CHAPTER III.

[Contents]CHAPTER III.A DRUNKEN MAN’S TALK—ON THE SEA—JOHANNES UP A TREE—UP THE KAHAJAN—AN ÆOLIAN HARP—THE SOENGEI TROESSAN—IN THE DAHASAN—A WOOD SPECTRE—A MOSQUITO CHARM—FURTHER PLANS—LOOK OUT FOR YOUR HEAD—SUITS OF BLACK.The two Swiss were indignant at La Cueille’s unreasonable exclamation and even Johannes was furiously angry. A single look at the Walloon, however, explained the cause. During the time they had been planning their escape he had faithfully kept his word and had not tasted a drop of spirits. He had left untouched the rations of gin which in accordance with the rules of the service had been served out to him. Deeming it a pity to leave good spirits unclaimed, he had asked the Colonel’s permission to receive his daily rations and to save them up for use as a liniment for swollen feet. This permission was necessary as the regulations required every soldier to drink his allowance of gin from the hand of the sutler. The Colonel, knowing how well La Cueille liked his drop, suspected that the Walloon wished to accumulate a sufficient quantity for a regular drinking bout, and in the hope of detecting him ordered his feet to be uncovered for examination. They were found to be red and swollen, the result[36]of a ligature which he had purposely placed above the knee. Accordingly his request was granted and he saved all his gin, which by the time it was taken on board the canoe had accumulated to about two pints. On the evening of his escape, while lying down on the boat, he produced the bottle and swallowed a couple of mouthfuls. Oh! that was delicious. How it warmed him! A second draught followed the first. “Train de plaisir de ma bouche à mon estomac,” the Walloon muttered as he began to feel himself in a pleasantly excited condition. What a time they were in getting that coffin on board! He must regale himself while waiting. Then he finished the first bottle.At length the coffin arrived. “Poeah! what an odor! enough to give one the fever! Well, the rich drink champagne as a safeguard; gin may perhaps have the same effect.” So he continued imbibing until he finished the second bottle.When the priestesses arrived the funeral cortege began to move. La Cueille sat looking on, unmoved and perfectly quiet. Trees and shrubs passed by in the midnight gloom like spectres. There stood the dark outlines of the fort. The voice of the sentry was plainly heard, crying the usual “Werda”—“Who goes there?” Presently there came the order to lay to. When the cortege stopped obedient to this command, a sergeant approached to examine the boats, but as soon as he discovered that one of them bore a case of cholera he stepped back frightened and gave the word to proceed. A few more strokes and the vessels had passed the pier. At this point the drunkard could not restrain himself and he burst out with the cry,“Enfoncés les Hollandais, les têtes de fromage!”[37]“Beseai goeloeng,” shouted Johannes—“Row fast,” as he sprang forward to stop the Walloon’s mouth. When the order to return came a second time from the fort, La Cueille, now mad with drink, repeated his salutation and before any one could interfere seized a rifle and fired in the direction of the fortification. Then came a flash, followed by the discharge of a cannon, which rent the air like a thunderbolt. The two canoes shook and darted forwards carried by the strong tide into the middle of the wide stream. In the boat of the priestesses two men were killed and one wounded, but the deserters remained unhurt. The frightened oarsmen pulled with all their force, the white foam flying up from under the prow, and their speed was maintained until daybreak, when the fugitives saw before them the open sea!When the eastern sky became decked in purple Wienersdorf took his glasses and scoured the horizon. Two cruising canoes were seen far away, going in anorth-westerlydirection, as if making for the mouth of the Barito. Further off he saw the smoke of a steamer but could not determine her course. In thesouth-westwas a trading-canoe very much like their own, going toward the Lesser Dayak river. As soon as they were clear of the mouth of the river they steered westward. One of the men advised them to land for the double purpose of burying the body and of covering their canoe with palm leaves in order to elude the observation of the cruisers. The Europeans thought it much more simple, instead of burying the body to drop it overboard, all the protests of the Dayaks notwithstanding. They, however, landed and cut a sufficient quantity of leaves to cover the canoe so that it could not be distinguished from the green herbage of[38]the coast. They then resumed their voyage and in the hope of remaining quite unobserved kept near the shore, the rowers deftly handling their oars in such a way as to prevent any reflection on the surface of the water. They resolved to enter the mouth of the Kahajan, to conceal themselves in the first creek they should reach and to wait until evening should close in ere they continued the voyage westward. Everything succeeded precisely as they wished. The cruisers sailed away to the mouth of the Lesser Dayak, where they anchored. The other vessel observed in thesouth-eastproved to be a trader. Our fugitives thus disembarrassed, rowed vigorously onwards and reached the mouth of the Kahajan by mid-day. They soon found a convenient creek where they concealed the canoe under some drooping shrubs; and as they were thoroughly tired out, sought repose in order to recruit their strength for the work before them.They had been lying down perhaps a couple of hours when theywereroused by the discharge of a cannon. They all leaped to their feet and Johannes with cat-like celerity clambered into a cedar tree close at hand, which commanded an extended view seaward. What he saw was far from reassuring. A number of canoes shot out from the Lesser Dayak and signalled the cruising vessels. These immediately weighed their anchors and made sail to meet the canoes. The trader had altered her course, spread more canvas and was keeping close to the wind. She had also begun to employ her oars, endeavoring by the aid of vigorous rowing to avoid being overhauled. A wild pursuit of her now commenced; but although the cruisers carried as much[39]canvas as they could set, the pursued vessel seemed to keep her advantage. A couple of shots danced along the tops of the waves, but the diminutive guns of the Dutch Indian cruisers could not carry far enough. Johannes at last could distinguish nothing more than a couple of dim specks on the horizon. He therefore descended and with a sigh attacked La Cueille, in reprehension of his culpable indiscretion.“See there,” he said, “the consequences of your drunken cry. Beastly sot! They are on our track already.”“But what did you see?” asked Wienersdorf.Johannes related what he had seen. “The canoe they are pursuing,” added he, “is Baba Poetjieng’s smuggler. What may not happen when they overtake him? Before twenty-four hours have passed, there will be two hundred boats cruising along the coast. I wish that drunken Walloon——”Wienersdorf stopped him, observing, “Of what use is it to rave or to reproach? We must act. Now what are we to do?”“The whole plan has collapsed. We cannot proceed along the southern coast;—can we, Dalim?” he continued, addressing one of the Dayaks.“No mistake about that; the way there is blocked.”He consulted for a few minutes with his countrymen and then pointing with his hand to the north, said—“There!”“Up the Kahajan?” asked Johannes.“No; we could not pass there. They will certainly examine the Kahajan.”“What then?”“Through the Troessan.”[40]“Won’tthey overhaul that?” asked Johannes.“Certainly; but we must hurry on. The soengei Dahasan opens into the Troessan and communicates with the soengei Basarang, which joins the Kapoeas on the north side of the fort. Not a soul knows that region, but I noticed the fact sometime ago when I was there cutting rattan. Let us hasten: once in Kapoeas we are safe; theywon’tlook for us in that direction.”They were all convinced of the prudence of this advice. Not an instant was to be lost; even this way now projected might at any moment become impassable. No resource would then be left to them, save either to commit suicide or to throw themselves into the hands of their pursuers. They took the canoe from its hiding-place, pushed it into the swiftly flowing stream and were soon going at a rapid pace.Suddenly the Europeans dropped their oars and the Dayaks, following their example, stopped rowing. What was that? Sounds were heard like those given forth by an æolian harp; now far away, soft and melodious, but yet distinct; then again so near that the music seemed to be suspended over the canoe. There was a perfect harmony in the sounds, which varied between the murmur of a slight breeze and the forcible rush of a hurricane through some gigantic stringed instrument. The Europeans looked aghast at each other, unable to account for these mysterious strains. La Cueille crossed himself and muttered “Etoile de la mer, priez pour nous.” When the Dayaks perceived the anxious, frightened looks of their white companions they burst into loud laughter. For them it was an ordinary[41]phenomenon which they called rioeng, noise, or sometimes riwoet haroesan, breath of the stream.Dalim related a legend which ascribes these sounds to unearthly music being played by some damsels drowned in that stream by the ire of Djata, the Crocodile God. He also added the information that the missionaries gave another explanation of the phenomenon. They attribute it to the friction of two currents—one, the advancing tide from the sea, and the other, the down-flowing water of the stream. Of course there are local conditions which influence the amount of friction. The correctness of this theory is proved by the fact that the sound is only heard at certain points where the sea meets the swift river water.This music accompanied the fugitives into the mouth of the Troessan which they reached toward evening when nothing more was heard of the æolian harp.“Oef!” cried La Cueille, “I feel lighter now. It seemed as if ghosts were playing music around the canoe. It would drive me mad if I had to stand it all night long.”“What are you jabbering about?” muttered one of the Dayaks; and leaning over to Johannes he whispered in his ear.Johannes now recommended them to keep silent. In a subdued tone he proceeded to explain that they were in a narrow stream, where they were likely to meet other canoes. If their conversation, conducted in a foreign language, were to be overheard, it would certainly betray them and lead to their being pursued.They continued rowing in silence, exerting all their might, so that by eight o’clock that evening they reached the mouth of[42]soengei Dahasan. They still rowed on a considerable time until Dalim ordered a halt. He advised them to wait for daylight, as they might easily lose their way among the numerous rivulets found here. He, however, had other reasons for suspending the journey. They were all fatigued and needed rest. They had not partaken of any food for hours, nor had they slept.“But,” asked Wienersdorf, “is it safe to pass the night here?”“We are perfectly safe,” answered Dalim, “no Dayak will venture here and the Colonel is not likely to seek us here. He is busy following Baba Poetjieng’s canoe and may be glad to find himself at the mouth of the Lesser Dayak by to-morrow night. As I said before it is impossible for them to guess that we are here, since nobody knows of this passage.”“You said no Dayak would venture here. Why is that?”“In 1859 Pembekel Soelil was killed here by the bursting of a cannon while defending his benting against the Dutch. To save his body from the hands of the Dutchmen, his people buried him in soengei Dahasan near the spot we have just passed. Since that time this soengei is guarded by a pampahilep and woe to him who enters the forbidden territory.”“Pray, what is a pampahilep?”“A horrible forest ghost who kills every one within his reach. But this pampahilep is a female and whenever she gets hold of a man she compels him to marry her, only to strangle him afterward.”“Brr! Quelle Canaille!” the Walloon muttered.“But you are not afraid?” Schlickeisen asked the Dayak.[43]“Ah!” said he, “I invented the story myself, in order to secure a secret way for smuggling salt, powder and lead. Now everybody keeps my female pampahilep at a respectful distance.”“Do Dayaks believe everything so implicitly?”“They are very superstitious. There are several spots in their country which they believe to be haunted and a Dayak would not venture near them for all the money in the world.”“But,” said Schlickeisen, “you told us just now that in order to prevent the body of Soelil from falling into the hands of the Dutch it was buried here. Do the Dutch mutilate bodies?”“They forbid the Dayaks to take heads, but they don’t mind taking the heads of the Dayaks.”“Have you ever seen them do it?”“No, but it is known among us. I have even heard that they put those heads in pickle!”“Nonsense!” cried Johannes. “It certainly has happened once or twice that the head of some notorious outlaw has been forwarded to Bandjermasin for identification, but it was invariably buried afterward.”“I wish you were all further with your ghosts and dead men’s heads,” exclaimed La Cueille. “I shall be dreaming of them all night.”After securely mooring their boat their first care was to provide a meal, as they had scarcely tasted anything during the preceding twenty-four hours. Some dry branches were collected and they soon had a good fire to cook their food. Thanks to Baba Poetjieng, they found some green bamboo stalks in the canoe. These the Dayaks cut up into small cylinders, which after[44]being filled with moistened rice and closed with pieces of wood were thrown on the fire. After some fifteen or twenty minutes the bamboo tubes burst asunder with a loud report. The Dayaks then withdrew them from the fire, opened them and spread the cooked rice upon large leaves.“By Jove!” Wienersdorf said, “this is convenient. We need not fear the breaking of pots or pans, since our supply is always ready.”“Yes,” laughed Johannes, “and the store is well stocked.”“I don’t know that,” remarked Schlickeisen, “during all our journey I have not seen a single bamboo.”“Nor will you find any in all the lower country. The bamboos require a dry soil. Later on, however, we shall meet with plenty of them.”In the meanwhile another Dayak mixed somelombokand salt in an earthen vessel and Johannes broiled some of the dried fish. The meal was now ready, its preparation had not cost much trouble and the viands were of the simplest, but hungry as they were after a day’s fast, they found everything most delicious.When they had all finished they disposed themselves to sleep. The natives were soon snoring, but our Europeans could not close an eye owing to the swarms of mosquitoes which surrounded them. The southern coast of Borneo is so low that the country is inundated at each flood. As a first result of this periodical visitation, there is a constantly-increasing formation of marshes, in which myriads of mosquitoes are hatched. Our fugitives had now to cultivate the immediate acquaintance of these insects. There had been a little trouble with them at the fort; but there,[45]sheltered within the buildings and additionally protected by the mosquito curtains, they had been able to defy the venomous swarms and to enjoy undisturbed sleep. Here in the native woods no protection was to be found. At the imminent risk of exploding their gunpowder, the persecuted travellers kindled a large fire in their boat in the hope of repelling the aggressive insects by raising clouds of smoke. But all was in vain. Thousands upon thousands of blood-suckers came and went, and soon the faces, necks and hands of the Europeans were covered with bites, the irritation of which drove all sleep from their eyes. Finally they rose in despair, ranged themselves around the fire and endeavored by waving branches and leaves to keep their enemies at a distance.“Ah! those cursed insects!” said La Cueille, “suppose we try a mosquito jacket.”A mosquito jacket means in the Dutch Indies getting so intoxicated that one becomes insensible to both buzz and sting. This is really the origin of that craving for drink so commonly met with among the soldiers.“Have you already forgotten your lesson?” Wienersdorf asked in a stern voice. “Not a drop of liquor shall you have.”“I would rather throw it into the river,” added Johannes.La Cueille was silenced, but a vehement shake of his branch indicated that he was not grateful for the rebuke.“Since it is impossible to sleep,” said Schlickeisen, “we may as well review our situation which has completely changed through our being unable to escape by sea. The question now is, what are we to do next?”[46]“Dalim pointed to the north just now,” observed Johannes. “That is our way, but how are we to get through? The slightest imprudence may prove fatal to us.”“Speak. You have lived in the country longer than any of us, and must be our guide.”“You must have noticed that I was talking to Dalim this evening,” continued Johannes. “Well this is the result of our conversation. We will try to get into the Kapoeas river through soengei Basarang. We then sail up that river as far as we can, cross the Kaminting mountains and make for the north coast. Don’t imagine, however, that all will go as smoothly as I plan it.”“No, no, we understand that,” Wienersdorf said, smiling; “still we should like to have a sketch of what we are likely to encounter.”“I really cannot tell you,” proceeded Johannes, “but we have to be extremely cautious. While we are in the lower country we have everything to fear from the Dutch. Let them only suspect that we are here and we shall be hunted down like wild animals. When we get into the upper country it will be yet more dangerous, for if the natives only guess that we are Europeans we are lost. A European skull means four thousand florins.”“What do you say?” cried La Cueille, terrified, as he raised his hands to his head. “Is this then worth so much? I did not know it. It pays then to take care of it.”“You are joking, are you not?” Schlickeisen asked, impatiently.“By no means. The skull of Colonel George Muller, who was killed in 1825, while travelling across Borneo, was actually sold[47]for that amount and is still preserved as a valuable relic by the Olo Ot Panganese. The skulls of the Europeans belonging to the Onrust captured by the Dayaks in 1859, were all disposed of at the same rate. The skull of the commander proved a mine of wealth. After removing the flesh they filled it with dry katjang beans and immersed it in water. The beans, swelling, caused the skull to burst into numerous fragments, the smallest of which fetched two hundred reals.”“What do they do with these skulls?”“Well you might almost call themarticles de luxe. You will see plenty of them in the upper country. Each benting or fort is ornamented with grinning skulls fixed on the points of the palisades. There is not a house in which you will not find some skulls tied together like a rosary and affixed as an ornament to the walls. When a young man proposes for a young woman her friends do not ask how much money the aspirant has, but how many heads he can furnish. Do you understand it now?”“I indeed perceive that it will be ‘look out for your head.’ ”“Quite so; that will be our motto, Look out for your head! The country abounds in head-hunters. I dare say you have heard of them.”“Certainly; but I have always thought that the reports are grossly exaggerated.”“On the contrary the narratives do not give a tenth part of the reality,” continued Johannes, “for the simple reason that the natives seek to keep head-hunting a profound secret from the Dutch.”“Now then, as a first step in the direction of safety, we must[48]part with our military attire. That alone is sufficient to betray us. Baba Poetjieng foreseeing the danger, provided us each with a suit of clothes. These we can examine when it is daylight. We shall find our new costumes suited to their purpose and the sooner we assume them the better.”“How funny I shall look,” said La Cueille, “dressed in an ewah.”“It will not be in harmony with your white skin I dare say.”“It is more suited to your coffee-colored carcass,” rejoined the Walloon.“I—that reminds me. You cannot possibly retain those white skins of yours. They would at once betray you. I wish you all had my coffee-colored complexion. I must speak to Dalim, he will surely think of something.”“You will see,” said the Walloon, laughing. “We shall all have to put on black suits.”“Very probably,” said Johannes, drily, “and yours will become you well. So send at once for your tailor and order suits of black for three.”[49]

CHAPTER III.A DRUNKEN MAN’S TALK—ON THE SEA—JOHANNES UP A TREE—UP THE KAHAJAN—AN ÆOLIAN HARP—THE SOENGEI TROESSAN—IN THE DAHASAN—A WOOD SPECTRE—A MOSQUITO CHARM—FURTHER PLANS—LOOK OUT FOR YOUR HEAD—SUITS OF BLACK.

A DRUNKEN MAN’S TALK—ON THE SEA—JOHANNES UP A TREE—UP THE KAHAJAN—AN ÆOLIAN HARP—THE SOENGEI TROESSAN—IN THE DAHASAN—A WOOD SPECTRE—A MOSQUITO CHARM—FURTHER PLANS—LOOK OUT FOR YOUR HEAD—SUITS OF BLACK.

The two Swiss were indignant at La Cueille’s unreasonable exclamation and even Johannes was furiously angry. A single look at the Walloon, however, explained the cause. During the time they had been planning their escape he had faithfully kept his word and had not tasted a drop of spirits. He had left untouched the rations of gin which in accordance with the rules of the service had been served out to him. Deeming it a pity to leave good spirits unclaimed, he had asked the Colonel’s permission to receive his daily rations and to save them up for use as a liniment for swollen feet. This permission was necessary as the regulations required every soldier to drink his allowance of gin from the hand of the sutler. The Colonel, knowing how well La Cueille liked his drop, suspected that the Walloon wished to accumulate a sufficient quantity for a regular drinking bout, and in the hope of detecting him ordered his feet to be uncovered for examination. They were found to be red and swollen, the result[36]of a ligature which he had purposely placed above the knee. Accordingly his request was granted and he saved all his gin, which by the time it was taken on board the canoe had accumulated to about two pints. On the evening of his escape, while lying down on the boat, he produced the bottle and swallowed a couple of mouthfuls. Oh! that was delicious. How it warmed him! A second draught followed the first. “Train de plaisir de ma bouche à mon estomac,” the Walloon muttered as he began to feel himself in a pleasantly excited condition. What a time they were in getting that coffin on board! He must regale himself while waiting. Then he finished the first bottle.At length the coffin arrived. “Poeah! what an odor! enough to give one the fever! Well, the rich drink champagne as a safeguard; gin may perhaps have the same effect.” So he continued imbibing until he finished the second bottle.When the priestesses arrived the funeral cortege began to move. La Cueille sat looking on, unmoved and perfectly quiet. Trees and shrubs passed by in the midnight gloom like spectres. There stood the dark outlines of the fort. The voice of the sentry was plainly heard, crying the usual “Werda”—“Who goes there?” Presently there came the order to lay to. When the cortege stopped obedient to this command, a sergeant approached to examine the boats, but as soon as he discovered that one of them bore a case of cholera he stepped back frightened and gave the word to proceed. A few more strokes and the vessels had passed the pier. At this point the drunkard could not restrain himself and he burst out with the cry,“Enfoncés les Hollandais, les têtes de fromage!”[37]“Beseai goeloeng,” shouted Johannes—“Row fast,” as he sprang forward to stop the Walloon’s mouth. When the order to return came a second time from the fort, La Cueille, now mad with drink, repeated his salutation and before any one could interfere seized a rifle and fired in the direction of the fortification. Then came a flash, followed by the discharge of a cannon, which rent the air like a thunderbolt. The two canoes shook and darted forwards carried by the strong tide into the middle of the wide stream. In the boat of the priestesses two men were killed and one wounded, but the deserters remained unhurt. The frightened oarsmen pulled with all their force, the white foam flying up from under the prow, and their speed was maintained until daybreak, when the fugitives saw before them the open sea!When the eastern sky became decked in purple Wienersdorf took his glasses and scoured the horizon. Two cruising canoes were seen far away, going in anorth-westerlydirection, as if making for the mouth of the Barito. Further off he saw the smoke of a steamer but could not determine her course. In thesouth-westwas a trading-canoe very much like their own, going toward the Lesser Dayak river. As soon as they were clear of the mouth of the river they steered westward. One of the men advised them to land for the double purpose of burying the body and of covering their canoe with palm leaves in order to elude the observation of the cruisers. The Europeans thought it much more simple, instead of burying the body to drop it overboard, all the protests of the Dayaks notwithstanding. They, however, landed and cut a sufficient quantity of leaves to cover the canoe so that it could not be distinguished from the green herbage of[38]the coast. They then resumed their voyage and in the hope of remaining quite unobserved kept near the shore, the rowers deftly handling their oars in such a way as to prevent any reflection on the surface of the water. They resolved to enter the mouth of the Kahajan, to conceal themselves in the first creek they should reach and to wait until evening should close in ere they continued the voyage westward. Everything succeeded precisely as they wished. The cruisers sailed away to the mouth of the Lesser Dayak, where they anchored. The other vessel observed in thesouth-eastproved to be a trader. Our fugitives thus disembarrassed, rowed vigorously onwards and reached the mouth of the Kahajan by mid-day. They soon found a convenient creek where they concealed the canoe under some drooping shrubs; and as they were thoroughly tired out, sought repose in order to recruit their strength for the work before them.They had been lying down perhaps a couple of hours when theywereroused by the discharge of a cannon. They all leaped to their feet and Johannes with cat-like celerity clambered into a cedar tree close at hand, which commanded an extended view seaward. What he saw was far from reassuring. A number of canoes shot out from the Lesser Dayak and signalled the cruising vessels. These immediately weighed their anchors and made sail to meet the canoes. The trader had altered her course, spread more canvas and was keeping close to the wind. She had also begun to employ her oars, endeavoring by the aid of vigorous rowing to avoid being overhauled. A wild pursuit of her now commenced; but although the cruisers carried as much[39]canvas as they could set, the pursued vessel seemed to keep her advantage. A couple of shots danced along the tops of the waves, but the diminutive guns of the Dutch Indian cruisers could not carry far enough. Johannes at last could distinguish nothing more than a couple of dim specks on the horizon. He therefore descended and with a sigh attacked La Cueille, in reprehension of his culpable indiscretion.“See there,” he said, “the consequences of your drunken cry. Beastly sot! They are on our track already.”“But what did you see?” asked Wienersdorf.Johannes related what he had seen. “The canoe they are pursuing,” added he, “is Baba Poetjieng’s smuggler. What may not happen when they overtake him? Before twenty-four hours have passed, there will be two hundred boats cruising along the coast. I wish that drunken Walloon——”Wienersdorf stopped him, observing, “Of what use is it to rave or to reproach? We must act. Now what are we to do?”“The whole plan has collapsed. We cannot proceed along the southern coast;—can we, Dalim?” he continued, addressing one of the Dayaks.“No mistake about that; the way there is blocked.”He consulted for a few minutes with his countrymen and then pointing with his hand to the north, said—“There!”“Up the Kahajan?” asked Johannes.“No; we could not pass there. They will certainly examine the Kahajan.”“What then?”“Through the Troessan.”[40]“Won’tthey overhaul that?” asked Johannes.“Certainly; but we must hurry on. The soengei Dahasan opens into the Troessan and communicates with the soengei Basarang, which joins the Kapoeas on the north side of the fort. Not a soul knows that region, but I noticed the fact sometime ago when I was there cutting rattan. Let us hasten: once in Kapoeas we are safe; theywon’tlook for us in that direction.”They were all convinced of the prudence of this advice. Not an instant was to be lost; even this way now projected might at any moment become impassable. No resource would then be left to them, save either to commit suicide or to throw themselves into the hands of their pursuers. They took the canoe from its hiding-place, pushed it into the swiftly flowing stream and were soon going at a rapid pace.Suddenly the Europeans dropped their oars and the Dayaks, following their example, stopped rowing. What was that? Sounds were heard like those given forth by an æolian harp; now far away, soft and melodious, but yet distinct; then again so near that the music seemed to be suspended over the canoe. There was a perfect harmony in the sounds, which varied between the murmur of a slight breeze and the forcible rush of a hurricane through some gigantic stringed instrument. The Europeans looked aghast at each other, unable to account for these mysterious strains. La Cueille crossed himself and muttered “Etoile de la mer, priez pour nous.” When the Dayaks perceived the anxious, frightened looks of their white companions they burst into loud laughter. For them it was an ordinary[41]phenomenon which they called rioeng, noise, or sometimes riwoet haroesan, breath of the stream.Dalim related a legend which ascribes these sounds to unearthly music being played by some damsels drowned in that stream by the ire of Djata, the Crocodile God. He also added the information that the missionaries gave another explanation of the phenomenon. They attribute it to the friction of two currents—one, the advancing tide from the sea, and the other, the down-flowing water of the stream. Of course there are local conditions which influence the amount of friction. The correctness of this theory is proved by the fact that the sound is only heard at certain points where the sea meets the swift river water.This music accompanied the fugitives into the mouth of the Troessan which they reached toward evening when nothing more was heard of the æolian harp.“Oef!” cried La Cueille, “I feel lighter now. It seemed as if ghosts were playing music around the canoe. It would drive me mad if I had to stand it all night long.”“What are you jabbering about?” muttered one of the Dayaks; and leaning over to Johannes he whispered in his ear.Johannes now recommended them to keep silent. In a subdued tone he proceeded to explain that they were in a narrow stream, where they were likely to meet other canoes. If their conversation, conducted in a foreign language, were to be overheard, it would certainly betray them and lead to their being pursued.They continued rowing in silence, exerting all their might, so that by eight o’clock that evening they reached the mouth of[42]soengei Dahasan. They still rowed on a considerable time until Dalim ordered a halt. He advised them to wait for daylight, as they might easily lose their way among the numerous rivulets found here. He, however, had other reasons for suspending the journey. They were all fatigued and needed rest. They had not partaken of any food for hours, nor had they slept.“But,” asked Wienersdorf, “is it safe to pass the night here?”“We are perfectly safe,” answered Dalim, “no Dayak will venture here and the Colonel is not likely to seek us here. He is busy following Baba Poetjieng’s canoe and may be glad to find himself at the mouth of the Lesser Dayak by to-morrow night. As I said before it is impossible for them to guess that we are here, since nobody knows of this passage.”“You said no Dayak would venture here. Why is that?”“In 1859 Pembekel Soelil was killed here by the bursting of a cannon while defending his benting against the Dutch. To save his body from the hands of the Dutchmen, his people buried him in soengei Dahasan near the spot we have just passed. Since that time this soengei is guarded by a pampahilep and woe to him who enters the forbidden territory.”“Pray, what is a pampahilep?”“A horrible forest ghost who kills every one within his reach. But this pampahilep is a female and whenever she gets hold of a man she compels him to marry her, only to strangle him afterward.”“Brr! Quelle Canaille!” the Walloon muttered.“But you are not afraid?” Schlickeisen asked the Dayak.[43]“Ah!” said he, “I invented the story myself, in order to secure a secret way for smuggling salt, powder and lead. Now everybody keeps my female pampahilep at a respectful distance.”“Do Dayaks believe everything so implicitly?”“They are very superstitious. There are several spots in their country which they believe to be haunted and a Dayak would not venture near them for all the money in the world.”“But,” said Schlickeisen, “you told us just now that in order to prevent the body of Soelil from falling into the hands of the Dutch it was buried here. Do the Dutch mutilate bodies?”“They forbid the Dayaks to take heads, but they don’t mind taking the heads of the Dayaks.”“Have you ever seen them do it?”“No, but it is known among us. I have even heard that they put those heads in pickle!”“Nonsense!” cried Johannes. “It certainly has happened once or twice that the head of some notorious outlaw has been forwarded to Bandjermasin for identification, but it was invariably buried afterward.”“I wish you were all further with your ghosts and dead men’s heads,” exclaimed La Cueille. “I shall be dreaming of them all night.”After securely mooring their boat their first care was to provide a meal, as they had scarcely tasted anything during the preceding twenty-four hours. Some dry branches were collected and they soon had a good fire to cook their food. Thanks to Baba Poetjieng, they found some green bamboo stalks in the canoe. These the Dayaks cut up into small cylinders, which after[44]being filled with moistened rice and closed with pieces of wood were thrown on the fire. After some fifteen or twenty minutes the bamboo tubes burst asunder with a loud report. The Dayaks then withdrew them from the fire, opened them and spread the cooked rice upon large leaves.“By Jove!” Wienersdorf said, “this is convenient. We need not fear the breaking of pots or pans, since our supply is always ready.”“Yes,” laughed Johannes, “and the store is well stocked.”“I don’t know that,” remarked Schlickeisen, “during all our journey I have not seen a single bamboo.”“Nor will you find any in all the lower country. The bamboos require a dry soil. Later on, however, we shall meet with plenty of them.”In the meanwhile another Dayak mixed somelombokand salt in an earthen vessel and Johannes broiled some of the dried fish. The meal was now ready, its preparation had not cost much trouble and the viands were of the simplest, but hungry as they were after a day’s fast, they found everything most delicious.When they had all finished they disposed themselves to sleep. The natives were soon snoring, but our Europeans could not close an eye owing to the swarms of mosquitoes which surrounded them. The southern coast of Borneo is so low that the country is inundated at each flood. As a first result of this periodical visitation, there is a constantly-increasing formation of marshes, in which myriads of mosquitoes are hatched. Our fugitives had now to cultivate the immediate acquaintance of these insects. There had been a little trouble with them at the fort; but there,[45]sheltered within the buildings and additionally protected by the mosquito curtains, they had been able to defy the venomous swarms and to enjoy undisturbed sleep. Here in the native woods no protection was to be found. At the imminent risk of exploding their gunpowder, the persecuted travellers kindled a large fire in their boat in the hope of repelling the aggressive insects by raising clouds of smoke. But all was in vain. Thousands upon thousands of blood-suckers came and went, and soon the faces, necks and hands of the Europeans were covered with bites, the irritation of which drove all sleep from their eyes. Finally they rose in despair, ranged themselves around the fire and endeavored by waving branches and leaves to keep their enemies at a distance.“Ah! those cursed insects!” said La Cueille, “suppose we try a mosquito jacket.”A mosquito jacket means in the Dutch Indies getting so intoxicated that one becomes insensible to both buzz and sting. This is really the origin of that craving for drink so commonly met with among the soldiers.“Have you already forgotten your lesson?” Wienersdorf asked in a stern voice. “Not a drop of liquor shall you have.”“I would rather throw it into the river,” added Johannes.La Cueille was silenced, but a vehement shake of his branch indicated that he was not grateful for the rebuke.“Since it is impossible to sleep,” said Schlickeisen, “we may as well review our situation which has completely changed through our being unable to escape by sea. The question now is, what are we to do next?”[46]“Dalim pointed to the north just now,” observed Johannes. “That is our way, but how are we to get through? The slightest imprudence may prove fatal to us.”“Speak. You have lived in the country longer than any of us, and must be our guide.”“You must have noticed that I was talking to Dalim this evening,” continued Johannes. “Well this is the result of our conversation. We will try to get into the Kapoeas river through soengei Basarang. We then sail up that river as far as we can, cross the Kaminting mountains and make for the north coast. Don’t imagine, however, that all will go as smoothly as I plan it.”“No, no, we understand that,” Wienersdorf said, smiling; “still we should like to have a sketch of what we are likely to encounter.”“I really cannot tell you,” proceeded Johannes, “but we have to be extremely cautious. While we are in the lower country we have everything to fear from the Dutch. Let them only suspect that we are here and we shall be hunted down like wild animals. When we get into the upper country it will be yet more dangerous, for if the natives only guess that we are Europeans we are lost. A European skull means four thousand florins.”“What do you say?” cried La Cueille, terrified, as he raised his hands to his head. “Is this then worth so much? I did not know it. It pays then to take care of it.”“You are joking, are you not?” Schlickeisen asked, impatiently.“By no means. The skull of Colonel George Muller, who was killed in 1825, while travelling across Borneo, was actually sold[47]for that amount and is still preserved as a valuable relic by the Olo Ot Panganese. The skulls of the Europeans belonging to the Onrust captured by the Dayaks in 1859, were all disposed of at the same rate. The skull of the commander proved a mine of wealth. After removing the flesh they filled it with dry katjang beans and immersed it in water. The beans, swelling, caused the skull to burst into numerous fragments, the smallest of which fetched two hundred reals.”“What do they do with these skulls?”“Well you might almost call themarticles de luxe. You will see plenty of them in the upper country. Each benting or fort is ornamented with grinning skulls fixed on the points of the palisades. There is not a house in which you will not find some skulls tied together like a rosary and affixed as an ornament to the walls. When a young man proposes for a young woman her friends do not ask how much money the aspirant has, but how many heads he can furnish. Do you understand it now?”“I indeed perceive that it will be ‘look out for your head.’ ”“Quite so; that will be our motto, Look out for your head! The country abounds in head-hunters. I dare say you have heard of them.”“Certainly; but I have always thought that the reports are grossly exaggerated.”“On the contrary the narratives do not give a tenth part of the reality,” continued Johannes, “for the simple reason that the natives seek to keep head-hunting a profound secret from the Dutch.”“Now then, as a first step in the direction of safety, we must[48]part with our military attire. That alone is sufficient to betray us. Baba Poetjieng foreseeing the danger, provided us each with a suit of clothes. These we can examine when it is daylight. We shall find our new costumes suited to their purpose and the sooner we assume them the better.”“How funny I shall look,” said La Cueille, “dressed in an ewah.”“It will not be in harmony with your white skin I dare say.”“It is more suited to your coffee-colored carcass,” rejoined the Walloon.“I—that reminds me. You cannot possibly retain those white skins of yours. They would at once betray you. I wish you all had my coffee-colored complexion. I must speak to Dalim, he will surely think of something.”“You will see,” said the Walloon, laughing. “We shall all have to put on black suits.”“Very probably,” said Johannes, drily, “and yours will become you well. So send at once for your tailor and order suits of black for three.”[49]

At length the coffin arrived. “Poeah! what an odor! enough to give one the fever! Well, the rich drink champagne as a safeguard; gin may perhaps have the same effect.” So he continued imbibing until he finished the second bottle.

When the priestesses arrived the funeral cortege began to move. La Cueille sat looking on, unmoved and perfectly quiet. Trees and shrubs passed by in the midnight gloom like spectres. There stood the dark outlines of the fort. The voice of the sentry was plainly heard, crying the usual “Werda”—“Who goes there?” Presently there came the order to lay to. When the cortege stopped obedient to this command, a sergeant approached to examine the boats, but as soon as he discovered that one of them bore a case of cholera he stepped back frightened and gave the word to proceed. A few more strokes and the vessels had passed the pier. At this point the drunkard could not restrain himself and he burst out with the cry,

“Enfoncés les Hollandais, les têtes de fromage!”[37]

“Beseai goeloeng,” shouted Johannes—“Row fast,” as he sprang forward to stop the Walloon’s mouth. When the order to return came a second time from the fort, La Cueille, now mad with drink, repeated his salutation and before any one could interfere seized a rifle and fired in the direction of the fortification. Then came a flash, followed by the discharge of a cannon, which rent the air like a thunderbolt. The two canoes shook and darted forwards carried by the strong tide into the middle of the wide stream. In the boat of the priestesses two men were killed and one wounded, but the deserters remained unhurt. The frightened oarsmen pulled with all their force, the white foam flying up from under the prow, and their speed was maintained until daybreak, when the fugitives saw before them the open sea!

When the eastern sky became decked in purple Wienersdorf took his glasses and scoured the horizon. Two cruising canoes were seen far away, going in anorth-westerlydirection, as if making for the mouth of the Barito. Further off he saw the smoke of a steamer but could not determine her course. In thesouth-westwas a trading-canoe very much like their own, going toward the Lesser Dayak river. As soon as they were clear of the mouth of the river they steered westward. One of the men advised them to land for the double purpose of burying the body and of covering their canoe with palm leaves in order to elude the observation of the cruisers. The Europeans thought it much more simple, instead of burying the body to drop it overboard, all the protests of the Dayaks notwithstanding. They, however, landed and cut a sufficient quantity of leaves to cover the canoe so that it could not be distinguished from the green herbage of[38]the coast. They then resumed their voyage and in the hope of remaining quite unobserved kept near the shore, the rowers deftly handling their oars in such a way as to prevent any reflection on the surface of the water. They resolved to enter the mouth of the Kahajan, to conceal themselves in the first creek they should reach and to wait until evening should close in ere they continued the voyage westward. Everything succeeded precisely as they wished. The cruisers sailed away to the mouth of the Lesser Dayak, where they anchored. The other vessel observed in thesouth-eastproved to be a trader. Our fugitives thus disembarrassed, rowed vigorously onwards and reached the mouth of the Kahajan by mid-day. They soon found a convenient creek where they concealed the canoe under some drooping shrubs; and as they were thoroughly tired out, sought repose in order to recruit their strength for the work before them.

They had been lying down perhaps a couple of hours when theywereroused by the discharge of a cannon. They all leaped to their feet and Johannes with cat-like celerity clambered into a cedar tree close at hand, which commanded an extended view seaward. What he saw was far from reassuring. A number of canoes shot out from the Lesser Dayak and signalled the cruising vessels. These immediately weighed their anchors and made sail to meet the canoes. The trader had altered her course, spread more canvas and was keeping close to the wind. She had also begun to employ her oars, endeavoring by the aid of vigorous rowing to avoid being overhauled. A wild pursuit of her now commenced; but although the cruisers carried as much[39]canvas as they could set, the pursued vessel seemed to keep her advantage. A couple of shots danced along the tops of the waves, but the diminutive guns of the Dutch Indian cruisers could not carry far enough. Johannes at last could distinguish nothing more than a couple of dim specks on the horizon. He therefore descended and with a sigh attacked La Cueille, in reprehension of his culpable indiscretion.

“See there,” he said, “the consequences of your drunken cry. Beastly sot! They are on our track already.”

“But what did you see?” asked Wienersdorf.

Johannes related what he had seen. “The canoe they are pursuing,” added he, “is Baba Poetjieng’s smuggler. What may not happen when they overtake him? Before twenty-four hours have passed, there will be two hundred boats cruising along the coast. I wish that drunken Walloon——”

Wienersdorf stopped him, observing, “Of what use is it to rave or to reproach? We must act. Now what are we to do?”

“The whole plan has collapsed. We cannot proceed along the southern coast;—can we, Dalim?” he continued, addressing one of the Dayaks.

“No mistake about that; the way there is blocked.”

He consulted for a few minutes with his countrymen and then pointing with his hand to the north, said—“There!”

“Up the Kahajan?” asked Johannes.

“No; we could not pass there. They will certainly examine the Kahajan.”

“What then?”

“Through the Troessan.”[40]

“Won’tthey overhaul that?” asked Johannes.

“Certainly; but we must hurry on. The soengei Dahasan opens into the Troessan and communicates with the soengei Basarang, which joins the Kapoeas on the north side of the fort. Not a soul knows that region, but I noticed the fact sometime ago when I was there cutting rattan. Let us hasten: once in Kapoeas we are safe; theywon’tlook for us in that direction.”

They were all convinced of the prudence of this advice. Not an instant was to be lost; even this way now projected might at any moment become impassable. No resource would then be left to them, save either to commit suicide or to throw themselves into the hands of their pursuers. They took the canoe from its hiding-place, pushed it into the swiftly flowing stream and were soon going at a rapid pace.

Suddenly the Europeans dropped their oars and the Dayaks, following their example, stopped rowing. What was that? Sounds were heard like those given forth by an æolian harp; now far away, soft and melodious, but yet distinct; then again so near that the music seemed to be suspended over the canoe. There was a perfect harmony in the sounds, which varied between the murmur of a slight breeze and the forcible rush of a hurricane through some gigantic stringed instrument. The Europeans looked aghast at each other, unable to account for these mysterious strains. La Cueille crossed himself and muttered “Etoile de la mer, priez pour nous.” When the Dayaks perceived the anxious, frightened looks of their white companions they burst into loud laughter. For them it was an ordinary[41]phenomenon which they called rioeng, noise, or sometimes riwoet haroesan, breath of the stream.

Dalim related a legend which ascribes these sounds to unearthly music being played by some damsels drowned in that stream by the ire of Djata, the Crocodile God. He also added the information that the missionaries gave another explanation of the phenomenon. They attribute it to the friction of two currents—one, the advancing tide from the sea, and the other, the down-flowing water of the stream. Of course there are local conditions which influence the amount of friction. The correctness of this theory is proved by the fact that the sound is only heard at certain points where the sea meets the swift river water.

This music accompanied the fugitives into the mouth of the Troessan which they reached toward evening when nothing more was heard of the æolian harp.

“Oef!” cried La Cueille, “I feel lighter now. It seemed as if ghosts were playing music around the canoe. It would drive me mad if I had to stand it all night long.”

“What are you jabbering about?” muttered one of the Dayaks; and leaning over to Johannes he whispered in his ear.

Johannes now recommended them to keep silent. In a subdued tone he proceeded to explain that they were in a narrow stream, where they were likely to meet other canoes. If their conversation, conducted in a foreign language, were to be overheard, it would certainly betray them and lead to their being pursued.

They continued rowing in silence, exerting all their might, so that by eight o’clock that evening they reached the mouth of[42]soengei Dahasan. They still rowed on a considerable time until Dalim ordered a halt. He advised them to wait for daylight, as they might easily lose their way among the numerous rivulets found here. He, however, had other reasons for suspending the journey. They were all fatigued and needed rest. They had not partaken of any food for hours, nor had they slept.

“But,” asked Wienersdorf, “is it safe to pass the night here?”

“We are perfectly safe,” answered Dalim, “no Dayak will venture here and the Colonel is not likely to seek us here. He is busy following Baba Poetjieng’s canoe and may be glad to find himself at the mouth of the Lesser Dayak by to-morrow night. As I said before it is impossible for them to guess that we are here, since nobody knows of this passage.”

“You said no Dayak would venture here. Why is that?”

“In 1859 Pembekel Soelil was killed here by the bursting of a cannon while defending his benting against the Dutch. To save his body from the hands of the Dutchmen, his people buried him in soengei Dahasan near the spot we have just passed. Since that time this soengei is guarded by a pampahilep and woe to him who enters the forbidden territory.”

“Pray, what is a pampahilep?”

“A horrible forest ghost who kills every one within his reach. But this pampahilep is a female and whenever she gets hold of a man she compels him to marry her, only to strangle him afterward.”

“Brr! Quelle Canaille!” the Walloon muttered.

“But you are not afraid?” Schlickeisen asked the Dayak.[43]

“Ah!” said he, “I invented the story myself, in order to secure a secret way for smuggling salt, powder and lead. Now everybody keeps my female pampahilep at a respectful distance.”

“Do Dayaks believe everything so implicitly?”

“They are very superstitious. There are several spots in their country which they believe to be haunted and a Dayak would not venture near them for all the money in the world.”

“But,” said Schlickeisen, “you told us just now that in order to prevent the body of Soelil from falling into the hands of the Dutch it was buried here. Do the Dutch mutilate bodies?”

“They forbid the Dayaks to take heads, but they don’t mind taking the heads of the Dayaks.”

“Have you ever seen them do it?”

“No, but it is known among us. I have even heard that they put those heads in pickle!”

“Nonsense!” cried Johannes. “It certainly has happened once or twice that the head of some notorious outlaw has been forwarded to Bandjermasin for identification, but it was invariably buried afterward.”

“I wish you were all further with your ghosts and dead men’s heads,” exclaimed La Cueille. “I shall be dreaming of them all night.”

After securely mooring their boat their first care was to provide a meal, as they had scarcely tasted anything during the preceding twenty-four hours. Some dry branches were collected and they soon had a good fire to cook their food. Thanks to Baba Poetjieng, they found some green bamboo stalks in the canoe. These the Dayaks cut up into small cylinders, which after[44]being filled with moistened rice and closed with pieces of wood were thrown on the fire. After some fifteen or twenty minutes the bamboo tubes burst asunder with a loud report. The Dayaks then withdrew them from the fire, opened them and spread the cooked rice upon large leaves.

“By Jove!” Wienersdorf said, “this is convenient. We need not fear the breaking of pots or pans, since our supply is always ready.”

“Yes,” laughed Johannes, “and the store is well stocked.”

“I don’t know that,” remarked Schlickeisen, “during all our journey I have not seen a single bamboo.”

“Nor will you find any in all the lower country. The bamboos require a dry soil. Later on, however, we shall meet with plenty of them.”

In the meanwhile another Dayak mixed somelombokand salt in an earthen vessel and Johannes broiled some of the dried fish. The meal was now ready, its preparation had not cost much trouble and the viands were of the simplest, but hungry as they were after a day’s fast, they found everything most delicious.

When they had all finished they disposed themselves to sleep. The natives were soon snoring, but our Europeans could not close an eye owing to the swarms of mosquitoes which surrounded them. The southern coast of Borneo is so low that the country is inundated at each flood. As a first result of this periodical visitation, there is a constantly-increasing formation of marshes, in which myriads of mosquitoes are hatched. Our fugitives had now to cultivate the immediate acquaintance of these insects. There had been a little trouble with them at the fort; but there,[45]sheltered within the buildings and additionally protected by the mosquito curtains, they had been able to defy the venomous swarms and to enjoy undisturbed sleep. Here in the native woods no protection was to be found. At the imminent risk of exploding their gunpowder, the persecuted travellers kindled a large fire in their boat in the hope of repelling the aggressive insects by raising clouds of smoke. But all was in vain. Thousands upon thousands of blood-suckers came and went, and soon the faces, necks and hands of the Europeans were covered with bites, the irritation of which drove all sleep from their eyes. Finally they rose in despair, ranged themselves around the fire and endeavored by waving branches and leaves to keep their enemies at a distance.

“Ah! those cursed insects!” said La Cueille, “suppose we try a mosquito jacket.”

A mosquito jacket means in the Dutch Indies getting so intoxicated that one becomes insensible to both buzz and sting. This is really the origin of that craving for drink so commonly met with among the soldiers.

“Have you already forgotten your lesson?” Wienersdorf asked in a stern voice. “Not a drop of liquor shall you have.”

“I would rather throw it into the river,” added Johannes.

La Cueille was silenced, but a vehement shake of his branch indicated that he was not grateful for the rebuke.

“Since it is impossible to sleep,” said Schlickeisen, “we may as well review our situation which has completely changed through our being unable to escape by sea. The question now is, what are we to do next?”[46]

“Dalim pointed to the north just now,” observed Johannes. “That is our way, but how are we to get through? The slightest imprudence may prove fatal to us.”

“Speak. You have lived in the country longer than any of us, and must be our guide.”

“You must have noticed that I was talking to Dalim this evening,” continued Johannes. “Well this is the result of our conversation. We will try to get into the Kapoeas river through soengei Basarang. We then sail up that river as far as we can, cross the Kaminting mountains and make for the north coast. Don’t imagine, however, that all will go as smoothly as I plan it.”

“No, no, we understand that,” Wienersdorf said, smiling; “still we should like to have a sketch of what we are likely to encounter.”

“I really cannot tell you,” proceeded Johannes, “but we have to be extremely cautious. While we are in the lower country we have everything to fear from the Dutch. Let them only suspect that we are here and we shall be hunted down like wild animals. When we get into the upper country it will be yet more dangerous, for if the natives only guess that we are Europeans we are lost. A European skull means four thousand florins.”

“What do you say?” cried La Cueille, terrified, as he raised his hands to his head. “Is this then worth so much? I did not know it. It pays then to take care of it.”

“You are joking, are you not?” Schlickeisen asked, impatiently.

“By no means. The skull of Colonel George Muller, who was killed in 1825, while travelling across Borneo, was actually sold[47]for that amount and is still preserved as a valuable relic by the Olo Ot Panganese. The skulls of the Europeans belonging to the Onrust captured by the Dayaks in 1859, were all disposed of at the same rate. The skull of the commander proved a mine of wealth. After removing the flesh they filled it with dry katjang beans and immersed it in water. The beans, swelling, caused the skull to burst into numerous fragments, the smallest of which fetched two hundred reals.”

“What do they do with these skulls?”

“Well you might almost call themarticles de luxe. You will see plenty of them in the upper country. Each benting or fort is ornamented with grinning skulls fixed on the points of the palisades. There is not a house in which you will not find some skulls tied together like a rosary and affixed as an ornament to the walls. When a young man proposes for a young woman her friends do not ask how much money the aspirant has, but how many heads he can furnish. Do you understand it now?”

“I indeed perceive that it will be ‘look out for your head.’ ”

“Quite so; that will be our motto, Look out for your head! The country abounds in head-hunters. I dare say you have heard of them.”

“Certainly; but I have always thought that the reports are grossly exaggerated.”

“On the contrary the narratives do not give a tenth part of the reality,” continued Johannes, “for the simple reason that the natives seek to keep head-hunting a profound secret from the Dutch.”

“Now then, as a first step in the direction of safety, we must[48]part with our military attire. That alone is sufficient to betray us. Baba Poetjieng foreseeing the danger, provided us each with a suit of clothes. These we can examine when it is daylight. We shall find our new costumes suited to their purpose and the sooner we assume them the better.”

“How funny I shall look,” said La Cueille, “dressed in an ewah.”

“It will not be in harmony with your white skin I dare say.”

“It is more suited to your coffee-colored carcass,” rejoined the Walloon.

“I—that reminds me. You cannot possibly retain those white skins of yours. They would at once betray you. I wish you all had my coffee-colored complexion. I must speak to Dalim, he will surely think of something.”

“You will see,” said the Walloon, laughing. “We shall all have to put on black suits.”

“Very probably,” said Johannes, drily, “and yours will become you well. So send at once for your tailor and order suits of black for three.”[49]

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