing their prey to be a chief and [[181]]therefore too valuable to be left behind, they persevered in the attempt although two more of them were struck down. Suddenly from the fort there issued a reinforcement. Several natives appeared upon the scene, who rushed forward with their naked mandauws and after a brief struggle Wienersdorf had the satisfaction of freeing the Poenan from the rope which had almost strangled him. He offered him his hand, assisted him in getting up and whispered a salamat, congratulation, in his ear, as he rose to his feet.

The Poenan took the two Swiss by their hands, which he placed on his own head, saying, “Paharingkoe, my brethren.”

After a few more shots from both sides everything became quiet.

The assailants effected their retreat and proceeded to count their loss. Five of their dead they hurriedly buried, but they left more than treble that number of wounded behind them groaning amongst the shrubs. The garrison of the kotta had lost only one man, a hireling who had been killed by a rifle shot.

The festivities thus interrupted, were not, however, abandoned. The besieged partook of the banquet in divisions, one part feasting while the other stood ready to defend the fort against a renewed attack. All, however, celebrated their victory by partaking of a bowl of toeak, though they carefully kept within the bounds of sobriety.

Faithful to his reverend character the Walloon abstained from all such food and drinks as are prohibited by the Prophet. With holy indifference he saw the tidbits disappear down almost insatiable throats, and he remained perfectly calm when Johannes held [[182]]a delicious pork chop under his nose. As for the toeak, he could only sigh deeply at the smell of it. He was, however, comforted by a promise conveyed by Johannes to reserve for him his fair share to be enjoyed after leaving the circle of these profane ones.

While our Europeans were partaking of the numerous delicacies a Poenan entered and threw a couple of skulls in the midst of the company. A deafening applause greeted this action. Two of them grasped the skulls, severed the remaining cervical vertebræ and with a bamboo knife began to empty the substance of the brain into a dish through the spinal opening. Another Poenan severed large locks from the heads, cut the hair into pieces of about one and a half inches and added them with some powdered Spanish pepper to this bloody mass of brain. The deserters viewed all this in silent horror. When every particle of brain had been removed from the skulls and the dish was properly prepared, a Poenan took it up, placed an earthenware spoon in the mixture and offered it to Johannes who refused it politely. When it was presented to Wienersdorf he glanced at it, became suddenly over-powered by a feeling of nausea and fell down senseless.

The other Europeans in their consternation took no notice of Wienersdorf’s faint, and the Dayaks, though a little surprised at the refusal of the foreigners to taste of this delicacy, were but too delighted to see it all left to themselves. The one who carried the dish grasped the spoon, filled it, threw his head back and closing his eyes allowed a fair quantity to glide down his throat, his features all the while beaming with the utmost delight. He then handed the dish to one of his companions who went through the same manœuvre and then passed the delicacy further. Slowly [[183]]and with ecstatic happiness they sucked at the hairs which are included in the mixture for the express purpose of compelling them to enjoy it deliberately.

This loathsome feast was too much for the Europeans. The scene turned their very souls, and jumping up to fly from this terrible drama, they noticed for the first time that Wienersdorf had fainted and was lying senseless.