[Contents]CHAPTER XI.FURTHER MEANS OF DEFENCE—THE OATH OF ATONEMENT—JOHANNES AN ORATOR—TWO GUN SHOTS—THE ATTACK—WIENERSDORF IN A FAINT—A GRATEFUL POENAN—A DAYAK BEAUTY—AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE—WIENERSDORF IS ENGAGED TO HAMADOE—AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE COLONEL—HE CARRIES BACK HIS MESSAGE.At daybreak every man in the fortification again set to work to complete arrangements for defence. Johannes and Wienersdorf were among the earliest and most active workers. They hauled up all the canoes and placed them in security, and then levelled the banks of the river in order to render a surprise by water impracticable. These tasks finished they dug a quadruple circle of pits around the fortress, and after driving a couple of pointed stakes in each of them they covered them with a layer of long grass in order to conceal them from view. They also planted rows of spikes of hard wood in the vicinity of all the principal approaches.The Poenans of Harimaoung Boekit were in the meantime occupied in preparing the stake at which their victim was to be immolated. This, when finished, was planted in the centre of the quadrangle, the area of which was swept and strewn with white[174]sand in accordance with the custom observed on similar occasions. The women were busily engaged in cooking as the ceremony of the oath of atonement invariably concluded with a grand festive banquet. They killed two buffaloes and four large pigs, the flesh of which was made into numerous savory dishes, boiled, roasted and stewed. Instead of the usual pileworms they had slices of snakes and a bangamat, or flying dog, roasted whole and served like our sucking pigs. The principal side dish consisted of baloedoek, an amphibious animal about a foot long, white and covered with fine scales. Its body resembles a fish and it has the head of a frog. Besides these there were hambatar, or the larvæ of beetles. They also prepared cakes of rice meal, sago and pisang, while finally, in the way of confectionery, they had shells filled with tangoeli, the larvæ of bees stewed in honey, a highly prized delicacy. Every one being thus busily occupied, the hours of the morning soon passed.It was close upon noon when all was ready for the ceremony. Amai Kotong then called the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan together and Harimaoung Boekit formally invited the Europeans to be present at the ceremony of the oath of atonement. All of them however could not attend, as they had undertaken to keep the lookout in turns while the festivities were in progress. La Cueille was first detached for this important duty. Wienersdorf and Harimaoung Boekit took their places in the midst of six young men who, with palm branches in their hands, formed a guard of honor for the two heroes of the festival.Arrived at the quadrangle, they found all the men dressed in full war costume and their faces covered by a taboekah or wooden[175]mask. They all carried their mandauws and lances and now formed around the stake. When everything was arranged the priestesses commenced their chants accompanied by the sound of their katambongs.The singing lasted until pastmid-daywhen the signal for producing the victim was given. While she was fetched from her cage one of the priestesses mounted an especially prepared ladder and sung an invocation, beseeching that a favorable omen might be vouchsafed the impending ceremony.A falcon, as if it had understood the invocation, immediately appeared above the border of the forest. Rising to the left of the fort it soared higher and higher in the air, describing large circles until it had mounted midway in the zenith, when it stopped for a few minutes. After remaining thus motionless for a short time it suddenly uttered a piercing cry and flew away in the direction whence it had come. Every Dayak present was affected. The cry uttered by the bird was construed into a warning and regarded as a most unfavorable omen.In the meantime the poor woman had entered the circle and two men began to tie her. She had scarcely strength enough to stand and kept her head gently hanging sideways. For the rest, she appeared to be calm and freely viewed the environing circle.After having been securely tied Harimaoung Boekit approached Wienersdorf, made a slight incision with his knife on his naked chest and collected the blood in a vessel. He then made a similar incision on his own body, caught the blood in the same vessel and filled it with toeak. He thereupon raised the bloody mixture and pronounced a fearful curse upon himself in case he[176]should ever break the tie of brotherhood which he was now on the point of cementing. He called upon every deity and demon to witness his brotherly affection for the saviour of his life. He invoked their most fearful punishment if he should ever prove false to him and finished by half emptying the vessel held in his hand. This he next offered to Wienersdorf who swallowed the contents although his stomach rebelled against the mixture. After this ceremony the Poenan chief again spoke, addressing the Swiss:“We are brothers now and I will always treat you as such. But another debt of blood still exists between us. When I attacked your party I tried to get your heads. During this struggle one of your companions was killed, several of my own followers perished, and—blood requires blood. See! in order to satisfy this demand we sacrifice one of our hirelings. We will besmear her with our own blood which will cancel this debt and render us free of each other.”Johannes now took Wienersdorf by the hand and mounted with him the steps recently vacated by the priestess.“My brethren,” he addressed the congregation, “my friend Dohong (War Sword), who from his infancy has lived in Bandjermasin where the great lord of the Dutch reigns, cannot sufficiently express himself in Dayak and has begged my assistance to speak to you. He gratefully accepts the bond of Harimaoung Boekit and, happen what may, will always be a good brother to him. Like the water which, cleft by a mandauw reunites again, their friendship will remain undisturbed, so that in life and death they may count upon each other. But our Dohong has been brought[177]up amongst the whites. They have taught him that no one is allowed to kill a human being. Even in Kwala Kapoeas such an act is strictly forbidden. Dohong follows their customs and abhors the killing of men, unless it is on the battlefield. He therefore proposes to his brother to spare the life of this woman, and in order to wash away the debt of blood he suggests that a buffalo shall be sacrificed. You have noticed the evil omen of the falcon. This only happens because we inhabitants of Kwala Kapoeas were going to commit a sin by violating the obligation solemnly undertaken by us not to kill any human beings. Let us then kill a buffalo instead of this woman and you will see that the omens will change and become favorable.”Dead silence reigned within the square of kotta Djangkan. At the end of the speech every face had become darkened and exhibited the greatest dissatisfaction. The Poenans especially showed their feelings by grasping their mandauws. They considered the words just uttered as a grave offence against their chief. Harimaoung Boekit now mounted the steps and addressed the assembly:“Here in the upper country,” he commenced, “the whites have nothing to say; whenever they wish to command here, let them come! Are they so careful themselves of human life? How many thousands of lives have been sacrificed during the war in this beautiful island? And who caused that war? Did not their avarice? Who will tell of the numerous Javanese starved to death, because they had to plant coffee or to build kottas for the palefaces, so that they had no time left them for the cultivation of their own fields? Do you think we are ignorant of all[178]this? They forbid us to kill our hirelings and pretend to have veneration for slaves. Do not trust white men; their lips are oily but they are hypocrites.” With increased passion, he continued, “Touch their purse and they will kill hundreds of free men as well as slaves. They do worse than killing men in order to make money.”The Poenan paused awhile as if waiting to take breath, when he thus resumed: “But who cares for the orders of these whites? It behooves every man to follow the institutions of his country. The ceremony must proceed——unless my brother Dohong refuses to accept my friendship.”These last words were uttered in a subdued tone accompanied by a sob. The thought that his saviour would refuse his friendship visibly affected the child of Nature. For the rest, the Poenan stood there proud and gallant, his nostrils dilated and his head thrown back, while his mandauw was already half unsheathed.Wienersdorf anxiously scanned the surrounding men. La Cueille was absent; Johannes stood with his head bent upon his chest; the Dayaks of kotta Djangkan uttered a murmur of approbation and joined the side of their relatives, the Poenans. Even Dalim and his companions stood motionless. They could not count upon any assistance. A second’s hesitation would suffice to cause a quarrel which could only terminate in the death of the Europeans. Wienersdorf foresaw all this and suddenly seizing the hand of Harimaoung Boekit he raised it to his lips and bowed his head.Johannes now came forward to the flag-staff, produced a small bundle, tied it to a line and hoisted it to the top. The boys[179]ranged themselves in file; the eldest of them stepped forward and uttering a fiendish laugh stabbed the victim under the left breast. All single men would have followed his example by piercing the flesh of the victim with the point of their lances to the depth of about half an inch but for the events which now occurred and which served to divert all attention from the victim.First, she uttered a piercing yell. She had remained calm up to the present, but now her shrieks were heart-rending.While all this was taking place Johannes shook the flag line and disentangled the parcel just hoisted, when the Dutch ensign proudly unfurled itself above the head of the poor woman.It seemed as if this tricolor was her salvation, for suddenly two guns were fired in rapid succession summoning the garrison to the ramparts. Johannes, taking advantage of the general confusion, rushed forwards, severed the cords by which the victim was bound and thus liberated her. He then joined his confederates to see what had occurred.La Cueille, seated in his elevated box, which overlooked the river for a considerable distance, placed the two loaded guns in position, possessed himself of a lighted torch and waited his opportunity with a vigilant eye on the river. At last he saw a fleet of canoes appear from behind an angle of the soengei. He remained quiet, however, and allowed them to approach nearer still.The time for action at length arrived. Adjusting the elevation of his guns he applied the torch to the touchhole, and sent a couple of balls in the midst of the fleet, sinking one of the canoes and causing no little confusion amongst the rest.[180]The Colonel hereupon ordered his men to land so as provisionally to place them out of danger, and accordingly the whole of the attacking force was soon hidden among the shrubs and trees of the bank. He knew, however, the danger of leaving his troops under the influence of this first repulse, and therefore, although the mystery of the Dutch flag waving from the fortress still puzzled him, he determined not to hesitate, but collected his forces and advanced to storm the fortification. He remembered the experience of former contests, that in Indian warfare boldness secures success.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.They carried him away with them to the open air where, assisted by draughts of cold water, they all soon regained their composure.Harimaoung Boekit now for the second time owed his life to Wienersdorf. He had learned from his followers with what courage his new brother had come to his assistance. He approached his rescuer and putting his hand on his shoulder asked whether he could do anything for him. All he possessed he placed at the disposal of his deliverer and even offered to become his hireling at the sacrifice of his personal freedom.Wienersdorf, though still under the influence of the scene recently witnessed, did not long hesitate. He took the hand of the Poenan, shook it passionately, and begged for the life of the poor woman who had been temporarily saved from a miserable end by the unforeseen arrival of the hostile fleet. This request was granted after some hesitation, the Poenan averring that he could not comprehend why he thus insisted upon sparing the life of this woman, who besides being the mother of two children was middle-aged and ill-looking. He felt greatly astonished at the perverted taste of the Swiss. Anxious, however, to render his deliverer happy by the possession of a comely wife he[184]now offered him his own sister, a young and comely maiden, the pride of her tribe. Thus by a suitable marriage they would strengthen the tie of brotherhood.Hamadoe, as the young lady was called, was a splendid creature with a fine complexion delicately tinted. Her mouth was exquisitely chiselled, her eyes large and dark beamed with a soft languishing expression, but were also capable of that fiery brilliancy so often met with in eastern races. Her figure was magnificent, tall, lithe and graceful; she possessed the carriage which peculiarly distinguishes the child of nature and which is so rarely encountered in the lands of a civilized society.Our Europeans had often admired the beautiful Hamadoe and thought her worthy of the name she bore, sweet honey. Now, however, that this pearl of female beauty was offered to him, Wienersdorf hesitated and was on the point of refusing. Luckily Johannes interfered and adroitly answered the Poenan that his friend would gratefully accept his offer to become the husband of the fair Hamadoe.Astonished at this unexpected intervention the Swiss looked up and wished to speak; but Johannes politely begged him to retire; Wienersdorf withdrew accordingly, not the less determined that however captivating the beautiful Hamadoe might be, he would not be forced to commit any act of folly.Harimaoung Boekit led Johannes to his dwelling, the maiden was called, and Johannes formally proposed for his friend according to the existing Dayak custom. At first she seemed favorably inclined, but seeing that the agent had not one single skull to offer as a marriage gift she hesitated. At last she took[185]a female dress which was hanging up to dry and offered it to Johannes, saying, “Your friend is no man, he is only a shy woman and unworthy of male attire; tell him to wear this petticoat.”Johannes only smiled without accepting the dress. Harimaoung Boekit here told her how this stranger had twice saved his life and explained to her that as in the lower country the Dutch had prohibited head-hunting, his deliverer had to submit to command, but that he was nevertheless one of the bravest of the brave, a true Dohong.After this explanation the girl did not further hesitate, but frankly declared that she would retract her words. She added that she would be proud to please her brother, and was ready to become Dohong’s partner for life and to share his weal and woe. She begged her brother to prepare everything for the speedy celebration of the blako ontong, when they would implore blessings on her marriage from the Radja balawang boelau, the King of the Golden Gate of Heaven.All this was said with such charming modesty that Johannes became enchanted with the maiden and almost envied the good-fortune of his companion. When Hamadoe had retired, the real marriage treaty was proceeded with. Johannes began with the explanation that Dohong, being a liberated hireling, was not blessed with any earthly treasure, and was consequently unable to produce either a high palakko or the usual sums of money required for the celebration of the marriage. The palakko is a settlement deposited by the bridegroom with the parents of the bride, amounting, according to the wealth of the bridegroom, to a sum ranging from fifty to eight hundred guilders.[186]This money serves to keep the lover constant; for at the slightest proof of unfaithfulness, it becomes the property of the wife. Harimaoung Boekit smiled at this communication, took a few bamboo boxes from the wall and presented them to Johannes, with the information that they contained about twentythaëlsof gold dust, sufficient to provide for all emergencies.“Could I refuse to part with this gold, and in order to make my brother Dohong happy?” the generous Poenan chief asked. “I have offered him my body and after that he may consider everything belonging to me as his own.”All being thus far settled the wedding-day was next fixed. It was proposed that the ceremony should be solemnized two months thence, in Harimaoung Boekit’s home, situated on the soengei Miri, and that in honor of Kadjanka, the ruler of the moon and the protector of newly married women, it should take place on the day of the full moon.“And let us hope,” Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? I never thought you were such an unscrupulous scoundrel.”[187]“Well, I like that,” Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. I am sure the Creator must now and then feel utterly ashamed of the stupidity of the white race.”Johannes appeared supremely handsome in his disdain; his eyes flashed, his nostrils quivered and the veins of his forehead were visible like swollen cords.Schlickeisen now appeared as pacificator, saying,“Don’t feel hurt at an unguarded expression of your companion, which I am positive he did not mean—did you?”“The words were certainly spoken without reflection,” Wienersdorf answered solemnly, “and I will willingly retract them. I was angry at hearing my friend speak so coolly about marriage and divorce in the same breath.”“I only made the remark to remove your impression that marriage meant a compulsory residence in this island. I would feel loath to make a jest of serious subjects, but I sought to convince you how necessary it is for us to yield to unavoidable circumstances. As soon as I find myself among whitefaces I will respect their ideas of marriage and divorce, but while I am among Borneans I accept their customs and institutions.”[188]“But permit me to say that I do exactly the same. I fully respect Dayak customs and nobody will ever reproach me with this want of toleration which you condemn. The people here and everywhere are at liberty to intermarry and separate as much as they choose, provided you leave me out of the question.”“And yet you will have to get reconciled to this marriage,” Johannes answered.“Never!” exclaimed Wienersdorf.“But for once, reason sensibly.”“Reason is out of the question. I will never marry a woman with the knowledge that in a little while I must put her away from me.”“But listen; as matters stand just now, the marriage is unavoidable. You have already seriously offended the Poenan chief during the expiation festival and the mandauws were half unsheathed. Beware of refusing the hand of his sister for he will take terrible vengeance. And I repeat what I observed on a former occasion that if you do not yourself value life you will have to consider us.”“But,” said Wienersdorf, “is not yours an exaggerated supposition. Will the Poenan really take the refusal so seriously?”“Can you doubt it? Have you already forgotten how your behavior during the execution of that slave made him fear that you did not value his friendship? What will be the effect of your refusing the hand of his sister so cordially offered to you? It will most certainly cause a coolness not far removed from animosity. The Poenan will then withdraw with all his followers and leave us to our fate.”[189]“And what if he did?” Wienersdorf said defiantly.“It would simply deprive us of all assistance from kotta Djangkan. You seem to forget that we have to thank Harimaoung Boekit for this timely refuge. As soon as the Poenan leaves us a reconciliation between the kotta and our besiegers will follow, and the first condition of this reconciliation will be to deliver up the deserters. Such will be our fate if you persist in refusing to marry.”“Stop!” Wienersdorf cried, “you drive me mad. To what an extremity have you brought me?”“Only to the extremity of marrying a handsome girl, you lucky dog!” the Walloon said smilingly.“Listen again,” Johannes continued, firm as fate, “and consider on the other hand the consequences of this marriage if duly carried out. Harimaoung Boekit’s affection towards his deliverer will undoubtedly increase, you will belong to his relations and we will have gained faithful allies. The Colonel will raise the siege of kotta Djangkan, being unable to capture it with the slender means at his disposal. We will then travel in company with the Poenan chief to the Miri country where we shall be in perfect security until we find means to escape.”Wienersdorf sighed heavily; then offering his hand to his companions he said, with tears in his eyes:“Friends, I accede and agree to the marriage.”“He gives way,” La Cueille cried. “Allah be praised, he consents to marry a most charming young girl.”While the deserters were thus busy arriving at a decision, Amai Kotong and Harimaoung Boekit approached with the intelligence that a Dayak of Kwala Kapoeas had appeared at the gate[190]of the kotta bearing a letter from the Commander. The two chiefs wished to have the opinions of their friends. They themselves proposed to refuse admittance to the messenger, as neither of them could read the letter and feared he might be a spy. Johannes asked Dalim to follow him and they both went outside the gate to learn the errand of the ambassador. He was a simple Dayak, a follower of Tomonggong Nikodemus, who was commissioned to deliver the letter into the hands of Amai Kotong himself. At first he refused to part with the missive, but after Dalim had informed him that he might return whence he came, but that he could not see the chief of the kotta, he altered his tone and gave the letter to Johannes. After having perused its contents, the messenger was bidden to wait outside where the answer would be brought to him.An Ambassador from the Colonel.An Ambassador from the Colonel.The letter contained the request of the Colonel to be allowed to enter the kotta unarmed, accompanied by Tomonggong Djaja Nagara and one other, in order to have an interview with Amai Kotong. Johannes smiled on reading this. But once inside the fort again, he called the garrison together in the square, mounted the steps and read with a loud and penetrating voice, looking solemnly at the paper, how the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas, in the name of the Resident of Bandjermasin, ordered Harimaoung Boekit with his Poenans to be delivered up to the gallows as murderers. On hearing the pretended contents of the letter, a cry of rage arose from all the assembled natives. The Poenan chief mounted the steps to satisfy himself by looking at the horrible words which pronounced his sentence. Johannes, after having allowed them for a few moments to give vent to their[191]feelings, commanded silence as he had some further communications to make.“I have not read all,” he said in a loud voice. “Listen, brothers, to what follows: If these Poenans, those horrible murderers, are not delivered up before sunset the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan will feel the avenging arm of the Dutch Government. The kotta will be taken and levelled to the ground. The soil on which it now stands will be dug up and the priestesses will sow salt in the furrows as a token that the spot will be accursed forever and ever by Mahatara.”The cries of the multitude now became deafening.As soon as Johannes saw another opportunity of being listened to, he continued: “Attend! All the men will be killed and strung up like animals; the old women and children will be sold as slaves, and the maidens and young married women will be divided amongst the assailants!”Their rage became unbounded, and the wild band would have sped outside and put the bearer of this fatal letter to the most horrible martyrdom, but for the timely intervention of Johannes and his companions. They placed themselves at the gate of the kotta and after much trouble succeeded in convincing the enraged people of the innocence of the messenger who was wholly ignorant of the contents of the document.“No, friends!” Johannes exclaimed, “we must not answer this threat with a murder. But it will be wise to show that we are no cowards.”“I will go to the Commander myself!” Amai Kotong cried, “and explain that I cannot possibly give up a member of my[192]family; such a course being quite against our moral teachings.”“No,” Johannes said. “You would not be proof against the honeyed language of a paleface. Besides, they will keep you a prisoner if you don’t submit.”“But what am I to do?”“See here?”And at the same time he tore the letter into a thousand pieces, collected them in a pisang leaf and tied them up into a parcel.“That is the way to return the letter to the Commander!” he exclaimed victoriously.A loud cry of satisfaction was the answer, proving again that whoever has tact, may lead any assemblage as he wishes.A few moments afterwards he placed the parcel into the messenger’s hand, with command to deliver it to the Commander, at the same time advising him never to return to the kotta with similar messages unless he wished to be cut to pieces. The frightened native accepted the parcel and hurried away from such dangerous quarters as fast as his feet would carry him.In the meantime the two Dayak chiefs were seated with the Colonel on the trunk of a tree under a shed made of branches and leaves, and were waiting for the return of their messenger. The Colonel seemed very impatient; he stamped with his feet, drummed with his fingers on the sheath of his sword, and distinctly showed that he had not yet acquired the Eastern reserve so natural to his companions. At last he said:“He is a long while coming, is he not?”“It certainly is not far from here,” Tomonggong Nikodemus[193]answered, “but your honor must not forget how cautious our messengers have to be.”“But do you really fancy this letter will lead to the result you expected?”“Yes, sir! The inhabitants of the kotta will see no danger in admitting the three of us unarmed inside their walls, and once there, we will find no difficulty in persuading Amai Kotong to deliver up the Europeans. The Chief will never risk the lives and property of the whole of his tribe, in order to protect four deserters.”“And yet their influence seems considerable, judging by our reception,” was the bitter reply of the officer.“I must own that it looks very suspicious; but who knows what tale they have told those ignorant upper countrymen?”“But will Amai Kotong be able to read the letter?”“No, sir, he cannot read himself; but undoubtedly some one will be found inside the kotta capable of deciphering it.”“Did you know that the kotta was so heavily armed?”“So heavily armed?” the Tomonggong asked in surprise.“Certainly; I have just now observed through my glasses that the battery carries six pieces of cannon, while, when I was here last year, as you must remember, no sign of a gun could be discerned.”“I certainly do remember it; but you seem to forget the guns of Kwala Hiang, which the deserters must have carried away with them.”“But at Kwala Hiang there were only two guns, while here I can count at least six.”[194]“If such is the case, I am at a loss to find an explanation,” Nikodemus answered with a sigh. “And yet I do not believe that the intentions of kotta Djangkan, armed as it appears to be, are hostile towards the Dutch Government, or we should have heard of it before now. Such proceedings do not remain a secret in the Dayak country. These pieces must have been conjured hither, unless the Commander is mistaken.”“You doubt whether I have seen rightly,” was the passionate reply of the Colonel. “I have even seen more than these guns. The principal passages leading to the kotta are planted with spikes and rendered impassable by pits, so that an assault is most difficult. All this has taken time to accomplish and I very much fear that I have no reason to be satisfied with some of my younger brothers. Speaking in the mildest terms, they have been opposing their elder brother.”Both Tomonggongs remained speechless for a few minutes, their emotion being distinctly visible. The face of old Nikodemus displayed a feeling of grief and pain, while that of the other was drawn into angry wrinkles, his eyes rolling wildly and betraying the fearful passion raging in his bosom.“It is a great untruth!” he screamed, jumping up as if electrified. Nikodemus, however, took him by the hand, compelling him to resume his seat.The Colonel witnessed this scene, which lasted for a few seconds only, with some surprise. He felt that he had gone too far in his remarks. Then ensued a painful silence—that silence which is more eloquent among Eastern tribes than the most violent utterance. At last Nikodemus spoke:[195]“The words spoken just now,” he said, with a deeply affected voice, “were painful, but I am convinced they did not come from the heart. But the Colonel forgets the deserters. I have not the least doubt but that they have found a refuge at kotta Djangkan. How they have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the people is a mystery to me. But everything has taken place through their influence and it is they who have supervised these operations.”The Colonel reflected for a few minutes.“Yes, they are brave boys,” he muttered inaudibly, “capable of anything. Ah! I have not caught them yet.”And turning to both chiefs he said, cordially offering them his hand, “My younger brothers, you may be right. Pardon the anger I just now displayed; but my heart was bitter. At that moment I thought of the blood already spilled and yet to be spilled in consequence of this dispute with kotta Djangkan.”Both Tomonggongs bowed their heads and cordially pressed the offered hand. The Dayak is never vindictive, and soon forgets and forgives if only met half way.They were still consulting together when the return of the messenger was reported. They all arose, showing the greatest excitement. The messenger respectfully handed his message to the Colonel, saying:“This is for you, sir.”The Colonel took the parcel, anxiously undid the string, opened the pisang leaf and turned deathly pale when he saw the torn pieces of paper which he recognized but too well.“And what message did you bring with you?” he asked.[196]“Nothing but this: that whenever I dared to bring similar letters they would cut me to pieces. On hearing that I ran away as fast as I could.”“Who spoke to you?”“A tall Dayak whom I did not recognize.”“Have you seen any palefaces?”“Not one, sir!”“Did you speak to Amai Kotong?” Tomonggong Nikodemus asked.“No, I was not admitted inside the kotta.”“And to whom did you deliver the letter?”“To Dalim, who accompanied by the Dayak came outside to hear what I wanted.”The Tomonggongs and the Colonel hereupon exchanged a glance.“Then you did see Dalim?”“Yes, sir!”“And you spoke to him?”“Yes, sir!”“Why did you give the letter to him?” Nikodemus asked, “after I had instructed you to give it to nobody else but Amai Kotong?”“I did not wish to act in opposition to your orders, but Dalim told me that I might return whence I came, that I would not be admitted inside the kotta, nor could I see Amai Kotong. I thereupon handed him the letter, hoping that the kotta Chief might come to me after reading it, instead of which that tall blackguard reappeared and frightened me terribly.”[197]“So you did not see anything?”“No, sir! nothing; but after I had given your letter I heard somebody reading out aloud. Then came loud and horrible cries from inside the kotta. I also heard threats against you, against the Resident, against the Government, as well as against myself and was on the point of running away. After the cries had somewhat subsided, however, the tall one handed me this parcel with instructions to give it to you.”The Colonel exchanged looks of disappointment with the Tomonggongs. The messenger at a given signal withdrew.“The affair has not improved,” the Colonel said. “Are not you of the same opinion?”Both Tomonggongs nodded affirmatively.“Can Dalim read?”“No, sir!” was the answer of Nikodemus.“It is quite clear that Amai Kotong has not been informed of the contents of the letter, and that they have read something else to him and the inhabitants of the kotta. Nevertheless we dare not hesitate. The situation becomes more grave with each moment. Is such your opinion also?”“Yes, sir!” both Tomonggongs replied.“I then propose to surprise the kotta to-night.”“Only listen to me once more, sir!” Tomonggong Nikodemus said quietly. “After the fight of this afternoon we must not dream of leading our Dayaks against the kotta. It will take several days to remove the impression of defeat, and I therefore earnestly implore you to postpone the attack. Besides, its chances of success will be very poor indeed with this clear[198]moonlight, and it will certainly entail considerable loss of life.”“But what then, Tomonggong?” asked the Colonel.The old Chief did not reply at once. He reflected, sighed, and placing his hand on the shoulder of the Colonel, said:“Listen! I will go!”[199]
[Contents]CHAPTER XI.FURTHER MEANS OF DEFENCE—THE OATH OF ATONEMENT—JOHANNES AN ORATOR—TWO GUN SHOTS—THE ATTACK—WIENERSDORF IN A FAINT—A GRATEFUL POENAN—A DAYAK BEAUTY—AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE—WIENERSDORF IS ENGAGED TO HAMADOE—AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE COLONEL—HE CARRIES BACK HIS MESSAGE.At daybreak every man in the fortification again set to work to complete arrangements for defence. Johannes and Wienersdorf were among the earliest and most active workers. They hauled up all the canoes and placed them in security, and then levelled the banks of the river in order to render a surprise by water impracticable. These tasks finished they dug a quadruple circle of pits around the fortress, and after driving a couple of pointed stakes in each of them they covered them with a layer of long grass in order to conceal them from view. They also planted rows of spikes of hard wood in the vicinity of all the principal approaches.The Poenans of Harimaoung Boekit were in the meantime occupied in preparing the stake at which their victim was to be immolated. This, when finished, was planted in the centre of the quadrangle, the area of which was swept and strewn with white[174]sand in accordance with the custom observed on similar occasions. The women were busily engaged in cooking as the ceremony of the oath of atonement invariably concluded with a grand festive banquet. They killed two buffaloes and four large pigs, the flesh of which was made into numerous savory dishes, boiled, roasted and stewed. Instead of the usual pileworms they had slices of snakes and a bangamat, or flying dog, roasted whole and served like our sucking pigs. The principal side dish consisted of baloedoek, an amphibious animal about a foot long, white and covered with fine scales. Its body resembles a fish and it has the head of a frog. Besides these there were hambatar, or the larvæ of beetles. They also prepared cakes of rice meal, sago and pisang, while finally, in the way of confectionery, they had shells filled with tangoeli, the larvæ of bees stewed in honey, a highly prized delicacy. Every one being thus busily occupied, the hours of the morning soon passed.It was close upon noon when all was ready for the ceremony. Amai Kotong then called the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan together and Harimaoung Boekit formally invited the Europeans to be present at the ceremony of the oath of atonement. All of them however could not attend, as they had undertaken to keep the lookout in turns while the festivities were in progress. La Cueille was first detached for this important duty. Wienersdorf and Harimaoung Boekit took their places in the midst of six young men who, with palm branches in their hands, formed a guard of honor for the two heroes of the festival.Arrived at the quadrangle, they found all the men dressed in full war costume and their faces covered by a taboekah or wooden[175]mask. They all carried their mandauws and lances and now formed around the stake. When everything was arranged the priestesses commenced their chants accompanied by the sound of their katambongs.The singing lasted until pastmid-daywhen the signal for producing the victim was given. While she was fetched from her cage one of the priestesses mounted an especially prepared ladder and sung an invocation, beseeching that a favorable omen might be vouchsafed the impending ceremony.A falcon, as if it had understood the invocation, immediately appeared above the border of the forest. Rising to the left of the fort it soared higher and higher in the air, describing large circles until it had mounted midway in the zenith, when it stopped for a few minutes. After remaining thus motionless for a short time it suddenly uttered a piercing cry and flew away in the direction whence it had come. Every Dayak present was affected. The cry uttered by the bird was construed into a warning and regarded as a most unfavorable omen.In the meantime the poor woman had entered the circle and two men began to tie her. She had scarcely strength enough to stand and kept her head gently hanging sideways. For the rest, she appeared to be calm and freely viewed the environing circle.After having been securely tied Harimaoung Boekit approached Wienersdorf, made a slight incision with his knife on his naked chest and collected the blood in a vessel. He then made a similar incision on his own body, caught the blood in the same vessel and filled it with toeak. He thereupon raised the bloody mixture and pronounced a fearful curse upon himself in case he[176]should ever break the tie of brotherhood which he was now on the point of cementing. He called upon every deity and demon to witness his brotherly affection for the saviour of his life. He invoked their most fearful punishment if he should ever prove false to him and finished by half emptying the vessel held in his hand. This he next offered to Wienersdorf who swallowed the contents although his stomach rebelled against the mixture. After this ceremony the Poenan chief again spoke, addressing the Swiss:“We are brothers now and I will always treat you as such. But another debt of blood still exists between us. When I attacked your party I tried to get your heads. During this struggle one of your companions was killed, several of my own followers perished, and—blood requires blood. See! in order to satisfy this demand we sacrifice one of our hirelings. We will besmear her with our own blood which will cancel this debt and render us free of each other.”Johannes now took Wienersdorf by the hand and mounted with him the steps recently vacated by the priestess.“My brethren,” he addressed the congregation, “my friend Dohong (War Sword), who from his infancy has lived in Bandjermasin where the great lord of the Dutch reigns, cannot sufficiently express himself in Dayak and has begged my assistance to speak to you. He gratefully accepts the bond of Harimaoung Boekit and, happen what may, will always be a good brother to him. Like the water which, cleft by a mandauw reunites again, their friendship will remain undisturbed, so that in life and death they may count upon each other. But our Dohong has been brought[177]up amongst the whites. They have taught him that no one is allowed to kill a human being. Even in Kwala Kapoeas such an act is strictly forbidden. Dohong follows their customs and abhors the killing of men, unless it is on the battlefield. He therefore proposes to his brother to spare the life of this woman, and in order to wash away the debt of blood he suggests that a buffalo shall be sacrificed. You have noticed the evil omen of the falcon. This only happens because we inhabitants of Kwala Kapoeas were going to commit a sin by violating the obligation solemnly undertaken by us not to kill any human beings. Let us then kill a buffalo instead of this woman and you will see that the omens will change and become favorable.”Dead silence reigned within the square of kotta Djangkan. At the end of the speech every face had become darkened and exhibited the greatest dissatisfaction. The Poenans especially showed their feelings by grasping their mandauws. They considered the words just uttered as a grave offence against their chief. Harimaoung Boekit now mounted the steps and addressed the assembly:“Here in the upper country,” he commenced, “the whites have nothing to say; whenever they wish to command here, let them come! Are they so careful themselves of human life? How many thousands of lives have been sacrificed during the war in this beautiful island? And who caused that war? Did not their avarice? Who will tell of the numerous Javanese starved to death, because they had to plant coffee or to build kottas for the palefaces, so that they had no time left them for the cultivation of their own fields? Do you think we are ignorant of all[178]this? They forbid us to kill our hirelings and pretend to have veneration for slaves. Do not trust white men; their lips are oily but they are hypocrites.” With increased passion, he continued, “Touch their purse and they will kill hundreds of free men as well as slaves. They do worse than killing men in order to make money.”The Poenan paused awhile as if waiting to take breath, when he thus resumed: “But who cares for the orders of these whites? It behooves every man to follow the institutions of his country. The ceremony must proceed——unless my brother Dohong refuses to accept my friendship.”These last words were uttered in a subdued tone accompanied by a sob. The thought that his saviour would refuse his friendship visibly affected the child of Nature. For the rest, the Poenan stood there proud and gallant, his nostrils dilated and his head thrown back, while his mandauw was already half unsheathed.Wienersdorf anxiously scanned the surrounding men. La Cueille was absent; Johannes stood with his head bent upon his chest; the Dayaks of kotta Djangkan uttered a murmur of approbation and joined the side of their relatives, the Poenans. Even Dalim and his companions stood motionless. They could not count upon any assistance. A second’s hesitation would suffice to cause a quarrel which could only terminate in the death of the Europeans. Wienersdorf foresaw all this and suddenly seizing the hand of Harimaoung Boekit he raised it to his lips and bowed his head.Johannes now came forward to the flag-staff, produced a small bundle, tied it to a line and hoisted it to the top. The boys[179]ranged themselves in file; the eldest of them stepped forward and uttering a fiendish laugh stabbed the victim under the left breast. All single men would have followed his example by piercing the flesh of the victim with the point of their lances to the depth of about half an inch but for the events which now occurred and which served to divert all attention from the victim.First, she uttered a piercing yell. She had remained calm up to the present, but now her shrieks were heart-rending.While all this was taking place Johannes shook the flag line and disentangled the parcel just hoisted, when the Dutch ensign proudly unfurled itself above the head of the poor woman.It seemed as if this tricolor was her salvation, for suddenly two guns were fired in rapid succession summoning the garrison to the ramparts. Johannes, taking advantage of the general confusion, rushed forwards, severed the cords by which the victim was bound and thus liberated her. He then joined his confederates to see what had occurred.La Cueille, seated in his elevated box, which overlooked the river for a considerable distance, placed the two loaded guns in position, possessed himself of a lighted torch and waited his opportunity with a vigilant eye on the river. At last he saw a fleet of canoes appear from behind an angle of the soengei. He remained quiet, however, and allowed them to approach nearer still.The time for action at length arrived. Adjusting the elevation of his guns he applied the torch to the touchhole, and sent a couple of balls in the midst of the fleet, sinking one of the canoes and causing no little confusion amongst the rest.[180]The Colonel hereupon ordered his men to land so as provisionally to place them out of danger, and accordingly the whole of the attacking force was soon hidden among the shrubs and trees of the bank. He knew, however, the danger of leaving his troops under the influence of this first repulse, and therefore, although the mystery of the Dutch flag waving from the fortress still puzzled him, he determined not to hesitate, but collected his forces and advanced to storm the fortification. He remembered the experience of former contests, that in Indian warfare boldness secures success.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.They carried him away with them to the open air where, assisted by draughts of cold water, they all soon regained their composure.Harimaoung Boekit now for the second time owed his life to Wienersdorf. He had learned from his followers with what courage his new brother had come to his assistance. He approached his rescuer and putting his hand on his shoulder asked whether he could do anything for him. All he possessed he placed at the disposal of his deliverer and even offered to become his hireling at the sacrifice of his personal freedom.Wienersdorf, though still under the influence of the scene recently witnessed, did not long hesitate. He took the hand of the Poenan, shook it passionately, and begged for the life of the poor woman who had been temporarily saved from a miserable end by the unforeseen arrival of the hostile fleet. This request was granted after some hesitation, the Poenan averring that he could not comprehend why he thus insisted upon sparing the life of this woman, who besides being the mother of two children was middle-aged and ill-looking. He felt greatly astonished at the perverted taste of the Swiss. Anxious, however, to render his deliverer happy by the possession of a comely wife he[184]now offered him his own sister, a young and comely maiden, the pride of her tribe. Thus by a suitable marriage they would strengthen the tie of brotherhood.Hamadoe, as the young lady was called, was a splendid creature with a fine complexion delicately tinted. Her mouth was exquisitely chiselled, her eyes large and dark beamed with a soft languishing expression, but were also capable of that fiery brilliancy so often met with in eastern races. Her figure was magnificent, tall, lithe and graceful; she possessed the carriage which peculiarly distinguishes the child of nature and which is so rarely encountered in the lands of a civilized society.Our Europeans had often admired the beautiful Hamadoe and thought her worthy of the name she bore, sweet honey. Now, however, that this pearl of female beauty was offered to him, Wienersdorf hesitated and was on the point of refusing. Luckily Johannes interfered and adroitly answered the Poenan that his friend would gratefully accept his offer to become the husband of the fair Hamadoe.Astonished at this unexpected intervention the Swiss looked up and wished to speak; but Johannes politely begged him to retire; Wienersdorf withdrew accordingly, not the less determined that however captivating the beautiful Hamadoe might be, he would not be forced to commit any act of folly.Harimaoung Boekit led Johannes to his dwelling, the maiden was called, and Johannes formally proposed for his friend according to the existing Dayak custom. At first she seemed favorably inclined, but seeing that the agent had not one single skull to offer as a marriage gift she hesitated. At last she took[185]a female dress which was hanging up to dry and offered it to Johannes, saying, “Your friend is no man, he is only a shy woman and unworthy of male attire; tell him to wear this petticoat.”Johannes only smiled without accepting the dress. Harimaoung Boekit here told her how this stranger had twice saved his life and explained to her that as in the lower country the Dutch had prohibited head-hunting, his deliverer had to submit to command, but that he was nevertheless one of the bravest of the brave, a true Dohong.After this explanation the girl did not further hesitate, but frankly declared that she would retract her words. She added that she would be proud to please her brother, and was ready to become Dohong’s partner for life and to share his weal and woe. She begged her brother to prepare everything for the speedy celebration of the blako ontong, when they would implore blessings on her marriage from the Radja balawang boelau, the King of the Golden Gate of Heaven.All this was said with such charming modesty that Johannes became enchanted with the maiden and almost envied the good-fortune of his companion. When Hamadoe had retired, the real marriage treaty was proceeded with. Johannes began with the explanation that Dohong, being a liberated hireling, was not blessed with any earthly treasure, and was consequently unable to produce either a high palakko or the usual sums of money required for the celebration of the marriage. The palakko is a settlement deposited by the bridegroom with the parents of the bride, amounting, according to the wealth of the bridegroom, to a sum ranging from fifty to eight hundred guilders.[186]This money serves to keep the lover constant; for at the slightest proof of unfaithfulness, it becomes the property of the wife. Harimaoung Boekit smiled at this communication, took a few bamboo boxes from the wall and presented them to Johannes, with the information that they contained about twentythaëlsof gold dust, sufficient to provide for all emergencies.“Could I refuse to part with this gold, and in order to make my brother Dohong happy?” the generous Poenan chief asked. “I have offered him my body and after that he may consider everything belonging to me as his own.”All being thus far settled the wedding-day was next fixed. It was proposed that the ceremony should be solemnized two months thence, in Harimaoung Boekit’s home, situated on the soengei Miri, and that in honor of Kadjanka, the ruler of the moon and the protector of newly married women, it should take place on the day of the full moon.“And let us hope,” Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? I never thought you were such an unscrupulous scoundrel.”[187]“Well, I like that,” Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. I am sure the Creator must now and then feel utterly ashamed of the stupidity of the white race.”Johannes appeared supremely handsome in his disdain; his eyes flashed, his nostrils quivered and the veins of his forehead were visible like swollen cords.Schlickeisen now appeared as pacificator, saying,“Don’t feel hurt at an unguarded expression of your companion, which I am positive he did not mean—did you?”“The words were certainly spoken without reflection,” Wienersdorf answered solemnly, “and I will willingly retract them. I was angry at hearing my friend speak so coolly about marriage and divorce in the same breath.”“I only made the remark to remove your impression that marriage meant a compulsory residence in this island. I would feel loath to make a jest of serious subjects, but I sought to convince you how necessary it is for us to yield to unavoidable circumstances. As soon as I find myself among whitefaces I will respect their ideas of marriage and divorce, but while I am among Borneans I accept their customs and institutions.”[188]“But permit me to say that I do exactly the same. I fully respect Dayak customs and nobody will ever reproach me with this want of toleration which you condemn. The people here and everywhere are at liberty to intermarry and separate as much as they choose, provided you leave me out of the question.”“And yet you will have to get reconciled to this marriage,” Johannes answered.“Never!” exclaimed Wienersdorf.“But for once, reason sensibly.”“Reason is out of the question. I will never marry a woman with the knowledge that in a little while I must put her away from me.”“But listen; as matters stand just now, the marriage is unavoidable. You have already seriously offended the Poenan chief during the expiation festival and the mandauws were half unsheathed. Beware of refusing the hand of his sister for he will take terrible vengeance. And I repeat what I observed on a former occasion that if you do not yourself value life you will have to consider us.”“But,” said Wienersdorf, “is not yours an exaggerated supposition. Will the Poenan really take the refusal so seriously?”“Can you doubt it? Have you already forgotten how your behavior during the execution of that slave made him fear that you did not value his friendship? What will be the effect of your refusing the hand of his sister so cordially offered to you? It will most certainly cause a coolness not far removed from animosity. The Poenan will then withdraw with all his followers and leave us to our fate.”[189]“And what if he did?” Wienersdorf said defiantly.“It would simply deprive us of all assistance from kotta Djangkan. You seem to forget that we have to thank Harimaoung Boekit for this timely refuge. As soon as the Poenan leaves us a reconciliation between the kotta and our besiegers will follow, and the first condition of this reconciliation will be to deliver up the deserters. Such will be our fate if you persist in refusing to marry.”“Stop!” Wienersdorf cried, “you drive me mad. To what an extremity have you brought me?”“Only to the extremity of marrying a handsome girl, you lucky dog!” the Walloon said smilingly.“Listen again,” Johannes continued, firm as fate, “and consider on the other hand the consequences of this marriage if duly carried out. Harimaoung Boekit’s affection towards his deliverer will undoubtedly increase, you will belong to his relations and we will have gained faithful allies. The Colonel will raise the siege of kotta Djangkan, being unable to capture it with the slender means at his disposal. We will then travel in company with the Poenan chief to the Miri country where we shall be in perfect security until we find means to escape.”Wienersdorf sighed heavily; then offering his hand to his companions he said, with tears in his eyes:“Friends, I accede and agree to the marriage.”“He gives way,” La Cueille cried. “Allah be praised, he consents to marry a most charming young girl.”While the deserters were thus busy arriving at a decision, Amai Kotong and Harimaoung Boekit approached with the intelligence that a Dayak of Kwala Kapoeas had appeared at the gate[190]of the kotta bearing a letter from the Commander. The two chiefs wished to have the opinions of their friends. They themselves proposed to refuse admittance to the messenger, as neither of them could read the letter and feared he might be a spy. Johannes asked Dalim to follow him and they both went outside the gate to learn the errand of the ambassador. He was a simple Dayak, a follower of Tomonggong Nikodemus, who was commissioned to deliver the letter into the hands of Amai Kotong himself. At first he refused to part with the missive, but after Dalim had informed him that he might return whence he came, but that he could not see the chief of the kotta, he altered his tone and gave the letter to Johannes. After having perused its contents, the messenger was bidden to wait outside where the answer would be brought to him.An Ambassador from the Colonel.An Ambassador from the Colonel.The letter contained the request of the Colonel to be allowed to enter the kotta unarmed, accompanied by Tomonggong Djaja Nagara and one other, in order to have an interview with Amai Kotong. Johannes smiled on reading this. But once inside the fort again, he called the garrison together in the square, mounted the steps and read with a loud and penetrating voice, looking solemnly at the paper, how the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas, in the name of the Resident of Bandjermasin, ordered Harimaoung Boekit with his Poenans to be delivered up to the gallows as murderers. On hearing the pretended contents of the letter, a cry of rage arose from all the assembled natives. The Poenan chief mounted the steps to satisfy himself by looking at the horrible words which pronounced his sentence. Johannes, after having allowed them for a few moments to give vent to their[191]feelings, commanded silence as he had some further communications to make.“I have not read all,” he said in a loud voice. “Listen, brothers, to what follows: If these Poenans, those horrible murderers, are not delivered up before sunset the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan will feel the avenging arm of the Dutch Government. The kotta will be taken and levelled to the ground. The soil on which it now stands will be dug up and the priestesses will sow salt in the furrows as a token that the spot will be accursed forever and ever by Mahatara.”The cries of the multitude now became deafening.As soon as Johannes saw another opportunity of being listened to, he continued: “Attend! All the men will be killed and strung up like animals; the old women and children will be sold as slaves, and the maidens and young married women will be divided amongst the assailants!”Their rage became unbounded, and the wild band would have sped outside and put the bearer of this fatal letter to the most horrible martyrdom, but for the timely intervention of Johannes and his companions. They placed themselves at the gate of the kotta and after much trouble succeeded in convincing the enraged people of the innocence of the messenger who was wholly ignorant of the contents of the document.“No, friends!” Johannes exclaimed, “we must not answer this threat with a murder. But it will be wise to show that we are no cowards.”“I will go to the Commander myself!” Amai Kotong cried, “and explain that I cannot possibly give up a member of my[192]family; such a course being quite against our moral teachings.”“No,” Johannes said. “You would not be proof against the honeyed language of a paleface. Besides, they will keep you a prisoner if you don’t submit.”“But what am I to do?”“See here?”And at the same time he tore the letter into a thousand pieces, collected them in a pisang leaf and tied them up into a parcel.“That is the way to return the letter to the Commander!” he exclaimed victoriously.A loud cry of satisfaction was the answer, proving again that whoever has tact, may lead any assemblage as he wishes.A few moments afterwards he placed the parcel into the messenger’s hand, with command to deliver it to the Commander, at the same time advising him never to return to the kotta with similar messages unless he wished to be cut to pieces. The frightened native accepted the parcel and hurried away from such dangerous quarters as fast as his feet would carry him.In the meantime the two Dayak chiefs were seated with the Colonel on the trunk of a tree under a shed made of branches and leaves, and were waiting for the return of their messenger. The Colonel seemed very impatient; he stamped with his feet, drummed with his fingers on the sheath of his sword, and distinctly showed that he had not yet acquired the Eastern reserve so natural to his companions. At last he said:“He is a long while coming, is he not?”“It certainly is not far from here,” Tomonggong Nikodemus[193]answered, “but your honor must not forget how cautious our messengers have to be.”“But do you really fancy this letter will lead to the result you expected?”“Yes, sir! The inhabitants of the kotta will see no danger in admitting the three of us unarmed inside their walls, and once there, we will find no difficulty in persuading Amai Kotong to deliver up the Europeans. The Chief will never risk the lives and property of the whole of his tribe, in order to protect four deserters.”“And yet their influence seems considerable, judging by our reception,” was the bitter reply of the officer.“I must own that it looks very suspicious; but who knows what tale they have told those ignorant upper countrymen?”“But will Amai Kotong be able to read the letter?”“No, sir, he cannot read himself; but undoubtedly some one will be found inside the kotta capable of deciphering it.”“Did you know that the kotta was so heavily armed?”“So heavily armed?” the Tomonggong asked in surprise.“Certainly; I have just now observed through my glasses that the battery carries six pieces of cannon, while, when I was here last year, as you must remember, no sign of a gun could be discerned.”“I certainly do remember it; but you seem to forget the guns of Kwala Hiang, which the deserters must have carried away with them.”“But at Kwala Hiang there were only two guns, while here I can count at least six.”[194]“If such is the case, I am at a loss to find an explanation,” Nikodemus answered with a sigh. “And yet I do not believe that the intentions of kotta Djangkan, armed as it appears to be, are hostile towards the Dutch Government, or we should have heard of it before now. Such proceedings do not remain a secret in the Dayak country. These pieces must have been conjured hither, unless the Commander is mistaken.”“You doubt whether I have seen rightly,” was the passionate reply of the Colonel. “I have even seen more than these guns. The principal passages leading to the kotta are planted with spikes and rendered impassable by pits, so that an assault is most difficult. All this has taken time to accomplish and I very much fear that I have no reason to be satisfied with some of my younger brothers. Speaking in the mildest terms, they have been opposing their elder brother.”Both Tomonggongs remained speechless for a few minutes, their emotion being distinctly visible. The face of old Nikodemus displayed a feeling of grief and pain, while that of the other was drawn into angry wrinkles, his eyes rolling wildly and betraying the fearful passion raging in his bosom.“It is a great untruth!” he screamed, jumping up as if electrified. Nikodemus, however, took him by the hand, compelling him to resume his seat.The Colonel witnessed this scene, which lasted for a few seconds only, with some surprise. He felt that he had gone too far in his remarks. Then ensued a painful silence—that silence which is more eloquent among Eastern tribes than the most violent utterance. At last Nikodemus spoke:[195]“The words spoken just now,” he said, with a deeply affected voice, “were painful, but I am convinced they did not come from the heart. But the Colonel forgets the deserters. I have not the least doubt but that they have found a refuge at kotta Djangkan. How they have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the people is a mystery to me. But everything has taken place through their influence and it is they who have supervised these operations.”The Colonel reflected for a few minutes.“Yes, they are brave boys,” he muttered inaudibly, “capable of anything. Ah! I have not caught them yet.”And turning to both chiefs he said, cordially offering them his hand, “My younger brothers, you may be right. Pardon the anger I just now displayed; but my heart was bitter. At that moment I thought of the blood already spilled and yet to be spilled in consequence of this dispute with kotta Djangkan.”Both Tomonggongs bowed their heads and cordially pressed the offered hand. The Dayak is never vindictive, and soon forgets and forgives if only met half way.They were still consulting together when the return of the messenger was reported. They all arose, showing the greatest excitement. The messenger respectfully handed his message to the Colonel, saying:“This is for you, sir.”The Colonel took the parcel, anxiously undid the string, opened the pisang leaf and turned deathly pale when he saw the torn pieces of paper which he recognized but too well.“And what message did you bring with you?” he asked.[196]“Nothing but this: that whenever I dared to bring similar letters they would cut me to pieces. On hearing that I ran away as fast as I could.”“Who spoke to you?”“A tall Dayak whom I did not recognize.”“Have you seen any palefaces?”“Not one, sir!”“Did you speak to Amai Kotong?” Tomonggong Nikodemus asked.“No, I was not admitted inside the kotta.”“And to whom did you deliver the letter?”“To Dalim, who accompanied by the Dayak came outside to hear what I wanted.”The Tomonggongs and the Colonel hereupon exchanged a glance.“Then you did see Dalim?”“Yes, sir!”“And you spoke to him?”“Yes, sir!”“Why did you give the letter to him?” Nikodemus asked, “after I had instructed you to give it to nobody else but Amai Kotong?”“I did not wish to act in opposition to your orders, but Dalim told me that I might return whence I came, that I would not be admitted inside the kotta, nor could I see Amai Kotong. I thereupon handed him the letter, hoping that the kotta Chief might come to me after reading it, instead of which that tall blackguard reappeared and frightened me terribly.”[197]“So you did not see anything?”“No, sir! nothing; but after I had given your letter I heard somebody reading out aloud. Then came loud and horrible cries from inside the kotta. I also heard threats against you, against the Resident, against the Government, as well as against myself and was on the point of running away. After the cries had somewhat subsided, however, the tall one handed me this parcel with instructions to give it to you.”The Colonel exchanged looks of disappointment with the Tomonggongs. The messenger at a given signal withdrew.“The affair has not improved,” the Colonel said. “Are not you of the same opinion?”Both Tomonggongs nodded affirmatively.“Can Dalim read?”“No, sir!” was the answer of Nikodemus.“It is quite clear that Amai Kotong has not been informed of the contents of the letter, and that they have read something else to him and the inhabitants of the kotta. Nevertheless we dare not hesitate. The situation becomes more grave with each moment. Is such your opinion also?”“Yes, sir!” both Tomonggongs replied.“I then propose to surprise the kotta to-night.”“Only listen to me once more, sir!” Tomonggong Nikodemus said quietly. “After the fight of this afternoon we must not dream of leading our Dayaks against the kotta. It will take several days to remove the impression of defeat, and I therefore earnestly implore you to postpone the attack. Besides, its chances of success will be very poor indeed with this clear[198]moonlight, and it will certainly entail considerable loss of life.”“But what then, Tomonggong?” asked the Colonel.The old Chief did not reply at once. He reflected, sighed, and placing his hand on the shoulder of the Colonel, said:“Listen! I will go!”[199]
CHAPTER XI.FURTHER MEANS OF DEFENCE—THE OATH OF ATONEMENT—JOHANNES AN ORATOR—TWO GUN SHOTS—THE ATTACK—WIENERSDORF IN A FAINT—A GRATEFUL POENAN—A DAYAK BEAUTY—AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE—WIENERSDORF IS ENGAGED TO HAMADOE—AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE COLONEL—HE CARRIES BACK HIS MESSAGE.
FURTHER MEANS OF DEFENCE—THE OATH OF ATONEMENT—JOHANNES AN ORATOR—TWO GUN SHOTS—THE ATTACK—WIENERSDORF IN A FAINT—A GRATEFUL POENAN—A DAYAK BEAUTY—AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE—WIENERSDORF IS ENGAGED TO HAMADOE—AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE COLONEL—HE CARRIES BACK HIS MESSAGE.
FURTHER MEANS OF DEFENCE—THE OATH OF ATONEMENT—JOHANNES AN ORATOR—TWO GUN SHOTS—THE ATTACK—WIENERSDORF IN A FAINT—A GRATEFUL POENAN—A DAYAK BEAUTY—AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE—WIENERSDORF IS ENGAGED TO HAMADOE—AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE COLONEL—HE CARRIES BACK HIS MESSAGE.
At daybreak every man in the fortification again set to work to complete arrangements for defence. Johannes and Wienersdorf were among the earliest and most active workers. They hauled up all the canoes and placed them in security, and then levelled the banks of the river in order to render a surprise by water impracticable. These tasks finished they dug a quadruple circle of pits around the fortress, and after driving a couple of pointed stakes in each of them they covered them with a layer of long grass in order to conceal them from view. They also planted rows of spikes of hard wood in the vicinity of all the principal approaches.The Poenans of Harimaoung Boekit were in the meantime occupied in preparing the stake at which their victim was to be immolated. This, when finished, was planted in the centre of the quadrangle, the area of which was swept and strewn with white[174]sand in accordance with the custom observed on similar occasions. The women were busily engaged in cooking as the ceremony of the oath of atonement invariably concluded with a grand festive banquet. They killed two buffaloes and four large pigs, the flesh of which was made into numerous savory dishes, boiled, roasted and stewed. Instead of the usual pileworms they had slices of snakes and a bangamat, or flying dog, roasted whole and served like our sucking pigs. The principal side dish consisted of baloedoek, an amphibious animal about a foot long, white and covered with fine scales. Its body resembles a fish and it has the head of a frog. Besides these there were hambatar, or the larvæ of beetles. They also prepared cakes of rice meal, sago and pisang, while finally, in the way of confectionery, they had shells filled with tangoeli, the larvæ of bees stewed in honey, a highly prized delicacy. Every one being thus busily occupied, the hours of the morning soon passed.It was close upon noon when all was ready for the ceremony. Amai Kotong then called the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan together and Harimaoung Boekit formally invited the Europeans to be present at the ceremony of the oath of atonement. All of them however could not attend, as they had undertaken to keep the lookout in turns while the festivities were in progress. La Cueille was first detached for this important duty. Wienersdorf and Harimaoung Boekit took their places in the midst of six young men who, with palm branches in their hands, formed a guard of honor for the two heroes of the festival.Arrived at the quadrangle, they found all the men dressed in full war costume and their faces covered by a taboekah or wooden[175]mask. They all carried their mandauws and lances and now formed around the stake. When everything was arranged the priestesses commenced their chants accompanied by the sound of their katambongs.The singing lasted until pastmid-daywhen the signal for producing the victim was given. While she was fetched from her cage one of the priestesses mounted an especially prepared ladder and sung an invocation, beseeching that a favorable omen might be vouchsafed the impending ceremony.A falcon, as if it had understood the invocation, immediately appeared above the border of the forest. Rising to the left of the fort it soared higher and higher in the air, describing large circles until it had mounted midway in the zenith, when it stopped for a few minutes. After remaining thus motionless for a short time it suddenly uttered a piercing cry and flew away in the direction whence it had come. Every Dayak present was affected. The cry uttered by the bird was construed into a warning and regarded as a most unfavorable omen.In the meantime the poor woman had entered the circle and two men began to tie her. She had scarcely strength enough to stand and kept her head gently hanging sideways. For the rest, she appeared to be calm and freely viewed the environing circle.After having been securely tied Harimaoung Boekit approached Wienersdorf, made a slight incision with his knife on his naked chest and collected the blood in a vessel. He then made a similar incision on his own body, caught the blood in the same vessel and filled it with toeak. He thereupon raised the bloody mixture and pronounced a fearful curse upon himself in case he[176]should ever break the tie of brotherhood which he was now on the point of cementing. He called upon every deity and demon to witness his brotherly affection for the saviour of his life. He invoked their most fearful punishment if he should ever prove false to him and finished by half emptying the vessel held in his hand. This he next offered to Wienersdorf who swallowed the contents although his stomach rebelled against the mixture. After this ceremony the Poenan chief again spoke, addressing the Swiss:“We are brothers now and I will always treat you as such. But another debt of blood still exists between us. When I attacked your party I tried to get your heads. During this struggle one of your companions was killed, several of my own followers perished, and—blood requires blood. See! in order to satisfy this demand we sacrifice one of our hirelings. We will besmear her with our own blood which will cancel this debt and render us free of each other.”Johannes now took Wienersdorf by the hand and mounted with him the steps recently vacated by the priestess.“My brethren,” he addressed the congregation, “my friend Dohong (War Sword), who from his infancy has lived in Bandjermasin where the great lord of the Dutch reigns, cannot sufficiently express himself in Dayak and has begged my assistance to speak to you. He gratefully accepts the bond of Harimaoung Boekit and, happen what may, will always be a good brother to him. Like the water which, cleft by a mandauw reunites again, their friendship will remain undisturbed, so that in life and death they may count upon each other. But our Dohong has been brought[177]up amongst the whites. They have taught him that no one is allowed to kill a human being. Even in Kwala Kapoeas such an act is strictly forbidden. Dohong follows their customs and abhors the killing of men, unless it is on the battlefield. He therefore proposes to his brother to spare the life of this woman, and in order to wash away the debt of blood he suggests that a buffalo shall be sacrificed. You have noticed the evil omen of the falcon. This only happens because we inhabitants of Kwala Kapoeas were going to commit a sin by violating the obligation solemnly undertaken by us not to kill any human beings. Let us then kill a buffalo instead of this woman and you will see that the omens will change and become favorable.”Dead silence reigned within the square of kotta Djangkan. At the end of the speech every face had become darkened and exhibited the greatest dissatisfaction. The Poenans especially showed their feelings by grasping their mandauws. They considered the words just uttered as a grave offence against their chief. Harimaoung Boekit now mounted the steps and addressed the assembly:“Here in the upper country,” he commenced, “the whites have nothing to say; whenever they wish to command here, let them come! Are they so careful themselves of human life? How many thousands of lives have been sacrificed during the war in this beautiful island? And who caused that war? Did not their avarice? Who will tell of the numerous Javanese starved to death, because they had to plant coffee or to build kottas for the palefaces, so that they had no time left them for the cultivation of their own fields? Do you think we are ignorant of all[178]this? They forbid us to kill our hirelings and pretend to have veneration for slaves. Do not trust white men; their lips are oily but they are hypocrites.” With increased passion, he continued, “Touch their purse and they will kill hundreds of free men as well as slaves. They do worse than killing men in order to make money.”The Poenan paused awhile as if waiting to take breath, when he thus resumed: “But who cares for the orders of these whites? It behooves every man to follow the institutions of his country. The ceremony must proceed——unless my brother Dohong refuses to accept my friendship.”These last words were uttered in a subdued tone accompanied by a sob. The thought that his saviour would refuse his friendship visibly affected the child of Nature. For the rest, the Poenan stood there proud and gallant, his nostrils dilated and his head thrown back, while his mandauw was already half unsheathed.Wienersdorf anxiously scanned the surrounding men. La Cueille was absent; Johannes stood with his head bent upon his chest; the Dayaks of kotta Djangkan uttered a murmur of approbation and joined the side of their relatives, the Poenans. Even Dalim and his companions stood motionless. They could not count upon any assistance. A second’s hesitation would suffice to cause a quarrel which could only terminate in the death of the Europeans. Wienersdorf foresaw all this and suddenly seizing the hand of Harimaoung Boekit he raised it to his lips and bowed his head.Johannes now came forward to the flag-staff, produced a small bundle, tied it to a line and hoisted it to the top. The boys[179]ranged themselves in file; the eldest of them stepped forward and uttering a fiendish laugh stabbed the victim under the left breast. All single men would have followed his example by piercing the flesh of the victim with the point of their lances to the depth of about half an inch but for the events which now occurred and which served to divert all attention from the victim.First, she uttered a piercing yell. She had remained calm up to the present, but now her shrieks were heart-rending.While all this was taking place Johannes shook the flag line and disentangled the parcel just hoisted, when the Dutch ensign proudly unfurled itself above the head of the poor woman.It seemed as if this tricolor was her salvation, for suddenly two guns were fired in rapid succession summoning the garrison to the ramparts. Johannes, taking advantage of the general confusion, rushed forwards, severed the cords by which the victim was bound and thus liberated her. He then joined his confederates to see what had occurred.La Cueille, seated in his elevated box, which overlooked the river for a considerable distance, placed the two loaded guns in position, possessed himself of a lighted torch and waited his opportunity with a vigilant eye on the river. At last he saw a fleet of canoes appear from behind an angle of the soengei. He remained quiet, however, and allowed them to approach nearer still.The time for action at length arrived. Adjusting the elevation of his guns he applied the torch to the touchhole, and sent a couple of balls in the midst of the fleet, sinking one of the canoes and causing no little confusion amongst the rest.[180]The Colonel hereupon ordered his men to land so as provisionally to place them out of danger, and accordingly the whole of the attacking force was soon hidden among the shrubs and trees of the bank. He knew, however, the danger of leaving his troops under the influence of this first repulse, and therefore, although the mystery of the Dutch flag waving from the fortress still puzzled him, he determined not to hesitate, but collected his forces and advanced to storm the fortification. He remembered the experience of former contests, that in Indian warfare boldness secures success.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.They carried him away with them to the open air where, assisted by draughts of cold water, they all soon regained their composure.Harimaoung Boekit now for the second time owed his life to Wienersdorf. He had learned from his followers with what courage his new brother had come to his assistance. He approached his rescuer and putting his hand on his shoulder asked whether he could do anything for him. All he possessed he placed at the disposal of his deliverer and even offered to become his hireling at the sacrifice of his personal freedom.Wienersdorf, though still under the influence of the scene recently witnessed, did not long hesitate. He took the hand of the Poenan, shook it passionately, and begged for the life of the poor woman who had been temporarily saved from a miserable end by the unforeseen arrival of the hostile fleet. This request was granted after some hesitation, the Poenan averring that he could not comprehend why he thus insisted upon sparing the life of this woman, who besides being the mother of two children was middle-aged and ill-looking. He felt greatly astonished at the perverted taste of the Swiss. Anxious, however, to render his deliverer happy by the possession of a comely wife he[184]now offered him his own sister, a young and comely maiden, the pride of her tribe. Thus by a suitable marriage they would strengthen the tie of brotherhood.Hamadoe, as the young lady was called, was a splendid creature with a fine complexion delicately tinted. Her mouth was exquisitely chiselled, her eyes large and dark beamed with a soft languishing expression, but were also capable of that fiery brilliancy so often met with in eastern races. Her figure was magnificent, tall, lithe and graceful; she possessed the carriage which peculiarly distinguishes the child of nature and which is so rarely encountered in the lands of a civilized society.Our Europeans had often admired the beautiful Hamadoe and thought her worthy of the name she bore, sweet honey. Now, however, that this pearl of female beauty was offered to him, Wienersdorf hesitated and was on the point of refusing. Luckily Johannes interfered and adroitly answered the Poenan that his friend would gratefully accept his offer to become the husband of the fair Hamadoe.Astonished at this unexpected intervention the Swiss looked up and wished to speak; but Johannes politely begged him to retire; Wienersdorf withdrew accordingly, not the less determined that however captivating the beautiful Hamadoe might be, he would not be forced to commit any act of folly.Harimaoung Boekit led Johannes to his dwelling, the maiden was called, and Johannes formally proposed for his friend according to the existing Dayak custom. At first she seemed favorably inclined, but seeing that the agent had not one single skull to offer as a marriage gift she hesitated. At last she took[185]a female dress which was hanging up to dry and offered it to Johannes, saying, “Your friend is no man, he is only a shy woman and unworthy of male attire; tell him to wear this petticoat.”Johannes only smiled without accepting the dress. Harimaoung Boekit here told her how this stranger had twice saved his life and explained to her that as in the lower country the Dutch had prohibited head-hunting, his deliverer had to submit to command, but that he was nevertheless one of the bravest of the brave, a true Dohong.After this explanation the girl did not further hesitate, but frankly declared that she would retract her words. She added that she would be proud to please her brother, and was ready to become Dohong’s partner for life and to share his weal and woe. She begged her brother to prepare everything for the speedy celebration of the blako ontong, when they would implore blessings on her marriage from the Radja balawang boelau, the King of the Golden Gate of Heaven.All this was said with such charming modesty that Johannes became enchanted with the maiden and almost envied the good-fortune of his companion. When Hamadoe had retired, the real marriage treaty was proceeded with. Johannes began with the explanation that Dohong, being a liberated hireling, was not blessed with any earthly treasure, and was consequently unable to produce either a high palakko or the usual sums of money required for the celebration of the marriage. The palakko is a settlement deposited by the bridegroom with the parents of the bride, amounting, according to the wealth of the bridegroom, to a sum ranging from fifty to eight hundred guilders.[186]This money serves to keep the lover constant; for at the slightest proof of unfaithfulness, it becomes the property of the wife. Harimaoung Boekit smiled at this communication, took a few bamboo boxes from the wall and presented them to Johannes, with the information that they contained about twentythaëlsof gold dust, sufficient to provide for all emergencies.“Could I refuse to part with this gold, and in order to make my brother Dohong happy?” the generous Poenan chief asked. “I have offered him my body and after that he may consider everything belonging to me as his own.”All being thus far settled the wedding-day was next fixed. It was proposed that the ceremony should be solemnized two months thence, in Harimaoung Boekit’s home, situated on the soengei Miri, and that in honor of Kadjanka, the ruler of the moon and the protector of newly married women, it should take place on the day of the full moon.“And let us hope,” Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? I never thought you were such an unscrupulous scoundrel.”[187]“Well, I like that,” Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. I am sure the Creator must now and then feel utterly ashamed of the stupidity of the white race.”Johannes appeared supremely handsome in his disdain; his eyes flashed, his nostrils quivered and the veins of his forehead were visible like swollen cords.Schlickeisen now appeared as pacificator, saying,“Don’t feel hurt at an unguarded expression of your companion, which I am positive he did not mean—did you?”“The words were certainly spoken without reflection,” Wienersdorf answered solemnly, “and I will willingly retract them. I was angry at hearing my friend speak so coolly about marriage and divorce in the same breath.”“I only made the remark to remove your impression that marriage meant a compulsory residence in this island. I would feel loath to make a jest of serious subjects, but I sought to convince you how necessary it is for us to yield to unavoidable circumstances. As soon as I find myself among whitefaces I will respect their ideas of marriage and divorce, but while I am among Borneans I accept their customs and institutions.”[188]“But permit me to say that I do exactly the same. I fully respect Dayak customs and nobody will ever reproach me with this want of toleration which you condemn. The people here and everywhere are at liberty to intermarry and separate as much as they choose, provided you leave me out of the question.”“And yet you will have to get reconciled to this marriage,” Johannes answered.“Never!” exclaimed Wienersdorf.“But for once, reason sensibly.”“Reason is out of the question. I will never marry a woman with the knowledge that in a little while I must put her away from me.”“But listen; as matters stand just now, the marriage is unavoidable. You have already seriously offended the Poenan chief during the expiation festival and the mandauws were half unsheathed. Beware of refusing the hand of his sister for he will take terrible vengeance. And I repeat what I observed on a former occasion that if you do not yourself value life you will have to consider us.”“But,” said Wienersdorf, “is not yours an exaggerated supposition. Will the Poenan really take the refusal so seriously?”“Can you doubt it? Have you already forgotten how your behavior during the execution of that slave made him fear that you did not value his friendship? What will be the effect of your refusing the hand of his sister so cordially offered to you? It will most certainly cause a coolness not far removed from animosity. The Poenan will then withdraw with all his followers and leave us to our fate.”[189]“And what if he did?” Wienersdorf said defiantly.“It would simply deprive us of all assistance from kotta Djangkan. You seem to forget that we have to thank Harimaoung Boekit for this timely refuge. As soon as the Poenan leaves us a reconciliation between the kotta and our besiegers will follow, and the first condition of this reconciliation will be to deliver up the deserters. Such will be our fate if you persist in refusing to marry.”“Stop!” Wienersdorf cried, “you drive me mad. To what an extremity have you brought me?”“Only to the extremity of marrying a handsome girl, you lucky dog!” the Walloon said smilingly.“Listen again,” Johannes continued, firm as fate, “and consider on the other hand the consequences of this marriage if duly carried out. Harimaoung Boekit’s affection towards his deliverer will undoubtedly increase, you will belong to his relations and we will have gained faithful allies. The Colonel will raise the siege of kotta Djangkan, being unable to capture it with the slender means at his disposal. We will then travel in company with the Poenan chief to the Miri country where we shall be in perfect security until we find means to escape.”Wienersdorf sighed heavily; then offering his hand to his companions he said, with tears in his eyes:“Friends, I accede and agree to the marriage.”“He gives way,” La Cueille cried. “Allah be praised, he consents to marry a most charming young girl.”While the deserters were thus busy arriving at a decision, Amai Kotong and Harimaoung Boekit approached with the intelligence that a Dayak of Kwala Kapoeas had appeared at the gate[190]of the kotta bearing a letter from the Commander. The two chiefs wished to have the opinions of their friends. They themselves proposed to refuse admittance to the messenger, as neither of them could read the letter and feared he might be a spy. Johannes asked Dalim to follow him and they both went outside the gate to learn the errand of the ambassador. He was a simple Dayak, a follower of Tomonggong Nikodemus, who was commissioned to deliver the letter into the hands of Amai Kotong himself. At first he refused to part with the missive, but after Dalim had informed him that he might return whence he came, but that he could not see the chief of the kotta, he altered his tone and gave the letter to Johannes. After having perused its contents, the messenger was bidden to wait outside where the answer would be brought to him.An Ambassador from the Colonel.An Ambassador from the Colonel.The letter contained the request of the Colonel to be allowed to enter the kotta unarmed, accompanied by Tomonggong Djaja Nagara and one other, in order to have an interview with Amai Kotong. Johannes smiled on reading this. But once inside the fort again, he called the garrison together in the square, mounted the steps and read with a loud and penetrating voice, looking solemnly at the paper, how the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas, in the name of the Resident of Bandjermasin, ordered Harimaoung Boekit with his Poenans to be delivered up to the gallows as murderers. On hearing the pretended contents of the letter, a cry of rage arose from all the assembled natives. The Poenan chief mounted the steps to satisfy himself by looking at the horrible words which pronounced his sentence. Johannes, after having allowed them for a few moments to give vent to their[191]feelings, commanded silence as he had some further communications to make.“I have not read all,” he said in a loud voice. “Listen, brothers, to what follows: If these Poenans, those horrible murderers, are not delivered up before sunset the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan will feel the avenging arm of the Dutch Government. The kotta will be taken and levelled to the ground. The soil on which it now stands will be dug up and the priestesses will sow salt in the furrows as a token that the spot will be accursed forever and ever by Mahatara.”The cries of the multitude now became deafening.As soon as Johannes saw another opportunity of being listened to, he continued: “Attend! All the men will be killed and strung up like animals; the old women and children will be sold as slaves, and the maidens and young married women will be divided amongst the assailants!”Their rage became unbounded, and the wild band would have sped outside and put the bearer of this fatal letter to the most horrible martyrdom, but for the timely intervention of Johannes and his companions. They placed themselves at the gate of the kotta and after much trouble succeeded in convincing the enraged people of the innocence of the messenger who was wholly ignorant of the contents of the document.“No, friends!” Johannes exclaimed, “we must not answer this threat with a murder. But it will be wise to show that we are no cowards.”“I will go to the Commander myself!” Amai Kotong cried, “and explain that I cannot possibly give up a member of my[192]family; such a course being quite against our moral teachings.”“No,” Johannes said. “You would not be proof against the honeyed language of a paleface. Besides, they will keep you a prisoner if you don’t submit.”“But what am I to do?”“See here?”And at the same time he tore the letter into a thousand pieces, collected them in a pisang leaf and tied them up into a parcel.“That is the way to return the letter to the Commander!” he exclaimed victoriously.A loud cry of satisfaction was the answer, proving again that whoever has tact, may lead any assemblage as he wishes.A few moments afterwards he placed the parcel into the messenger’s hand, with command to deliver it to the Commander, at the same time advising him never to return to the kotta with similar messages unless he wished to be cut to pieces. The frightened native accepted the parcel and hurried away from such dangerous quarters as fast as his feet would carry him.In the meantime the two Dayak chiefs were seated with the Colonel on the trunk of a tree under a shed made of branches and leaves, and were waiting for the return of their messenger. The Colonel seemed very impatient; he stamped with his feet, drummed with his fingers on the sheath of his sword, and distinctly showed that he had not yet acquired the Eastern reserve so natural to his companions. At last he said:“He is a long while coming, is he not?”“It certainly is not far from here,” Tomonggong Nikodemus[193]answered, “but your honor must not forget how cautious our messengers have to be.”“But do you really fancy this letter will lead to the result you expected?”“Yes, sir! The inhabitants of the kotta will see no danger in admitting the three of us unarmed inside their walls, and once there, we will find no difficulty in persuading Amai Kotong to deliver up the Europeans. The Chief will never risk the lives and property of the whole of his tribe, in order to protect four deserters.”“And yet their influence seems considerable, judging by our reception,” was the bitter reply of the officer.“I must own that it looks very suspicious; but who knows what tale they have told those ignorant upper countrymen?”“But will Amai Kotong be able to read the letter?”“No, sir, he cannot read himself; but undoubtedly some one will be found inside the kotta capable of deciphering it.”“Did you know that the kotta was so heavily armed?”“So heavily armed?” the Tomonggong asked in surprise.“Certainly; I have just now observed through my glasses that the battery carries six pieces of cannon, while, when I was here last year, as you must remember, no sign of a gun could be discerned.”“I certainly do remember it; but you seem to forget the guns of Kwala Hiang, which the deserters must have carried away with them.”“But at Kwala Hiang there were only two guns, while here I can count at least six.”[194]“If such is the case, I am at a loss to find an explanation,” Nikodemus answered with a sigh. “And yet I do not believe that the intentions of kotta Djangkan, armed as it appears to be, are hostile towards the Dutch Government, or we should have heard of it before now. Such proceedings do not remain a secret in the Dayak country. These pieces must have been conjured hither, unless the Commander is mistaken.”“You doubt whether I have seen rightly,” was the passionate reply of the Colonel. “I have even seen more than these guns. The principal passages leading to the kotta are planted with spikes and rendered impassable by pits, so that an assault is most difficult. All this has taken time to accomplish and I very much fear that I have no reason to be satisfied with some of my younger brothers. Speaking in the mildest terms, they have been opposing their elder brother.”Both Tomonggongs remained speechless for a few minutes, their emotion being distinctly visible. The face of old Nikodemus displayed a feeling of grief and pain, while that of the other was drawn into angry wrinkles, his eyes rolling wildly and betraying the fearful passion raging in his bosom.“It is a great untruth!” he screamed, jumping up as if electrified. Nikodemus, however, took him by the hand, compelling him to resume his seat.The Colonel witnessed this scene, which lasted for a few seconds only, with some surprise. He felt that he had gone too far in his remarks. Then ensued a painful silence—that silence which is more eloquent among Eastern tribes than the most violent utterance. At last Nikodemus spoke:[195]“The words spoken just now,” he said, with a deeply affected voice, “were painful, but I am convinced they did not come from the heart. But the Colonel forgets the deserters. I have not the least doubt but that they have found a refuge at kotta Djangkan. How they have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the people is a mystery to me. But everything has taken place through their influence and it is they who have supervised these operations.”The Colonel reflected for a few minutes.“Yes, they are brave boys,” he muttered inaudibly, “capable of anything. Ah! I have not caught them yet.”And turning to both chiefs he said, cordially offering them his hand, “My younger brothers, you may be right. Pardon the anger I just now displayed; but my heart was bitter. At that moment I thought of the blood already spilled and yet to be spilled in consequence of this dispute with kotta Djangkan.”Both Tomonggongs bowed their heads and cordially pressed the offered hand. The Dayak is never vindictive, and soon forgets and forgives if only met half way.They were still consulting together when the return of the messenger was reported. They all arose, showing the greatest excitement. The messenger respectfully handed his message to the Colonel, saying:“This is for you, sir.”The Colonel took the parcel, anxiously undid the string, opened the pisang leaf and turned deathly pale when he saw the torn pieces of paper which he recognized but too well.“And what message did you bring with you?” he asked.[196]“Nothing but this: that whenever I dared to bring similar letters they would cut me to pieces. On hearing that I ran away as fast as I could.”“Who spoke to you?”“A tall Dayak whom I did not recognize.”“Have you seen any palefaces?”“Not one, sir!”“Did you speak to Amai Kotong?” Tomonggong Nikodemus asked.“No, I was not admitted inside the kotta.”“And to whom did you deliver the letter?”“To Dalim, who accompanied by the Dayak came outside to hear what I wanted.”The Tomonggongs and the Colonel hereupon exchanged a glance.“Then you did see Dalim?”“Yes, sir!”“And you spoke to him?”“Yes, sir!”“Why did you give the letter to him?” Nikodemus asked, “after I had instructed you to give it to nobody else but Amai Kotong?”“I did not wish to act in opposition to your orders, but Dalim told me that I might return whence I came, that I would not be admitted inside the kotta, nor could I see Amai Kotong. I thereupon handed him the letter, hoping that the kotta Chief might come to me after reading it, instead of which that tall blackguard reappeared and frightened me terribly.”[197]“So you did not see anything?”“No, sir! nothing; but after I had given your letter I heard somebody reading out aloud. Then came loud and horrible cries from inside the kotta. I also heard threats against you, against the Resident, against the Government, as well as against myself and was on the point of running away. After the cries had somewhat subsided, however, the tall one handed me this parcel with instructions to give it to you.”The Colonel exchanged looks of disappointment with the Tomonggongs. The messenger at a given signal withdrew.“The affair has not improved,” the Colonel said. “Are not you of the same opinion?”Both Tomonggongs nodded affirmatively.“Can Dalim read?”“No, sir!” was the answer of Nikodemus.“It is quite clear that Amai Kotong has not been informed of the contents of the letter, and that they have read something else to him and the inhabitants of the kotta. Nevertheless we dare not hesitate. The situation becomes more grave with each moment. Is such your opinion also?”“Yes, sir!” both Tomonggongs replied.“I then propose to surprise the kotta to-night.”“Only listen to me once more, sir!” Tomonggong Nikodemus said quietly. “After the fight of this afternoon we must not dream of leading our Dayaks against the kotta. It will take several days to remove the impression of defeat, and I therefore earnestly implore you to postpone the attack. Besides, its chances of success will be very poor indeed with this clear[198]moonlight, and it will certainly entail considerable loss of life.”“But what then, Tomonggong?” asked the Colonel.The old Chief did not reply at once. He reflected, sighed, and placing his hand on the shoulder of the Colonel, said:“Listen! I will go!”[199]
At daybreak every man in the fortification again set to work to complete arrangements for defence. Johannes and Wienersdorf were among the earliest and most active workers. They hauled up all the canoes and placed them in security, and then levelled the banks of the river in order to render a surprise by water impracticable. These tasks finished they dug a quadruple circle of pits around the fortress, and after driving a couple of pointed stakes in each of them they covered them with a layer of long grass in order to conceal them from view. They also planted rows of spikes of hard wood in the vicinity of all the principal approaches.
The Poenans of Harimaoung Boekit were in the meantime occupied in preparing the stake at which their victim was to be immolated. This, when finished, was planted in the centre of the quadrangle, the area of which was swept and strewn with white[174]sand in accordance with the custom observed on similar occasions. The women were busily engaged in cooking as the ceremony of the oath of atonement invariably concluded with a grand festive banquet. They killed two buffaloes and four large pigs, the flesh of which was made into numerous savory dishes, boiled, roasted and stewed. Instead of the usual pileworms they had slices of snakes and a bangamat, or flying dog, roasted whole and served like our sucking pigs. The principal side dish consisted of baloedoek, an amphibious animal about a foot long, white and covered with fine scales. Its body resembles a fish and it has the head of a frog. Besides these there were hambatar, or the larvæ of beetles. They also prepared cakes of rice meal, sago and pisang, while finally, in the way of confectionery, they had shells filled with tangoeli, the larvæ of bees stewed in honey, a highly prized delicacy. Every one being thus busily occupied, the hours of the morning soon passed.
It was close upon noon when all was ready for the ceremony. Amai Kotong then called the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan together and Harimaoung Boekit formally invited the Europeans to be present at the ceremony of the oath of atonement. All of them however could not attend, as they had undertaken to keep the lookout in turns while the festivities were in progress. La Cueille was first detached for this important duty. Wienersdorf and Harimaoung Boekit took their places in the midst of six young men who, with palm branches in their hands, formed a guard of honor for the two heroes of the festival.
Arrived at the quadrangle, they found all the men dressed in full war costume and their faces covered by a taboekah or wooden[175]mask. They all carried their mandauws and lances and now formed around the stake. When everything was arranged the priestesses commenced their chants accompanied by the sound of their katambongs.
The singing lasted until pastmid-daywhen the signal for producing the victim was given. While she was fetched from her cage one of the priestesses mounted an especially prepared ladder and sung an invocation, beseeching that a favorable omen might be vouchsafed the impending ceremony.
A falcon, as if it had understood the invocation, immediately appeared above the border of the forest. Rising to the left of the fort it soared higher and higher in the air, describing large circles until it had mounted midway in the zenith, when it stopped for a few minutes. After remaining thus motionless for a short time it suddenly uttered a piercing cry and flew away in the direction whence it had come. Every Dayak present was affected. The cry uttered by the bird was construed into a warning and regarded as a most unfavorable omen.
In the meantime the poor woman had entered the circle and two men began to tie her. She had scarcely strength enough to stand and kept her head gently hanging sideways. For the rest, she appeared to be calm and freely viewed the environing circle.
After having been securely tied Harimaoung Boekit approached Wienersdorf, made a slight incision with his knife on his naked chest and collected the blood in a vessel. He then made a similar incision on his own body, caught the blood in the same vessel and filled it with toeak. He thereupon raised the bloody mixture and pronounced a fearful curse upon himself in case he[176]should ever break the tie of brotherhood which he was now on the point of cementing. He called upon every deity and demon to witness his brotherly affection for the saviour of his life. He invoked their most fearful punishment if he should ever prove false to him and finished by half emptying the vessel held in his hand. This he next offered to Wienersdorf who swallowed the contents although his stomach rebelled against the mixture. After this ceremony the Poenan chief again spoke, addressing the Swiss:
“We are brothers now and I will always treat you as such. But another debt of blood still exists between us. When I attacked your party I tried to get your heads. During this struggle one of your companions was killed, several of my own followers perished, and—blood requires blood. See! in order to satisfy this demand we sacrifice one of our hirelings. We will besmear her with our own blood which will cancel this debt and render us free of each other.”
Johannes now took Wienersdorf by the hand and mounted with him the steps recently vacated by the priestess.
“My brethren,” he addressed the congregation, “my friend Dohong (War Sword), who from his infancy has lived in Bandjermasin where the great lord of the Dutch reigns, cannot sufficiently express himself in Dayak and has begged my assistance to speak to you. He gratefully accepts the bond of Harimaoung Boekit and, happen what may, will always be a good brother to him. Like the water which, cleft by a mandauw reunites again, their friendship will remain undisturbed, so that in life and death they may count upon each other. But our Dohong has been brought[177]up amongst the whites. They have taught him that no one is allowed to kill a human being. Even in Kwala Kapoeas such an act is strictly forbidden. Dohong follows their customs and abhors the killing of men, unless it is on the battlefield. He therefore proposes to his brother to spare the life of this woman, and in order to wash away the debt of blood he suggests that a buffalo shall be sacrificed. You have noticed the evil omen of the falcon. This only happens because we inhabitants of Kwala Kapoeas were going to commit a sin by violating the obligation solemnly undertaken by us not to kill any human beings. Let us then kill a buffalo instead of this woman and you will see that the omens will change and become favorable.”
Dead silence reigned within the square of kotta Djangkan. At the end of the speech every face had become darkened and exhibited the greatest dissatisfaction. The Poenans especially showed their feelings by grasping their mandauws. They considered the words just uttered as a grave offence against their chief. Harimaoung Boekit now mounted the steps and addressed the assembly:
“Here in the upper country,” he commenced, “the whites have nothing to say; whenever they wish to command here, let them come! Are they so careful themselves of human life? How many thousands of lives have been sacrificed during the war in this beautiful island? And who caused that war? Did not their avarice? Who will tell of the numerous Javanese starved to death, because they had to plant coffee or to build kottas for the palefaces, so that they had no time left them for the cultivation of their own fields? Do you think we are ignorant of all[178]this? They forbid us to kill our hirelings and pretend to have veneration for slaves. Do not trust white men; their lips are oily but they are hypocrites.” With increased passion, he continued, “Touch their purse and they will kill hundreds of free men as well as slaves. They do worse than killing men in order to make money.”
The Poenan paused awhile as if waiting to take breath, when he thus resumed: “But who cares for the orders of these whites? It behooves every man to follow the institutions of his country. The ceremony must proceed——unless my brother Dohong refuses to accept my friendship.”
These last words were uttered in a subdued tone accompanied by a sob. The thought that his saviour would refuse his friendship visibly affected the child of Nature. For the rest, the Poenan stood there proud and gallant, his nostrils dilated and his head thrown back, while his mandauw was already half unsheathed.
Wienersdorf anxiously scanned the surrounding men. La Cueille was absent; Johannes stood with his head bent upon his chest; the Dayaks of kotta Djangkan uttered a murmur of approbation and joined the side of their relatives, the Poenans. Even Dalim and his companions stood motionless. They could not count upon any assistance. A second’s hesitation would suffice to cause a quarrel which could only terminate in the death of the Europeans. Wienersdorf foresaw all this and suddenly seizing the hand of Harimaoung Boekit he raised it to his lips and bowed his head.
Johannes now came forward to the flag-staff, produced a small bundle, tied it to a line and hoisted it to the top. The boys[179]ranged themselves in file; the eldest of them stepped forward and uttering a fiendish laugh stabbed the victim under the left breast. All single men would have followed his example by piercing the flesh of the victim with the point of their lances to the depth of about half an inch but for the events which now occurred and which served to divert all attention from the victim.
First, she uttered a piercing yell. She had remained calm up to the present, but now her shrieks were heart-rending.
While all this was taking place Johannes shook the flag line and disentangled the parcel just hoisted, when the Dutch ensign proudly unfurled itself above the head of the poor woman.
It seemed as if this tricolor was her salvation, for suddenly two guns were fired in rapid succession summoning the garrison to the ramparts. Johannes, taking advantage of the general confusion, rushed forwards, severed the cords by which the victim was bound and thus liberated her. He then joined his confederates to see what had occurred.
La Cueille, seated in his elevated box, which overlooked the river for a considerable distance, placed the two loaded guns in position, possessed himself of a lighted torch and waited his opportunity with a vigilant eye on the river. At last he saw a fleet of canoes appear from behind an angle of the soengei. He remained quiet, however, and allowed them to approach nearer still.
The time for action at length arrived. Adjusting the elevation of his guns he applied the torch to the touchhole, and sent a couple of balls in the midst of the fleet, sinking one of the canoes and causing no little confusion amongst the rest.[180]
The Colonel hereupon ordered his men to land so as provisionally to place them out of danger, and accordingly the whole of the attacking force was soon hidden among the shrubs and trees of the bank. He knew, however, the danger of leaving his troops under the influence of this first repulse, and therefore, although the mystery of the Dutch flag waving from the fortress still puzzled him, he determined not to hesitate, but collected his forces and advanced to storm the fortification. He remembered the experience of former contests, that in Indian warfare boldness secures success.
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.
They carried him away with them to the open air where, assisted by draughts of cold water, they all soon regained their composure.
Harimaoung Boekit now for the second time owed his life to Wienersdorf. He had learned from his followers with what courage his new brother had come to his assistance. He approached his rescuer and putting his hand on his shoulder asked whether he could do anything for him. All he possessed he placed at the disposal of his deliverer and even offered to become his hireling at the sacrifice of his personal freedom.
Wienersdorf, though still under the influence of the scene recently witnessed, did not long hesitate. He took the hand of the Poenan, shook it passionately, and begged for the life of the poor woman who had been temporarily saved from a miserable end by the unforeseen arrival of the hostile fleet. This request was granted after some hesitation, the Poenan averring that he could not comprehend why he thus insisted upon sparing the life of this woman, who besides being the mother of two children was middle-aged and ill-looking. He felt greatly astonished at the perverted taste of the Swiss. Anxious, however, to render his deliverer happy by the possession of a comely wife he[184]now offered him his own sister, a young and comely maiden, the pride of her tribe. Thus by a suitable marriage they would strengthen the tie of brotherhood.
Hamadoe, as the young lady was called, was a splendid creature with a fine complexion delicately tinted. Her mouth was exquisitely chiselled, her eyes large and dark beamed with a soft languishing expression, but were also capable of that fiery brilliancy so often met with in eastern races. Her figure was magnificent, tall, lithe and graceful; she possessed the carriage which peculiarly distinguishes the child of nature and which is so rarely encountered in the lands of a civilized society.
Our Europeans had often admired the beautiful Hamadoe and thought her worthy of the name she bore, sweet honey. Now, however, that this pearl of female beauty was offered to him, Wienersdorf hesitated and was on the point of refusing. Luckily Johannes interfered and adroitly answered the Poenan that his friend would gratefully accept his offer to become the husband of the fair Hamadoe.
Astonished at this unexpected intervention the Swiss looked up and wished to speak; but Johannes politely begged him to retire; Wienersdorf withdrew accordingly, not the less determined that however captivating the beautiful Hamadoe might be, he would not be forced to commit any act of folly.
Harimaoung Boekit led Johannes to his dwelling, the maiden was called, and Johannes formally proposed for his friend according to the existing Dayak custom. At first she seemed favorably inclined, but seeing that the agent had not one single skull to offer as a marriage gift she hesitated. At last she took[185]a female dress which was hanging up to dry and offered it to Johannes, saying, “Your friend is no man, he is only a shy woman and unworthy of male attire; tell him to wear this petticoat.”
Johannes only smiled without accepting the dress. Harimaoung Boekit here told her how this stranger had twice saved his life and explained to her that as in the lower country the Dutch had prohibited head-hunting, his deliverer had to submit to command, but that he was nevertheless one of the bravest of the brave, a true Dohong.
After this explanation the girl did not further hesitate, but frankly declared that she would retract her words. She added that she would be proud to please her brother, and was ready to become Dohong’s partner for life and to share his weal and woe. She begged her brother to prepare everything for the speedy celebration of the blako ontong, when they would implore blessings on her marriage from the Radja balawang boelau, the King of the Golden Gate of Heaven.
All this was said with such charming modesty that Johannes became enchanted with the maiden and almost envied the good-fortune of his companion. When Hamadoe had retired, the real marriage treaty was proceeded with. Johannes began with the explanation that Dohong, being a liberated hireling, was not blessed with any earthly treasure, and was consequently unable to produce either a high palakko or the usual sums of money required for the celebration of the marriage. The palakko is a settlement deposited by the bridegroom with the parents of the bride, amounting, according to the wealth of the bridegroom, to a sum ranging from fifty to eight hundred guilders.[186]
This money serves to keep the lover constant; for at the slightest proof of unfaithfulness, it becomes the property of the wife. Harimaoung Boekit smiled at this communication, took a few bamboo boxes from the wall and presented them to Johannes, with the information that they contained about twentythaëlsof gold dust, sufficient to provide for all emergencies.
“Could I refuse to part with this gold, and in order to make my brother Dohong happy?” the generous Poenan chief asked. “I have offered him my body and after that he may consider everything belonging to me as his own.”
All being thus far settled the wedding-day was next fixed. It was proposed that the ceremony should be solemnized two months thence, in Harimaoung Boekit’s home, situated on the soengei Miri, and that in honor of Kadjanka, the ruler of the moon and the protector of newly married women, it should take place on the day of the full moon.
“And let us hope,” Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”
When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.
“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”
“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? I never thought you were such an unscrupulous scoundrel.”[187]
“Well, I like that,” Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. I am sure the Creator must now and then feel utterly ashamed of the stupidity of the white race.”
Johannes appeared supremely handsome in his disdain; his eyes flashed, his nostrils quivered and the veins of his forehead were visible like swollen cords.
Schlickeisen now appeared as pacificator, saying,
“Don’t feel hurt at an unguarded expression of your companion, which I am positive he did not mean—did you?”
“The words were certainly spoken without reflection,” Wienersdorf answered solemnly, “and I will willingly retract them. I was angry at hearing my friend speak so coolly about marriage and divorce in the same breath.”
“I only made the remark to remove your impression that marriage meant a compulsory residence in this island. I would feel loath to make a jest of serious subjects, but I sought to convince you how necessary it is for us to yield to unavoidable circumstances. As soon as I find myself among whitefaces I will respect their ideas of marriage and divorce, but while I am among Borneans I accept their customs and institutions.”[188]
“But permit me to say that I do exactly the same. I fully respect Dayak customs and nobody will ever reproach me with this want of toleration which you condemn. The people here and everywhere are at liberty to intermarry and separate as much as they choose, provided you leave me out of the question.”
“And yet you will have to get reconciled to this marriage,” Johannes answered.
“Never!” exclaimed Wienersdorf.
“But for once, reason sensibly.”
“Reason is out of the question. I will never marry a woman with the knowledge that in a little while I must put her away from me.”
“But listen; as matters stand just now, the marriage is unavoidable. You have already seriously offended the Poenan chief during the expiation festival and the mandauws were half unsheathed. Beware of refusing the hand of his sister for he will take terrible vengeance. And I repeat what I observed on a former occasion that if you do not yourself value life you will have to consider us.”
“But,” said Wienersdorf, “is not yours an exaggerated supposition. Will the Poenan really take the refusal so seriously?”
“Can you doubt it? Have you already forgotten how your behavior during the execution of that slave made him fear that you did not value his friendship? What will be the effect of your refusing the hand of his sister so cordially offered to you? It will most certainly cause a coolness not far removed from animosity. The Poenan will then withdraw with all his followers and leave us to our fate.”[189]
“And what if he did?” Wienersdorf said defiantly.
“It would simply deprive us of all assistance from kotta Djangkan. You seem to forget that we have to thank Harimaoung Boekit for this timely refuge. As soon as the Poenan leaves us a reconciliation between the kotta and our besiegers will follow, and the first condition of this reconciliation will be to deliver up the deserters. Such will be our fate if you persist in refusing to marry.”
“Stop!” Wienersdorf cried, “you drive me mad. To what an extremity have you brought me?”
“Only to the extremity of marrying a handsome girl, you lucky dog!” the Walloon said smilingly.
“Listen again,” Johannes continued, firm as fate, “and consider on the other hand the consequences of this marriage if duly carried out. Harimaoung Boekit’s affection towards his deliverer will undoubtedly increase, you will belong to his relations and we will have gained faithful allies. The Colonel will raise the siege of kotta Djangkan, being unable to capture it with the slender means at his disposal. We will then travel in company with the Poenan chief to the Miri country where we shall be in perfect security until we find means to escape.”
Wienersdorf sighed heavily; then offering his hand to his companions he said, with tears in his eyes:
“Friends, I accede and agree to the marriage.”
“He gives way,” La Cueille cried. “Allah be praised, he consents to marry a most charming young girl.”
While the deserters were thus busy arriving at a decision, Amai Kotong and Harimaoung Boekit approached with the intelligence that a Dayak of Kwala Kapoeas had appeared at the gate[190]of the kotta bearing a letter from the Commander. The two chiefs wished to have the opinions of their friends. They themselves proposed to refuse admittance to the messenger, as neither of them could read the letter and feared he might be a spy. Johannes asked Dalim to follow him and they both went outside the gate to learn the errand of the ambassador. He was a simple Dayak, a follower of Tomonggong Nikodemus, who was commissioned to deliver the letter into the hands of Amai Kotong himself. At first he refused to part with the missive, but after Dalim had informed him that he might return whence he came, but that he could not see the chief of the kotta, he altered his tone and gave the letter to Johannes. After having perused its contents, the messenger was bidden to wait outside where the answer would be brought to him.
An Ambassador from the Colonel.An Ambassador from the Colonel.
An Ambassador from the Colonel.
The letter contained the request of the Colonel to be allowed to enter the kotta unarmed, accompanied by Tomonggong Djaja Nagara and one other, in order to have an interview with Amai Kotong. Johannes smiled on reading this. But once inside the fort again, he called the garrison together in the square, mounted the steps and read with a loud and penetrating voice, looking solemnly at the paper, how the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas, in the name of the Resident of Bandjermasin, ordered Harimaoung Boekit with his Poenans to be delivered up to the gallows as murderers. On hearing the pretended contents of the letter, a cry of rage arose from all the assembled natives. The Poenan chief mounted the steps to satisfy himself by looking at the horrible words which pronounced his sentence. Johannes, after having allowed them for a few moments to give vent to their[191]feelings, commanded silence as he had some further communications to make.
“I have not read all,” he said in a loud voice. “Listen, brothers, to what follows: If these Poenans, those horrible murderers, are not delivered up before sunset the inhabitants of kotta Djangkan will feel the avenging arm of the Dutch Government. The kotta will be taken and levelled to the ground. The soil on which it now stands will be dug up and the priestesses will sow salt in the furrows as a token that the spot will be accursed forever and ever by Mahatara.”
The cries of the multitude now became deafening.
As soon as Johannes saw another opportunity of being listened to, he continued: “Attend! All the men will be killed and strung up like animals; the old women and children will be sold as slaves, and the maidens and young married women will be divided amongst the assailants!”
Their rage became unbounded, and the wild band would have sped outside and put the bearer of this fatal letter to the most horrible martyrdom, but for the timely intervention of Johannes and his companions. They placed themselves at the gate of the kotta and after much trouble succeeded in convincing the enraged people of the innocence of the messenger who was wholly ignorant of the contents of the document.
“No, friends!” Johannes exclaimed, “we must not answer this threat with a murder. But it will be wise to show that we are no cowards.”
“I will go to the Commander myself!” Amai Kotong cried, “and explain that I cannot possibly give up a member of my[192]family; such a course being quite against our moral teachings.”
“No,” Johannes said. “You would not be proof against the honeyed language of a paleface. Besides, they will keep you a prisoner if you don’t submit.”
“But what am I to do?”
“See here?”
And at the same time he tore the letter into a thousand pieces, collected them in a pisang leaf and tied them up into a parcel.
“That is the way to return the letter to the Commander!” he exclaimed victoriously.
A loud cry of satisfaction was the answer, proving again that whoever has tact, may lead any assemblage as he wishes.
A few moments afterwards he placed the parcel into the messenger’s hand, with command to deliver it to the Commander, at the same time advising him never to return to the kotta with similar messages unless he wished to be cut to pieces. The frightened native accepted the parcel and hurried away from such dangerous quarters as fast as his feet would carry him.
In the meantime the two Dayak chiefs were seated with the Colonel on the trunk of a tree under a shed made of branches and leaves, and were waiting for the return of their messenger. The Colonel seemed very impatient; he stamped with his feet, drummed with his fingers on the sheath of his sword, and distinctly showed that he had not yet acquired the Eastern reserve so natural to his companions. At last he said:
“He is a long while coming, is he not?”
“It certainly is not far from here,” Tomonggong Nikodemus[193]answered, “but your honor must not forget how cautious our messengers have to be.”
“But do you really fancy this letter will lead to the result you expected?”
“Yes, sir! The inhabitants of the kotta will see no danger in admitting the three of us unarmed inside their walls, and once there, we will find no difficulty in persuading Amai Kotong to deliver up the Europeans. The Chief will never risk the lives and property of the whole of his tribe, in order to protect four deserters.”
“And yet their influence seems considerable, judging by our reception,” was the bitter reply of the officer.
“I must own that it looks very suspicious; but who knows what tale they have told those ignorant upper countrymen?”
“But will Amai Kotong be able to read the letter?”
“No, sir, he cannot read himself; but undoubtedly some one will be found inside the kotta capable of deciphering it.”
“Did you know that the kotta was so heavily armed?”
“So heavily armed?” the Tomonggong asked in surprise.
“Certainly; I have just now observed through my glasses that the battery carries six pieces of cannon, while, when I was here last year, as you must remember, no sign of a gun could be discerned.”
“I certainly do remember it; but you seem to forget the guns of Kwala Hiang, which the deserters must have carried away with them.”
“But at Kwala Hiang there were only two guns, while here I can count at least six.”[194]
“If such is the case, I am at a loss to find an explanation,” Nikodemus answered with a sigh. “And yet I do not believe that the intentions of kotta Djangkan, armed as it appears to be, are hostile towards the Dutch Government, or we should have heard of it before now. Such proceedings do not remain a secret in the Dayak country. These pieces must have been conjured hither, unless the Commander is mistaken.”
“You doubt whether I have seen rightly,” was the passionate reply of the Colonel. “I have even seen more than these guns. The principal passages leading to the kotta are planted with spikes and rendered impassable by pits, so that an assault is most difficult. All this has taken time to accomplish and I very much fear that I have no reason to be satisfied with some of my younger brothers. Speaking in the mildest terms, they have been opposing their elder brother.”
Both Tomonggongs remained speechless for a few minutes, their emotion being distinctly visible. The face of old Nikodemus displayed a feeling of grief and pain, while that of the other was drawn into angry wrinkles, his eyes rolling wildly and betraying the fearful passion raging in his bosom.
“It is a great untruth!” he screamed, jumping up as if electrified. Nikodemus, however, took him by the hand, compelling him to resume his seat.
The Colonel witnessed this scene, which lasted for a few seconds only, with some surprise. He felt that he had gone too far in his remarks. Then ensued a painful silence—that silence which is more eloquent among Eastern tribes than the most violent utterance. At last Nikodemus spoke:[195]
“The words spoken just now,” he said, with a deeply affected voice, “were painful, but I am convinced they did not come from the heart. But the Colonel forgets the deserters. I have not the least doubt but that they have found a refuge at kotta Djangkan. How they have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the people is a mystery to me. But everything has taken place through their influence and it is they who have supervised these operations.”
The Colonel reflected for a few minutes.
“Yes, they are brave boys,” he muttered inaudibly, “capable of anything. Ah! I have not caught them yet.”
And turning to both chiefs he said, cordially offering them his hand, “My younger brothers, you may be right. Pardon the anger I just now displayed; but my heart was bitter. At that moment I thought of the blood already spilled and yet to be spilled in consequence of this dispute with kotta Djangkan.”
Both Tomonggongs bowed their heads and cordially pressed the offered hand. The Dayak is never vindictive, and soon forgets and forgives if only met half way.
They were still consulting together when the return of the messenger was reported. They all arose, showing the greatest excitement. The messenger respectfully handed his message to the Colonel, saying:
“This is for you, sir.”
The Colonel took the parcel, anxiously undid the string, opened the pisang leaf and turned deathly pale when he saw the torn pieces of paper which he recognized but too well.
“And what message did you bring with you?” he asked.[196]
“Nothing but this: that whenever I dared to bring similar letters they would cut me to pieces. On hearing that I ran away as fast as I could.”
“Who spoke to you?”
“A tall Dayak whom I did not recognize.”
“Have you seen any palefaces?”
“Not one, sir!”
“Did you speak to Amai Kotong?” Tomonggong Nikodemus asked.
“No, I was not admitted inside the kotta.”
“And to whom did you deliver the letter?”
“To Dalim, who accompanied by the Dayak came outside to hear what I wanted.”
The Tomonggongs and the Colonel hereupon exchanged a glance.
“Then you did see Dalim?”
“Yes, sir!”
“And you spoke to him?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Why did you give the letter to him?” Nikodemus asked, “after I had instructed you to give it to nobody else but Amai Kotong?”
“I did not wish to act in opposition to your orders, but Dalim told me that I might return whence I came, that I would not be admitted inside the kotta, nor could I see Amai Kotong. I thereupon handed him the letter, hoping that the kotta Chief might come to me after reading it, instead of which that tall blackguard reappeared and frightened me terribly.”[197]
“So you did not see anything?”
“No, sir! nothing; but after I had given your letter I heard somebody reading out aloud. Then came loud and horrible cries from inside the kotta. I also heard threats against you, against the Resident, against the Government, as well as against myself and was on the point of running away. After the cries had somewhat subsided, however, the tall one handed me this parcel with instructions to give it to you.”
The Colonel exchanged looks of disappointment with the Tomonggongs. The messenger at a given signal withdrew.
“The affair has not improved,” the Colonel said. “Are not you of the same opinion?”
Both Tomonggongs nodded affirmatively.
“Can Dalim read?”
“No, sir!” was the answer of Nikodemus.
“It is quite clear that Amai Kotong has not been informed of the contents of the letter, and that they have read something else to him and the inhabitants of the kotta. Nevertheless we dare not hesitate. The situation becomes more grave with each moment. Is such your opinion also?”
“Yes, sir!” both Tomonggongs replied.
“I then propose to surprise the kotta to-night.”
“Only listen to me once more, sir!” Tomonggong Nikodemus said quietly. “After the fight of this afternoon we must not dream of leading our Dayaks against the kotta. It will take several days to remove the impression of defeat, and I therefore earnestly implore you to postpone the attack. Besides, its chances of success will be very poor indeed with this clear[198]moonlight, and it will certainly entail considerable loss of life.”
“But what then, Tomonggong?” asked the Colonel.
The old Chief did not reply at once. He reflected, sighed, and placing his hand on the shoulder of the Colonel, said:
“Listen! I will go!”[199]