[Contents]CHAPTER XIV.A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK.The four friends continued sitting together till a late hour, their discourse dwelling upon the subject of gold seeking. La Cueille not feeling particularly sleepy reminded Johannes of a promise to narrate his experience of a Dayak iron-foundry.“I am quite willing to kill another hour or so and shall be glad of the opportunity to interrupt our conversation about gold seeking, as that is a subject which only causes unnecessary excitement.“But don’t expect to hear of processes and machinery as found in the West. A Dayak foundry is of a very primitive nature, as you will soon understand. This is what I personally saw in one of my expeditions:“Near the spot where the ore had been originally dug and under cover of a lofty roof, the Dayak iron-founders constructed on some small natural or artificial mound a trough of plastic clay measuring about a yard in diameter. The walls of this trough——”[248]“Had you not better first inform us of the spot where the ore was found?” La Cueille asked.“As you please. The iron ore is generally found near the coal formation, both mineral products being met with together, and one layer generally covering the other. Seldom is the one absent where the other is found.”“Parbleu!” the Walloon exclaimed, “that is extremely fortunate.”“The layers containing the iron ore are generally visible at low tide in the lower banks of the river. The Dayaks choose their opportunity during the dry season and collect the necessary quantity of ore which, as it is generally saturated, is somewhat of a doughy nature. They first dry it in the sun, then cut it into lumps of the size of a walnut and store it away for further use. The ore does not always present the same appearance. It sometimes consists of a mixture of larger or smaller pieces of dull or occasionally shiny brown iron, and is a kind of iron oxy-hydrate of a yellowish-brown crystalline texture. Sometimes it is in the form of brown ochre, caused by the partial decomposition of the iron, and at other times in the shape of very hard sandstone in which the ore seems to be deposited. Each pound of ore yields five and a half ounces of pure iron. That is all I know about it, and that much I have been able to gather from the reports.“The walls of the trough,” Johannes continued, “were about four inches thick at their edges, but increasing downwards and leaving not more than thirty-five square inches inside for the diameter of the bottom. This trough, called laboerang, formed their real melting furnace, and as I was informed was dried in[249]the sun for a fortnight, after which a hole for the reception of the nose of the bellows was made about seven inches above the bottom, while another hole, alier, was made in the opposite wall for the removal of cinders and for drawing off the melted iron. Our party just arrived when they were beginning to charge the furnace, which had previously been bound around with hoops of rattan and bamboo to prevent its splitting open. On the floor of the laboerang they strewed a thick layer of very finely-powdered charcoal, leaving free a square space, kakat, for the collection of the melted iron.“Above the square space and in the hole arranged for it they placed thenozzleof the bellows. Thisnozzle, called boetoeng, was made of baked clay and reached half over the centre of the kakat. They then filled the oven about three-quarters full of charcoal, over which they spread the ore, previously roasted over large wood fires until it had acquired a red color. The charcoal above the kakat was now ignited and the alier closed with a layer of wet clay. The bamboo tube of the bellows was next introduced and the fire kindled by first blowing it gently and gradually increasing till the highest possible temperature was attained.”“You mentioned a bamboo tube just now; surely those bellows were of European make,” La Cueille asked. “No native could manufacture such an article?”“Spoken like a European,” Johannes said somewhat bitterly.“These bellows were decidedly not of European make. Listen and I will try to explain their construction: In a straight wooden cylinder, usually made of a hollowed-out tree of about ten inch diameter and two and a half yards long, there moved a piston,[250]the disk of which in order to secure perfect exclusion of air was pasted over with feathers and a kind of varnish composed of oil and rosin. The bamboo tube in question, called passiong, was fixed underneath the cylinder and the air was forced through this. The rod of the piston, eight to ten yards long, was fixed to a long bamboo, which being placed horizontally considerably lessened the labor of working it. This kind of bellows was called bapoetang, and the workmen in order to obtain the required temperature made from forty to fifty pulls a minute.“When the oven was filled the fire was kept up, a fresh supply of ore being thrown in from above as the contents decreased by combustion. But in order to supply the necessary fuel at the same time, they added ten parts of charcoal to one of fresh ore. They opened the alier hourly for the removal of the slag, but instantly closed it again with wet clay.“At night the oven was cooled down, the alier opened and the iron thus obtained removed by means of large wooden tongs with iron points. The iron, now a shapeless tough lump of a brownish-red appearance, was then thrown down on the floor which had been previously covered with pounded slag and was belabored with wooden hammers into the form of a cube, weighing about sixty pounds. Each of these was afterwards divided into ten equal parts and hammered and purified from slag until fit for the forge. That is the whole process of manufacture. I may add that the iron from the Kapoeas regions is considered of the best quality, which means a great deal, considering that Borneo iron is celebrated all over the Indian Archipelago. The weapons made of it are highly prized everywhere, and I myself have seen[251]mandauws and swords from Nagara, where the best arms of all are made, with which a nail of seven to the pound was cut through without doing any damage to the edge of the weapon. I have now told all I know and trust I have satisfied the curiosity of our Walloon.”The latter laughed and answered thankfully:“I shall be able to sleep at last, good-night! By-the-bye, what is the Dayak for iron?”“Sanaman, and the ore they call batoe sanaman.”“Many thanks, good-night.”Shortly after midnight Wienersdorf was aroused by a Dayak who beckoned him to come outside for a minute where Hamadoe was waiting to speak to him. He found her crying bitterly. Silently taking him by the hand she conducted him to the abode of Harimaoung Boekit, her brother, whom he found raving in a paroxysm of fever. A profuse perspiration covered the brow of the patient, his respiration was rapid and stertorous and in his delirium he spoke of nothing but Johannes’ threat of sending the fever home to him. This incident, so constantly repeated by the sick man, spread among the Poenan companions gathered around his bed, and murmurs of dissatisfaction, nay even threats were heard amongst them. To play upon the credulity of a primitive race is rather a dangerous experiment.Hamadoe, full of alarm at the condition of her brother, had thought it wise to summon her Dohong, having full faith in the omnipotence of the art of healing possessed by the whitefaces. Wienersdorf being thus created physician felt the patient’s pulse, looked at him with a sage and dignified air and applied his hand[252]to his forehead, arms and chest. At length he ordered the body of the Poenan to be bathed with vinegar and water and cold compresses to be applied to the head, with the satisfactory result of reducing the temperature of the patient and of soon restoring him to consciousness. He further prescribed an infusion ofakar pahit, the root of a native plant and a very good substitute for quinine, with the addition of some honey, and ordered his patient to take a draught of it occasionally. Whether from the effect of the medicine or from natural reaction the patient soon fell into a healthy slumber. Wienersdorf then went to inform Johannes of what had taken place and was surprised to find his information received with a burst of laughter.“I don’t see anything to laugh at,” the Swiss said, “the situation is too serious. Believe me I have heard the most horrible threats uttered against you for sending the fever to the Poenan chief and you know best what sort of people they are.”“Don’t feel alarmed, my worthy Swiss! I will soon make it right again. When next they call you in professionally, send for me and I will accompany you.”Early in the morning the Dohong was sent for again, and accompanied by Johannes he soon entered the sick room, where he found preparations being made for incantations to remove the disease by the aid of the priestesses.“For Heaven’s sake,” the Dohong cried, “stop this noise; it will make him worse.”Upon seeing Johannes the patient displayed an angry countenance and reproached him with ingratitude.“I pardon you,” he said, “for Dohong’s sake, but they have[253]taught you this ingratitude in Bandjermasin. What have I done to you to be treated so badly?”“Only a mistake, my friend,” Johannes answered. “I was tipsy last night when the fever seized me. I had taken too much toeak and I intended to send the fever to the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas. It seems that I have made a serious blunder and mentioned your name instead. But you will see that I have the power of removing the fever as well as of sending it.”And taking a handful of rice from a cocoanut shell which he had brought with him he strewed the grains around the bed of the patient, chanting in a loud voice: “O strewn grains, enter the house of the Sangiangs together; enter noiselessly, ye golden grains, into the home of the Sangiangs!”Then passing his hand over the forehead of the patient and gesticulating as if casting away something, he said:“At last it is over. One hour hence the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas will have the fever as badly as you have had it. Remain quiet now, drink the obat—medicine—which Dohong will give you. In about half an hour’s time you will experience some singing in the ears but don’t feel alarmed, it will be the sign of the disappearance of fever for Kwala Kapoeas.”With solemn steps he quitted the apartment. Wienersdorf now produced a bottle containing a solution of sulphate of quinine and gave it to the Poenan to drink.Without moving a muscle the latter swallowed the bitter draught, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, but assured his doctor that he had greater confidence in the magical performance of Johannes than in all the bitter drugs in creation.[254]A quarter of an hour afterwards he had fallen into a deep slumber.Previous to his departure from Kwala Kapoeas, Johannes with his accustomed foresight had requisitioned some quinine from the doctor’s medicine chest and this drug was now rendering him good service. Dalim, however, warned him against making similar experiments upon the natives.“Threats,” he said, “have been heard and suspicions have been muttered. Some of the people spoke of the danger of receiving total strangers like yourselves in the kottas. Up to the present they have confined themselves to murmurs. But only let them broach the word antoeën and every mandauw will be unsheathed and you will soon be weltering in your blood, your heads in the hands of the Poenans.”“What is the meaning of the word antoeën?” Schlickeisen asked.“It means the power of changing into an evil spirit in order to steal the soul of a man and thus to make him ill,” was Dalim’s reply.“I thought stealing a man’s soul was killing him?”“Yes, but death only results when the soul remains away too long. With the Dayak illness is simply considered a temporary absence of the soul from the body and healing is therefore the restoration of the abstracted soul in due time. Our priestesses are quite experts in these matters. If you like I will tell you a legend relating to the subject.”The four Europeans hereupon refilled their pipes and placed themselves round the Dayak, who commenced his narrative:[255]“Once upon a time there lived a family of Dayaks who, while digging a hole in the ground to fix a stake for one of their houses in course of erection, found a large red water-snake which they killed and relished for their dinner. The snake, however, called Lendong, belonged to the family ofNaga gallang petakand was a favorite with Mahatara. According to Dayak tradition the first living being created by Mahatara was a great water-snake upon which he gradually deposited mud and sand and thus made it carry the earth. Hence the nameNaga gallang petak, or snake serving as the foundation of the earth. Each of its motions caused the earthquake. The part of the world towards which its head pointed had prosperity—that towards which its tail pointed misfortune.“The God, incensed at the foul slaughter, turned everyone of those who had partaken of the snake into an antoeën. The father of the family was created chief of the antoeën and received the horrible title ofradja antoeën batoelang dohong, or king of the antoeëns with bones like warriors’ swords. Thenceforward all that family remained antoeëns.“I may add for your information, that once a person is suspected by the Dayaks of being an antoeën, his life is not worth a day’s purchase. Not only for the public safety is it considered compulsory to destroy him, but the one who kills him is looked upon as a hero, to whom everybody owes obligation and gratitude. I have good-naturedly advised you not to pretend to be capable of causing illness to anybody.”“No indeed, never more,” Johannes said solemnly. “But can this joke with the Poenan lead to any evil result?”[256]“As long as the Poenan remains free of fever, it will not. All danger then will be passed, for the only peculiarity of the antoeëns is that they can never themselves undo the mischief which they cause.”“My worthy Helvetian!” Johannes said, addressing Wienersdorf, at the same time handing him a small paper parcel, “here are ten more grains of quinine, let your brother-in-law swallow them by all means, for his recovery is a serious consideration to me now.”The second dose however was not necessary. After having peacefully slept till an advanced hour of the day, the Poenan had awaked, and feeling perfectly well had taken his mat and spread it under the shade of a large tree outside the house.He was now lying there drinking in large draughts of the fresh air. When he saw Johannes and Wienersdorf approach he arose and cordially shook hands with both; but his manner towards the former showed that he felt a certain reverential fear for one who at his own will could create and cure disease.Harimaoung Boekit fortunately remained free from fever, whereby Johannes’ prestige became increased in no small degree. There was nothing now to interfere with the prosecution of their journey. The deserters therefore pressed for a speedy departure. The Europeans were becoming desperate, when fortunately something unexpected occurred to put an end to their embarrassment.A djoekoeng from the deputies arrived one morning with the message that although the Dutch Government had accepted the submission of kotta Djangkan, the Commander himself would come with a steamship to fetch the new chief and conduct him to[257]Bandjermasin, there to take the oath of allegiance. This steamer might be hourly expected.Harimaoungknew that if the Commander should arrive before his departure he might prevent the emigration of the tribe and therefore their best course would be to depart forthwith. Everything was made ready with despatch and all hands were busy in the final preparations.The last night passed at kotta Djangkan was of marvellous activity, and when day at last broke forth all was ready for departure. Only the guns which for safety had been left in the batteries over night had to be embarked. The lusty arms of our Europeans soon settled this difficulty, and a leave-taking commenced which promised to be interminable, until Johannes, pointing his finger towards the south, suddenly cried out:“Banama Asep! Banama Asep!!” a fire ship, a fire ship.A cloud of smoke was indeed seen above the edge of the forest towards the south. All instantly took their places in the boats and in less time than it takes to narrate, the ten rangkans, containing one hundred and sixty five persons, the grand total of the emigration, had left the shore with all their goods and chattels. The oars clave the waters forcibly and the light vessels sped onwards. A hurrah was given by the travellers and responded to by those their late companions, and the kotta which had so hospitably received our adventurers was left behind.The country gradually became wilder, the banks loftier, sometimes hanging over as if threatening death and destruction.The river still preserved its unruffled surface, indicating the evenness of its bed. Although the stream rushed along with[258]increased speed it continued to be perfectly navigable; here and there whirlpools were to be observed as the water rushed over detached pieces of chalk, but these could be avoided with care. The Kapoeas was still a stream in which a small steamer, drawing six feet of water, could find no difficulty inmanœuvring. After a couple of hours’ towing they reached Batoe Sambong. Amai Kotong went ashore here for a few minutes to take leave of the Chief of the Kampong, with whom he had lived in peace for many years. The inhabitants of the kotta, interested in the travellers, came out in a body and offered them cakes and toeak, both of which were gratefully received not only by La Cueille but also by the women, who according to their limited powers had taken their share in the rowing.This pause on their journey did not occupy more than half an hour, but it seemed an age to Johannes, who did not feel safe until they had passed that barrier for steamers, the first cataract. Once beyond that, an hour or so would be of little importance as the fugitives could be no longer overtaken. Until then his motto was: “Forwards! forwards!!”At a short distance from kotta Sambong they passed a solitary cliff of chalk about fifty feet high, to which Johannes drew the attention of his companions. Seen from a distance it appeared to resemble the form of a gigantic woman in a kneeling position, wearing a cloth around her head. Against the foot of this rock the Kapoeas beat with violence, scattering around wild mountains of foam as if furious at the barrier which forced it away from its course to seek a new direction. Johannes informed his friends that the neighboring kotta had taken its name from this[259]stone: Batoe Sambalajong, abbreviated into Batoe Sambong.“What is the meaning of Sambalajong?” Wienersdorf asked.“Sambalajong is the name of a white head-dress worn by widows. As that stone bears some resemblance to a widow in the native mourning it is called batoe sambong, which may be translated widow’s stone.”The cry of “halt” was now heard from the foremost rangkan. They had arrived at Kiham Hoeras, the first cataract. A subdued murmur, increasing more and more as they advanced, had been heard for a considerable time, but it had scarcely been heeded by the Europeans who were intently listening to the legend of Batoe Sambong. The narrator now ceased talking and the tiktak caused by the movement of the oars in the rowlocks being also suspended, the majestic sound of the waters broke upon their ears. Looking up they beheld the river shooting downwards from on high in a magnificent cascade. The lower part of the fall consisted of massive rocks assuming the most fantastic shapes. At the more elevated part this chalk formation was broken by plutonic diorite, whose dark blue seams appeared between the white chalk on the surface. Here and there were scattered huge black masses of stone which seemed to have broken from the cliffs and to have been weather-beaten into the nearly globular shapes they now possessed. The whole of the upper part of the cataract presented to the eye an agglomeration of similar masses scattered about in the wildest manner. The impressions created by this scene of nature in her sublimity was most powerful. The Europeans looked on in much admiration[260]while their rangkans almost danced on the foaming waters; they could scarcely find words to give utterance to their thoughts.“It is magnificent,” Wienersdorf said, deeply affected; “see over there how beautifully these black and white layers of stones are intermixed; look, a mosaic like that over yonder I defy any artisan to excel.”“Observe that limestone beyond; does it not look as if carved? Only see how beautiful and white it stands out against that black background; it is like a gigantic piece of lace-work.”“Only a little less fragile than your Brussels or Mechlen lace,” Johannes added.“Look,” Wienersdorf continued enthusiastically, “at those high steep banks, in which chalk and diorite stones almost struggle for supremacy. Observe how they are clad in the loveliest soft green of gigantic ferns, crowned by the sombre foliage of the majestic primeval forest like the proud gothic arches of a mediæval cathedral. See, higher up, where the trunks lean over bending their branches, interwoven by the creepers and forming a low cave from which the white foaming waters escape as if from the mighty urn of the god of the stream.”“And yet how still all seems, does it not? Nothing, absolutely nothing but the noise of the fleeting waters; not the sound of a bird or animal breaking this dead silence. Life seems almost extinct here.”“Shut up!” was Johannes’ gay remark. “Morbid imagination, my boy, nothing else. Our poet is absolutely seeing solitude where none is to be found. The thunder of the cataract deafens all or you would soon hear the harsh cries of the hordes of gray-green[261]paroquets inhabiting the tops of yonder trees. You might hear the piercing cries of that herd of deer now grazing on the tops of the cliffs; you would hear those small bakais or monkeys flying about with their long tails through the branches of the trees, fern leaves and creepers which overhang the abyss, whistling their lively ‘kirah, kirah.’ By heavens, no! life is far from extinct here. On the contrary it shows itself in its most powerful aspects everywhere around you, even in the waters, where you may find the finest salmon disporting themselves. Presently, when we shall have mastered this wild stream and travelled upwards, all this life will disappear as if by magic. Then you will find all blank and quiet about you just as you have pictured it to yourself. Do not, however, blame nature for the change, but only men.”Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.While our deserters were thus philosophizing the Dayaks had taken steps to accomplish the difficult and dangerous ascent of the kiham. Women and children stepped on shore and began to climb the cliffs which formed as it were a flight of steps leading to the higher territory whence the Kapoeas descended. The four deserters, armed with their unerring rifles, and five Dayaks with their lances and mandauws, served as a convoy to the fair sex, all the while keeping an eye upon what was going on on the river.The rattan ropes cut at soengei Dahasan and soengei Basarang and the chains found in soengei Naning were now produced and tied together. This long cable was drawn up by eight men, who while performing their task had successively to spring from cliff to cliff, to wade half through the water and swim across some[262]smaller branches of the river. After two hours of hard work the upper end of the cable was attached to a strong tree standing on the bank above the stream while the other end was thrown across the river to the canoes. Two Dayaks now posted themselves at the tree to guard the cable while six leaped into the river and allowed themselves to be carried away by the strong tide, grasping the cable as they sped along with astonishing rapidity. They repeatedly disappeared beneath the foam of the whirlpools, and the hearts of the Europeans beat faster as they witnessed each submersion, but they soon saw the long woolly hair of the swimmers reappear on the surface as they rose up gleefully and swam rapidly onwards.The object of this manœuvring was to ascertain whether the cable had became entangled amongst the trunks of the trees or rocks, thereby imperilling the drawing up of the canoes. Although the cable was fully six hundred yards long the expert swimmers reached its lower end in a few seconds, when they wiped their faces as if nothing had happened. Five of the men now took their places in each of the rangkans, one of them steering while the four others took hold of the cable to draw the boat up against the terrific tide. The dangerous journey was undertaken by one rangkan at a time in order to prevent accidents arising from the breaking of the cable or upsetting.Thanks to the skill of the Dayaks and Poenans the rangkans completed the ascent without any misadventure. The cataract now formed a formidable barrier between the Dutch and themselves and further pursuit was almost impossible.The cable being wanted for other purposes had to be drawn up[263]again, an operation which took two hours to accomplish. The swimmers had to exhibit their skill again in diving to unfasten it whenever it became caught among the rocks.The women, owing to the difficult path they had to follow in the ascent of the cliffs, had not proceeded very far, although to these children of nature a walk like this was nothing beyond an ordinary promenade. They reached the top in about half an hour, where they sat gossiping around a tree to which the cable was attached. The younger ones passed their time in merriment while the elders lit several small fires to cook the meals for the company. In the midst of all this female clatter La Cueille’s voice was suddenly heard crying out:“Nom d’un chien!what is there in my neck that itches so much?” And tearing away the rag which protected his neck from the rays of the sun he found it soaked in blood.“I thought it was perspiration,” he cried, “trickling down my neck. Am I wounded at last?”His companions with several Dayaks approached, but the miscreants simply burst out into hearty laughter. Before the Walloon could get any answer to his appeal for help he passed his hand down his neck and felt some slimy, smooth objects from which he suddenly withdrew his fingers.“What is this?” he asked nervously.“Halamantek,” was the phlegmatic reply of one of the Dayaks.“Halamantek! what do they mean?”“Don’t make yourself ridiculous,” Johannes grinned. “Halamantek are only forest-leeches and they will rid you of some superfluous Walloon blood.”[264]A sigh of relief escaped the wounded man. On examination it proved that during their stampede through a thick wood not only the Walloon, but all of the company had been attacked by these little reptiles. He, however, from some unaccountable cause had received a double share of their favors.“The forest-leech,” Johannes explained, “is a reptile strongly resembling a thick gray thread about the length of a finger. It inhabits the lower branches of trees and from there attacks its prey, either man or beast. It creeps in some crevice of the skin or dress and greedily begins its meal. Its bite is not painful at first, resembling rather a sensation of itching, but as soon as it has sucked itself full the irritation becomes intense.”“That is exactly what I felt,” the Walloon murmured.In the meantime Moendoet had taken a handful of tobacco, infused it for a couple of minutes in some boiling water and with the lotion thus formed bathed the neck of her sweetheart. The leeches dropped off and their wounds soon healed, to the great satisfaction of the Walloon.“Henceforth we shall often be plagued with these pests,” Johannes said, “and I think it will be wise to have some tobacco water ready in our flasks for possible emergencies.”“Shall we have to pass many cataracts?” Wienersdorf enquired.“A great many; perhaps four to-morrow. But why this question?”“Because we shall then have to wash ourselves four times at least with this tobacco sauce. We shall be perfumed like the bowl of a German pipe.”“Very likely,” Johannes laughed, “but fortunately we don’t[265]want to make ourentréede salon, or perhaps you are anxious lest Hamadoe will be disgusted with you? Don’t feel alarmed, she is quite accustomed to tobacco.”By the time the cable had been drawn in, the sun had also finished his course and unceremoniously disappeared in the west behind the forest. Our men and especially the Dayaks and Poenans had had a fatiguing day and longed for some rest. They consequently resolved to pass the night in the immediate neighborhood. The rangkans were tied to a projecting tree, leaving them room enough to float in mid-stream. The women and children were lodged within them, ten of the men occupying one at each end as a safeguard. One of the men in each canoe was told off to mount guard, while the others of the crew were divided into two equal watches, posted along the banks of the river opposite the rangkans.The four deserters joined this party, two of them in each watch, one to keep lookout while the others rested.Their precautions were excellently taken and showed the solicitude felt by Johannes for their general welfare. The night however passed by undisturbed. Early in the morning Schlickeisen noticed a creaking sound coming from the forest bordering the banks. He kept a sharp lookout and observed a herd of about fifty deer, led by a handsome buck with a magnificent pair of antlers, coming down the slopes to drink from the crystalline river water. While the herd was drinking their leader stood posted on the top of the bank whence he could overlook the surrounding country. There he remained, sniffing the air and pricking up his ears, offering a fair mark to the Swiss, who proceeded to take[266]good aim and fired. His first movement, however, had alarmed the stag; the noble animal suddenly threw his horns back on his neck, uttered a loud cry and took his first and last leap. Tumbling from the steep height he rolled into the water and would undoubtedly have been carried out of reach had he not struck against one of the rangkans and become entangled among the lines.The rest of the herd had suddenly disappeared.The alarm and commotion caused by that shot and its reverberations through the steep banks was great, but thanks to the cool behavior of the Europeans peace was soon restored. The buck was drawn out of the stream, skinned and quartered, promising a delicious adjunct to the ensuing meal. All congratulated Schlickeisen upon his fair shot, but he vowed to be less hasty for the future and never to fire during inconvenient hours.An hour afterward the flotilla was again en route, making way against the fierce and increasing current of the wild stream.This day also contributed its share of difficulties. A little beyond Kiham Hoeras, near kotta Hoerakan, the dioritic soil suddenly changed into a coarse yellow-brown sandstone. This friable stone, subject to rapid disorganization, filled the bed of the river to such an extent that in some places no canoe could pass; a rangkan had to be steered with the utmost caution in order to keep within the narrow strip of water which formed the channel. The sand of this stone is easily displaced by the immense force of the fleeting mass of water and here and there forms banks in mid-stream where the tide is slackened and the river shallowed. Sometimes the sandbanks assume the dimensions[267]of islands and are known as karangans by the natives. Harimaoung Boekit informed his friends that these are highly auriferous and that not unfrequently small nuggets are found of a quality considered the best of the Kapoeas regions.“We ought to try our luck here,” La Cueille said.“Certainly not,” Johannes replied; “our way lies forward! We are still too near the Dutch and must place a few more cataracts between them and ourselves.”“And,” said Amai Kotong, “neither could we go washing gold so readily. We would soon find ourselves in trouble with the population of these regions. Each kotta has its own grounds and parts of the river, which they would not allow to be poached upon by strangers with impunity.”“Then in heaven’s name forwards!” the Walloon muttered.Besides the wild part of the river close to these islands, they had to mount four kihams that day, some of which gave them considerably more trouble than they had experienced at Kiham Hoeras, so that it was quite four in the afternoon before the tired and exhausted travellers reached kotta Karangan.This kotta, situated on the left bank of the Kapoeas, was a handsome and strong fortification with a population of over two thousand souls. Our travellers, who had been surprised at the skulls ornamenting the palisades of kotta Djangkan, felt alarmed at the immense number of these ghastly trophies here exhibited. How many human lives must have been sacrificed to supply such a quantity?Amai Kotong found friends here also and was thereupon unhesitatingly allowed to enter the kotta. The presence of[268]Harimaoung Boekit and his Poenans, however, excited considerable suspicion and it was only after much trouble and difficulty that they succeeded in pacifying the people and in preventing them from opening hostilities. Johannes repeated the old story already told at kotta Baroe, how they had been commissioned by the Dutch government to open communication with the Olo Otts, and to learn their views. He had also beforehand taken the precaution of planting the Dutch flag on one of the largest rangkans. He now solemnly produced the stamped document taken away from Damboeng Papoendeh, and mentioned that the Poenan chief had been added to his party by the Great Heer of Bandjermasin to make the meeting with the Olo Otts more feasible.It is doubtful whether the Karangannese altogether believed the story. They certainly looked respectfully at the seal, impressed in red wax, and abstained from all hostilities, but they would not permit one of the company of travellers to enter the kotta except Amai Kotong; to the others they offered their tomoi for occupation. This caused considerable satisfaction, for such a concession indicated that they were considered as friends, and the laws of hospitality being strictly recognized in Dayakland could not be violated in their persons.Our travellers, therefore, could fearlessly take their rest, having only to guard themselves against dangers from without. They consequently deemed it sufficient for one of the Europeans to keep watch, though two of the Dayaks volunteered to join in the service.[269]
[Contents]CHAPTER XIV.A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK.The four friends continued sitting together till a late hour, their discourse dwelling upon the subject of gold seeking. La Cueille not feeling particularly sleepy reminded Johannes of a promise to narrate his experience of a Dayak iron-foundry.“I am quite willing to kill another hour or so and shall be glad of the opportunity to interrupt our conversation about gold seeking, as that is a subject which only causes unnecessary excitement.“But don’t expect to hear of processes and machinery as found in the West. A Dayak foundry is of a very primitive nature, as you will soon understand. This is what I personally saw in one of my expeditions:“Near the spot where the ore had been originally dug and under cover of a lofty roof, the Dayak iron-founders constructed on some small natural or artificial mound a trough of plastic clay measuring about a yard in diameter. The walls of this trough——”[248]“Had you not better first inform us of the spot where the ore was found?” La Cueille asked.“As you please. The iron ore is generally found near the coal formation, both mineral products being met with together, and one layer generally covering the other. Seldom is the one absent where the other is found.”“Parbleu!” the Walloon exclaimed, “that is extremely fortunate.”“The layers containing the iron ore are generally visible at low tide in the lower banks of the river. The Dayaks choose their opportunity during the dry season and collect the necessary quantity of ore which, as it is generally saturated, is somewhat of a doughy nature. They first dry it in the sun, then cut it into lumps of the size of a walnut and store it away for further use. The ore does not always present the same appearance. It sometimes consists of a mixture of larger or smaller pieces of dull or occasionally shiny brown iron, and is a kind of iron oxy-hydrate of a yellowish-brown crystalline texture. Sometimes it is in the form of brown ochre, caused by the partial decomposition of the iron, and at other times in the shape of very hard sandstone in which the ore seems to be deposited. Each pound of ore yields five and a half ounces of pure iron. That is all I know about it, and that much I have been able to gather from the reports.“The walls of the trough,” Johannes continued, “were about four inches thick at their edges, but increasing downwards and leaving not more than thirty-five square inches inside for the diameter of the bottom. This trough, called laboerang, formed their real melting furnace, and as I was informed was dried in[249]the sun for a fortnight, after which a hole for the reception of the nose of the bellows was made about seven inches above the bottom, while another hole, alier, was made in the opposite wall for the removal of cinders and for drawing off the melted iron. Our party just arrived when they were beginning to charge the furnace, which had previously been bound around with hoops of rattan and bamboo to prevent its splitting open. On the floor of the laboerang they strewed a thick layer of very finely-powdered charcoal, leaving free a square space, kakat, for the collection of the melted iron.“Above the square space and in the hole arranged for it they placed thenozzleof the bellows. Thisnozzle, called boetoeng, was made of baked clay and reached half over the centre of the kakat. They then filled the oven about three-quarters full of charcoal, over which they spread the ore, previously roasted over large wood fires until it had acquired a red color. The charcoal above the kakat was now ignited and the alier closed with a layer of wet clay. The bamboo tube of the bellows was next introduced and the fire kindled by first blowing it gently and gradually increasing till the highest possible temperature was attained.”“You mentioned a bamboo tube just now; surely those bellows were of European make,” La Cueille asked. “No native could manufacture such an article?”“Spoken like a European,” Johannes said somewhat bitterly.“These bellows were decidedly not of European make. Listen and I will try to explain their construction: In a straight wooden cylinder, usually made of a hollowed-out tree of about ten inch diameter and two and a half yards long, there moved a piston,[250]the disk of which in order to secure perfect exclusion of air was pasted over with feathers and a kind of varnish composed of oil and rosin. The bamboo tube in question, called passiong, was fixed underneath the cylinder and the air was forced through this. The rod of the piston, eight to ten yards long, was fixed to a long bamboo, which being placed horizontally considerably lessened the labor of working it. This kind of bellows was called bapoetang, and the workmen in order to obtain the required temperature made from forty to fifty pulls a minute.“When the oven was filled the fire was kept up, a fresh supply of ore being thrown in from above as the contents decreased by combustion. But in order to supply the necessary fuel at the same time, they added ten parts of charcoal to one of fresh ore. They opened the alier hourly for the removal of the slag, but instantly closed it again with wet clay.“At night the oven was cooled down, the alier opened and the iron thus obtained removed by means of large wooden tongs with iron points. The iron, now a shapeless tough lump of a brownish-red appearance, was then thrown down on the floor which had been previously covered with pounded slag and was belabored with wooden hammers into the form of a cube, weighing about sixty pounds. Each of these was afterwards divided into ten equal parts and hammered and purified from slag until fit for the forge. That is the whole process of manufacture. I may add that the iron from the Kapoeas regions is considered of the best quality, which means a great deal, considering that Borneo iron is celebrated all over the Indian Archipelago. The weapons made of it are highly prized everywhere, and I myself have seen[251]mandauws and swords from Nagara, where the best arms of all are made, with which a nail of seven to the pound was cut through without doing any damage to the edge of the weapon. I have now told all I know and trust I have satisfied the curiosity of our Walloon.”The latter laughed and answered thankfully:“I shall be able to sleep at last, good-night! By-the-bye, what is the Dayak for iron?”“Sanaman, and the ore they call batoe sanaman.”“Many thanks, good-night.”Shortly after midnight Wienersdorf was aroused by a Dayak who beckoned him to come outside for a minute where Hamadoe was waiting to speak to him. He found her crying bitterly. Silently taking him by the hand she conducted him to the abode of Harimaoung Boekit, her brother, whom he found raving in a paroxysm of fever. A profuse perspiration covered the brow of the patient, his respiration was rapid and stertorous and in his delirium he spoke of nothing but Johannes’ threat of sending the fever home to him. This incident, so constantly repeated by the sick man, spread among the Poenan companions gathered around his bed, and murmurs of dissatisfaction, nay even threats were heard amongst them. To play upon the credulity of a primitive race is rather a dangerous experiment.Hamadoe, full of alarm at the condition of her brother, had thought it wise to summon her Dohong, having full faith in the omnipotence of the art of healing possessed by the whitefaces. Wienersdorf being thus created physician felt the patient’s pulse, looked at him with a sage and dignified air and applied his hand[252]to his forehead, arms and chest. At length he ordered the body of the Poenan to be bathed with vinegar and water and cold compresses to be applied to the head, with the satisfactory result of reducing the temperature of the patient and of soon restoring him to consciousness. He further prescribed an infusion ofakar pahit, the root of a native plant and a very good substitute for quinine, with the addition of some honey, and ordered his patient to take a draught of it occasionally. Whether from the effect of the medicine or from natural reaction the patient soon fell into a healthy slumber. Wienersdorf then went to inform Johannes of what had taken place and was surprised to find his information received with a burst of laughter.“I don’t see anything to laugh at,” the Swiss said, “the situation is too serious. Believe me I have heard the most horrible threats uttered against you for sending the fever to the Poenan chief and you know best what sort of people they are.”“Don’t feel alarmed, my worthy Swiss! I will soon make it right again. When next they call you in professionally, send for me and I will accompany you.”Early in the morning the Dohong was sent for again, and accompanied by Johannes he soon entered the sick room, where he found preparations being made for incantations to remove the disease by the aid of the priestesses.“For Heaven’s sake,” the Dohong cried, “stop this noise; it will make him worse.”Upon seeing Johannes the patient displayed an angry countenance and reproached him with ingratitude.“I pardon you,” he said, “for Dohong’s sake, but they have[253]taught you this ingratitude in Bandjermasin. What have I done to you to be treated so badly?”“Only a mistake, my friend,” Johannes answered. “I was tipsy last night when the fever seized me. I had taken too much toeak and I intended to send the fever to the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas. It seems that I have made a serious blunder and mentioned your name instead. But you will see that I have the power of removing the fever as well as of sending it.”And taking a handful of rice from a cocoanut shell which he had brought with him he strewed the grains around the bed of the patient, chanting in a loud voice: “O strewn grains, enter the house of the Sangiangs together; enter noiselessly, ye golden grains, into the home of the Sangiangs!”Then passing his hand over the forehead of the patient and gesticulating as if casting away something, he said:“At last it is over. One hour hence the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas will have the fever as badly as you have had it. Remain quiet now, drink the obat—medicine—which Dohong will give you. In about half an hour’s time you will experience some singing in the ears but don’t feel alarmed, it will be the sign of the disappearance of fever for Kwala Kapoeas.”With solemn steps he quitted the apartment. Wienersdorf now produced a bottle containing a solution of sulphate of quinine and gave it to the Poenan to drink.Without moving a muscle the latter swallowed the bitter draught, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, but assured his doctor that he had greater confidence in the magical performance of Johannes than in all the bitter drugs in creation.[254]A quarter of an hour afterwards he had fallen into a deep slumber.Previous to his departure from Kwala Kapoeas, Johannes with his accustomed foresight had requisitioned some quinine from the doctor’s medicine chest and this drug was now rendering him good service. Dalim, however, warned him against making similar experiments upon the natives.“Threats,” he said, “have been heard and suspicions have been muttered. Some of the people spoke of the danger of receiving total strangers like yourselves in the kottas. Up to the present they have confined themselves to murmurs. But only let them broach the word antoeën and every mandauw will be unsheathed and you will soon be weltering in your blood, your heads in the hands of the Poenans.”“What is the meaning of the word antoeën?” Schlickeisen asked.“It means the power of changing into an evil spirit in order to steal the soul of a man and thus to make him ill,” was Dalim’s reply.“I thought stealing a man’s soul was killing him?”“Yes, but death only results when the soul remains away too long. With the Dayak illness is simply considered a temporary absence of the soul from the body and healing is therefore the restoration of the abstracted soul in due time. Our priestesses are quite experts in these matters. If you like I will tell you a legend relating to the subject.”The four Europeans hereupon refilled their pipes and placed themselves round the Dayak, who commenced his narrative:[255]“Once upon a time there lived a family of Dayaks who, while digging a hole in the ground to fix a stake for one of their houses in course of erection, found a large red water-snake which they killed and relished for their dinner. The snake, however, called Lendong, belonged to the family ofNaga gallang petakand was a favorite with Mahatara. According to Dayak tradition the first living being created by Mahatara was a great water-snake upon which he gradually deposited mud and sand and thus made it carry the earth. Hence the nameNaga gallang petak, or snake serving as the foundation of the earth. Each of its motions caused the earthquake. The part of the world towards which its head pointed had prosperity—that towards which its tail pointed misfortune.“The God, incensed at the foul slaughter, turned everyone of those who had partaken of the snake into an antoeën. The father of the family was created chief of the antoeën and received the horrible title ofradja antoeën batoelang dohong, or king of the antoeëns with bones like warriors’ swords. Thenceforward all that family remained antoeëns.“I may add for your information, that once a person is suspected by the Dayaks of being an antoeën, his life is not worth a day’s purchase. Not only for the public safety is it considered compulsory to destroy him, but the one who kills him is looked upon as a hero, to whom everybody owes obligation and gratitude. I have good-naturedly advised you not to pretend to be capable of causing illness to anybody.”“No indeed, never more,” Johannes said solemnly. “But can this joke with the Poenan lead to any evil result?”[256]“As long as the Poenan remains free of fever, it will not. All danger then will be passed, for the only peculiarity of the antoeëns is that they can never themselves undo the mischief which they cause.”“My worthy Helvetian!” Johannes said, addressing Wienersdorf, at the same time handing him a small paper parcel, “here are ten more grains of quinine, let your brother-in-law swallow them by all means, for his recovery is a serious consideration to me now.”The second dose however was not necessary. After having peacefully slept till an advanced hour of the day, the Poenan had awaked, and feeling perfectly well had taken his mat and spread it under the shade of a large tree outside the house.He was now lying there drinking in large draughts of the fresh air. When he saw Johannes and Wienersdorf approach he arose and cordially shook hands with both; but his manner towards the former showed that he felt a certain reverential fear for one who at his own will could create and cure disease.Harimaoung Boekit fortunately remained free from fever, whereby Johannes’ prestige became increased in no small degree. There was nothing now to interfere with the prosecution of their journey. The deserters therefore pressed for a speedy departure. The Europeans were becoming desperate, when fortunately something unexpected occurred to put an end to their embarrassment.A djoekoeng from the deputies arrived one morning with the message that although the Dutch Government had accepted the submission of kotta Djangkan, the Commander himself would come with a steamship to fetch the new chief and conduct him to[257]Bandjermasin, there to take the oath of allegiance. This steamer might be hourly expected.Harimaoungknew that if the Commander should arrive before his departure he might prevent the emigration of the tribe and therefore their best course would be to depart forthwith. Everything was made ready with despatch and all hands were busy in the final preparations.The last night passed at kotta Djangkan was of marvellous activity, and when day at last broke forth all was ready for departure. Only the guns which for safety had been left in the batteries over night had to be embarked. The lusty arms of our Europeans soon settled this difficulty, and a leave-taking commenced which promised to be interminable, until Johannes, pointing his finger towards the south, suddenly cried out:“Banama Asep! Banama Asep!!” a fire ship, a fire ship.A cloud of smoke was indeed seen above the edge of the forest towards the south. All instantly took their places in the boats and in less time than it takes to narrate, the ten rangkans, containing one hundred and sixty five persons, the grand total of the emigration, had left the shore with all their goods and chattels. The oars clave the waters forcibly and the light vessels sped onwards. A hurrah was given by the travellers and responded to by those their late companions, and the kotta which had so hospitably received our adventurers was left behind.The country gradually became wilder, the banks loftier, sometimes hanging over as if threatening death and destruction.The river still preserved its unruffled surface, indicating the evenness of its bed. Although the stream rushed along with[258]increased speed it continued to be perfectly navigable; here and there whirlpools were to be observed as the water rushed over detached pieces of chalk, but these could be avoided with care. The Kapoeas was still a stream in which a small steamer, drawing six feet of water, could find no difficulty inmanœuvring. After a couple of hours’ towing they reached Batoe Sambong. Amai Kotong went ashore here for a few minutes to take leave of the Chief of the Kampong, with whom he had lived in peace for many years. The inhabitants of the kotta, interested in the travellers, came out in a body and offered them cakes and toeak, both of which were gratefully received not only by La Cueille but also by the women, who according to their limited powers had taken their share in the rowing.This pause on their journey did not occupy more than half an hour, but it seemed an age to Johannes, who did not feel safe until they had passed that barrier for steamers, the first cataract. Once beyond that, an hour or so would be of little importance as the fugitives could be no longer overtaken. Until then his motto was: “Forwards! forwards!!”At a short distance from kotta Sambong they passed a solitary cliff of chalk about fifty feet high, to which Johannes drew the attention of his companions. Seen from a distance it appeared to resemble the form of a gigantic woman in a kneeling position, wearing a cloth around her head. Against the foot of this rock the Kapoeas beat with violence, scattering around wild mountains of foam as if furious at the barrier which forced it away from its course to seek a new direction. Johannes informed his friends that the neighboring kotta had taken its name from this[259]stone: Batoe Sambalajong, abbreviated into Batoe Sambong.“What is the meaning of Sambalajong?” Wienersdorf asked.“Sambalajong is the name of a white head-dress worn by widows. As that stone bears some resemblance to a widow in the native mourning it is called batoe sambong, which may be translated widow’s stone.”The cry of “halt” was now heard from the foremost rangkan. They had arrived at Kiham Hoeras, the first cataract. A subdued murmur, increasing more and more as they advanced, had been heard for a considerable time, but it had scarcely been heeded by the Europeans who were intently listening to the legend of Batoe Sambong. The narrator now ceased talking and the tiktak caused by the movement of the oars in the rowlocks being also suspended, the majestic sound of the waters broke upon their ears. Looking up they beheld the river shooting downwards from on high in a magnificent cascade. The lower part of the fall consisted of massive rocks assuming the most fantastic shapes. At the more elevated part this chalk formation was broken by plutonic diorite, whose dark blue seams appeared between the white chalk on the surface. Here and there were scattered huge black masses of stone which seemed to have broken from the cliffs and to have been weather-beaten into the nearly globular shapes they now possessed. The whole of the upper part of the cataract presented to the eye an agglomeration of similar masses scattered about in the wildest manner. The impressions created by this scene of nature in her sublimity was most powerful. The Europeans looked on in much admiration[260]while their rangkans almost danced on the foaming waters; they could scarcely find words to give utterance to their thoughts.“It is magnificent,” Wienersdorf said, deeply affected; “see over there how beautifully these black and white layers of stones are intermixed; look, a mosaic like that over yonder I defy any artisan to excel.”“Observe that limestone beyond; does it not look as if carved? Only see how beautiful and white it stands out against that black background; it is like a gigantic piece of lace-work.”“Only a little less fragile than your Brussels or Mechlen lace,” Johannes added.“Look,” Wienersdorf continued enthusiastically, “at those high steep banks, in which chalk and diorite stones almost struggle for supremacy. Observe how they are clad in the loveliest soft green of gigantic ferns, crowned by the sombre foliage of the majestic primeval forest like the proud gothic arches of a mediæval cathedral. See, higher up, where the trunks lean over bending their branches, interwoven by the creepers and forming a low cave from which the white foaming waters escape as if from the mighty urn of the god of the stream.”“And yet how still all seems, does it not? Nothing, absolutely nothing but the noise of the fleeting waters; not the sound of a bird or animal breaking this dead silence. Life seems almost extinct here.”“Shut up!” was Johannes’ gay remark. “Morbid imagination, my boy, nothing else. Our poet is absolutely seeing solitude where none is to be found. The thunder of the cataract deafens all or you would soon hear the harsh cries of the hordes of gray-green[261]paroquets inhabiting the tops of yonder trees. You might hear the piercing cries of that herd of deer now grazing on the tops of the cliffs; you would hear those small bakais or monkeys flying about with their long tails through the branches of the trees, fern leaves and creepers which overhang the abyss, whistling their lively ‘kirah, kirah.’ By heavens, no! life is far from extinct here. On the contrary it shows itself in its most powerful aspects everywhere around you, even in the waters, where you may find the finest salmon disporting themselves. Presently, when we shall have mastered this wild stream and travelled upwards, all this life will disappear as if by magic. Then you will find all blank and quiet about you just as you have pictured it to yourself. Do not, however, blame nature for the change, but only men.”Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.While our deserters were thus philosophizing the Dayaks had taken steps to accomplish the difficult and dangerous ascent of the kiham. Women and children stepped on shore and began to climb the cliffs which formed as it were a flight of steps leading to the higher territory whence the Kapoeas descended. The four deserters, armed with their unerring rifles, and five Dayaks with their lances and mandauws, served as a convoy to the fair sex, all the while keeping an eye upon what was going on on the river.The rattan ropes cut at soengei Dahasan and soengei Basarang and the chains found in soengei Naning were now produced and tied together. This long cable was drawn up by eight men, who while performing their task had successively to spring from cliff to cliff, to wade half through the water and swim across some[262]smaller branches of the river. After two hours of hard work the upper end of the cable was attached to a strong tree standing on the bank above the stream while the other end was thrown across the river to the canoes. Two Dayaks now posted themselves at the tree to guard the cable while six leaped into the river and allowed themselves to be carried away by the strong tide, grasping the cable as they sped along with astonishing rapidity. They repeatedly disappeared beneath the foam of the whirlpools, and the hearts of the Europeans beat faster as they witnessed each submersion, but they soon saw the long woolly hair of the swimmers reappear on the surface as they rose up gleefully and swam rapidly onwards.The object of this manœuvring was to ascertain whether the cable had became entangled amongst the trunks of the trees or rocks, thereby imperilling the drawing up of the canoes. Although the cable was fully six hundred yards long the expert swimmers reached its lower end in a few seconds, when they wiped their faces as if nothing had happened. Five of the men now took their places in each of the rangkans, one of them steering while the four others took hold of the cable to draw the boat up against the terrific tide. The dangerous journey was undertaken by one rangkan at a time in order to prevent accidents arising from the breaking of the cable or upsetting.Thanks to the skill of the Dayaks and Poenans the rangkans completed the ascent without any misadventure. The cataract now formed a formidable barrier between the Dutch and themselves and further pursuit was almost impossible.The cable being wanted for other purposes had to be drawn up[263]again, an operation which took two hours to accomplish. The swimmers had to exhibit their skill again in diving to unfasten it whenever it became caught among the rocks.The women, owing to the difficult path they had to follow in the ascent of the cliffs, had not proceeded very far, although to these children of nature a walk like this was nothing beyond an ordinary promenade. They reached the top in about half an hour, where they sat gossiping around a tree to which the cable was attached. The younger ones passed their time in merriment while the elders lit several small fires to cook the meals for the company. In the midst of all this female clatter La Cueille’s voice was suddenly heard crying out:“Nom d’un chien!what is there in my neck that itches so much?” And tearing away the rag which protected his neck from the rays of the sun he found it soaked in blood.“I thought it was perspiration,” he cried, “trickling down my neck. Am I wounded at last?”His companions with several Dayaks approached, but the miscreants simply burst out into hearty laughter. Before the Walloon could get any answer to his appeal for help he passed his hand down his neck and felt some slimy, smooth objects from which he suddenly withdrew his fingers.“What is this?” he asked nervously.“Halamantek,” was the phlegmatic reply of one of the Dayaks.“Halamantek! what do they mean?”“Don’t make yourself ridiculous,” Johannes grinned. “Halamantek are only forest-leeches and they will rid you of some superfluous Walloon blood.”[264]A sigh of relief escaped the wounded man. On examination it proved that during their stampede through a thick wood not only the Walloon, but all of the company had been attacked by these little reptiles. He, however, from some unaccountable cause had received a double share of their favors.“The forest-leech,” Johannes explained, “is a reptile strongly resembling a thick gray thread about the length of a finger. It inhabits the lower branches of trees and from there attacks its prey, either man or beast. It creeps in some crevice of the skin or dress and greedily begins its meal. Its bite is not painful at first, resembling rather a sensation of itching, but as soon as it has sucked itself full the irritation becomes intense.”“That is exactly what I felt,” the Walloon murmured.In the meantime Moendoet had taken a handful of tobacco, infused it for a couple of minutes in some boiling water and with the lotion thus formed bathed the neck of her sweetheart. The leeches dropped off and their wounds soon healed, to the great satisfaction of the Walloon.“Henceforth we shall often be plagued with these pests,” Johannes said, “and I think it will be wise to have some tobacco water ready in our flasks for possible emergencies.”“Shall we have to pass many cataracts?” Wienersdorf enquired.“A great many; perhaps four to-morrow. But why this question?”“Because we shall then have to wash ourselves four times at least with this tobacco sauce. We shall be perfumed like the bowl of a German pipe.”“Very likely,” Johannes laughed, “but fortunately we don’t[265]want to make ourentréede salon, or perhaps you are anxious lest Hamadoe will be disgusted with you? Don’t feel alarmed, she is quite accustomed to tobacco.”By the time the cable had been drawn in, the sun had also finished his course and unceremoniously disappeared in the west behind the forest. Our men and especially the Dayaks and Poenans had had a fatiguing day and longed for some rest. They consequently resolved to pass the night in the immediate neighborhood. The rangkans were tied to a projecting tree, leaving them room enough to float in mid-stream. The women and children were lodged within them, ten of the men occupying one at each end as a safeguard. One of the men in each canoe was told off to mount guard, while the others of the crew were divided into two equal watches, posted along the banks of the river opposite the rangkans.The four deserters joined this party, two of them in each watch, one to keep lookout while the others rested.Their precautions were excellently taken and showed the solicitude felt by Johannes for their general welfare. The night however passed by undisturbed. Early in the morning Schlickeisen noticed a creaking sound coming from the forest bordering the banks. He kept a sharp lookout and observed a herd of about fifty deer, led by a handsome buck with a magnificent pair of antlers, coming down the slopes to drink from the crystalline river water. While the herd was drinking their leader stood posted on the top of the bank whence he could overlook the surrounding country. There he remained, sniffing the air and pricking up his ears, offering a fair mark to the Swiss, who proceeded to take[266]good aim and fired. His first movement, however, had alarmed the stag; the noble animal suddenly threw his horns back on his neck, uttered a loud cry and took his first and last leap. Tumbling from the steep height he rolled into the water and would undoubtedly have been carried out of reach had he not struck against one of the rangkans and become entangled among the lines.The rest of the herd had suddenly disappeared.The alarm and commotion caused by that shot and its reverberations through the steep banks was great, but thanks to the cool behavior of the Europeans peace was soon restored. The buck was drawn out of the stream, skinned and quartered, promising a delicious adjunct to the ensuing meal. All congratulated Schlickeisen upon his fair shot, but he vowed to be less hasty for the future and never to fire during inconvenient hours.An hour afterward the flotilla was again en route, making way against the fierce and increasing current of the wild stream.This day also contributed its share of difficulties. A little beyond Kiham Hoeras, near kotta Hoerakan, the dioritic soil suddenly changed into a coarse yellow-brown sandstone. This friable stone, subject to rapid disorganization, filled the bed of the river to such an extent that in some places no canoe could pass; a rangkan had to be steered with the utmost caution in order to keep within the narrow strip of water which formed the channel. The sand of this stone is easily displaced by the immense force of the fleeting mass of water and here and there forms banks in mid-stream where the tide is slackened and the river shallowed. Sometimes the sandbanks assume the dimensions[267]of islands and are known as karangans by the natives. Harimaoung Boekit informed his friends that these are highly auriferous and that not unfrequently small nuggets are found of a quality considered the best of the Kapoeas regions.“We ought to try our luck here,” La Cueille said.“Certainly not,” Johannes replied; “our way lies forward! We are still too near the Dutch and must place a few more cataracts between them and ourselves.”“And,” said Amai Kotong, “neither could we go washing gold so readily. We would soon find ourselves in trouble with the population of these regions. Each kotta has its own grounds and parts of the river, which they would not allow to be poached upon by strangers with impunity.”“Then in heaven’s name forwards!” the Walloon muttered.Besides the wild part of the river close to these islands, they had to mount four kihams that day, some of which gave them considerably more trouble than they had experienced at Kiham Hoeras, so that it was quite four in the afternoon before the tired and exhausted travellers reached kotta Karangan.This kotta, situated on the left bank of the Kapoeas, was a handsome and strong fortification with a population of over two thousand souls. Our travellers, who had been surprised at the skulls ornamenting the palisades of kotta Djangkan, felt alarmed at the immense number of these ghastly trophies here exhibited. How many human lives must have been sacrificed to supply such a quantity?Amai Kotong found friends here also and was thereupon unhesitatingly allowed to enter the kotta. The presence of[268]Harimaoung Boekit and his Poenans, however, excited considerable suspicion and it was only after much trouble and difficulty that they succeeded in pacifying the people and in preventing them from opening hostilities. Johannes repeated the old story already told at kotta Baroe, how they had been commissioned by the Dutch government to open communication with the Olo Otts, and to learn their views. He had also beforehand taken the precaution of planting the Dutch flag on one of the largest rangkans. He now solemnly produced the stamped document taken away from Damboeng Papoendeh, and mentioned that the Poenan chief had been added to his party by the Great Heer of Bandjermasin to make the meeting with the Olo Otts more feasible.It is doubtful whether the Karangannese altogether believed the story. They certainly looked respectfully at the seal, impressed in red wax, and abstained from all hostilities, but they would not permit one of the company of travellers to enter the kotta except Amai Kotong; to the others they offered their tomoi for occupation. This caused considerable satisfaction, for such a concession indicated that they were considered as friends, and the laws of hospitality being strictly recognized in Dayakland could not be violated in their persons.Our travellers, therefore, could fearlessly take their rest, having only to guard themselves against dangers from without. They consequently deemed it sufficient for one of the Europeans to keep watch, though two of the Dayaks volunteered to join in the service.[269]
CHAPTER XIV.A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK.
A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK.
A DAYAK IRON-FOUNDRY—A PAIR OF NATIVE BELLOWS—HARIMAOUNG BOEKIT DOWN WITH FEVER—WIENERSDORF BECOMES A PHYSICIAN—JOHANNES A MAGICIAN—NEWS FROM KWALA KAPOEAS—ONCE MORE EN ROUTE—THE WIDOW’S STONE—KIHAM HOERAS AND ITS PASSAGE—HALAMANTEK.
The four friends continued sitting together till a late hour, their discourse dwelling upon the subject of gold seeking. La Cueille not feeling particularly sleepy reminded Johannes of a promise to narrate his experience of a Dayak iron-foundry.“I am quite willing to kill another hour or so and shall be glad of the opportunity to interrupt our conversation about gold seeking, as that is a subject which only causes unnecessary excitement.“But don’t expect to hear of processes and machinery as found in the West. A Dayak foundry is of a very primitive nature, as you will soon understand. This is what I personally saw in one of my expeditions:“Near the spot where the ore had been originally dug and under cover of a lofty roof, the Dayak iron-founders constructed on some small natural or artificial mound a trough of plastic clay measuring about a yard in diameter. The walls of this trough——”[248]“Had you not better first inform us of the spot where the ore was found?” La Cueille asked.“As you please. The iron ore is generally found near the coal formation, both mineral products being met with together, and one layer generally covering the other. Seldom is the one absent where the other is found.”“Parbleu!” the Walloon exclaimed, “that is extremely fortunate.”“The layers containing the iron ore are generally visible at low tide in the lower banks of the river. The Dayaks choose their opportunity during the dry season and collect the necessary quantity of ore which, as it is generally saturated, is somewhat of a doughy nature. They first dry it in the sun, then cut it into lumps of the size of a walnut and store it away for further use. The ore does not always present the same appearance. It sometimes consists of a mixture of larger or smaller pieces of dull or occasionally shiny brown iron, and is a kind of iron oxy-hydrate of a yellowish-brown crystalline texture. Sometimes it is in the form of brown ochre, caused by the partial decomposition of the iron, and at other times in the shape of very hard sandstone in which the ore seems to be deposited. Each pound of ore yields five and a half ounces of pure iron. That is all I know about it, and that much I have been able to gather from the reports.“The walls of the trough,” Johannes continued, “were about four inches thick at their edges, but increasing downwards and leaving not more than thirty-five square inches inside for the diameter of the bottom. This trough, called laboerang, formed their real melting furnace, and as I was informed was dried in[249]the sun for a fortnight, after which a hole for the reception of the nose of the bellows was made about seven inches above the bottom, while another hole, alier, was made in the opposite wall for the removal of cinders and for drawing off the melted iron. Our party just arrived when they were beginning to charge the furnace, which had previously been bound around with hoops of rattan and bamboo to prevent its splitting open. On the floor of the laboerang they strewed a thick layer of very finely-powdered charcoal, leaving free a square space, kakat, for the collection of the melted iron.“Above the square space and in the hole arranged for it they placed thenozzleof the bellows. Thisnozzle, called boetoeng, was made of baked clay and reached half over the centre of the kakat. They then filled the oven about three-quarters full of charcoal, over which they spread the ore, previously roasted over large wood fires until it had acquired a red color. The charcoal above the kakat was now ignited and the alier closed with a layer of wet clay. The bamboo tube of the bellows was next introduced and the fire kindled by first blowing it gently and gradually increasing till the highest possible temperature was attained.”“You mentioned a bamboo tube just now; surely those bellows were of European make,” La Cueille asked. “No native could manufacture such an article?”“Spoken like a European,” Johannes said somewhat bitterly.“These bellows were decidedly not of European make. Listen and I will try to explain their construction: In a straight wooden cylinder, usually made of a hollowed-out tree of about ten inch diameter and two and a half yards long, there moved a piston,[250]the disk of which in order to secure perfect exclusion of air was pasted over with feathers and a kind of varnish composed of oil and rosin. The bamboo tube in question, called passiong, was fixed underneath the cylinder and the air was forced through this. The rod of the piston, eight to ten yards long, was fixed to a long bamboo, which being placed horizontally considerably lessened the labor of working it. This kind of bellows was called bapoetang, and the workmen in order to obtain the required temperature made from forty to fifty pulls a minute.“When the oven was filled the fire was kept up, a fresh supply of ore being thrown in from above as the contents decreased by combustion. But in order to supply the necessary fuel at the same time, they added ten parts of charcoal to one of fresh ore. They opened the alier hourly for the removal of the slag, but instantly closed it again with wet clay.“At night the oven was cooled down, the alier opened and the iron thus obtained removed by means of large wooden tongs with iron points. The iron, now a shapeless tough lump of a brownish-red appearance, was then thrown down on the floor which had been previously covered with pounded slag and was belabored with wooden hammers into the form of a cube, weighing about sixty pounds. Each of these was afterwards divided into ten equal parts and hammered and purified from slag until fit for the forge. That is the whole process of manufacture. I may add that the iron from the Kapoeas regions is considered of the best quality, which means a great deal, considering that Borneo iron is celebrated all over the Indian Archipelago. The weapons made of it are highly prized everywhere, and I myself have seen[251]mandauws and swords from Nagara, where the best arms of all are made, with which a nail of seven to the pound was cut through without doing any damage to the edge of the weapon. I have now told all I know and trust I have satisfied the curiosity of our Walloon.”The latter laughed and answered thankfully:“I shall be able to sleep at last, good-night! By-the-bye, what is the Dayak for iron?”“Sanaman, and the ore they call batoe sanaman.”“Many thanks, good-night.”Shortly after midnight Wienersdorf was aroused by a Dayak who beckoned him to come outside for a minute where Hamadoe was waiting to speak to him. He found her crying bitterly. Silently taking him by the hand she conducted him to the abode of Harimaoung Boekit, her brother, whom he found raving in a paroxysm of fever. A profuse perspiration covered the brow of the patient, his respiration was rapid and stertorous and in his delirium he spoke of nothing but Johannes’ threat of sending the fever home to him. This incident, so constantly repeated by the sick man, spread among the Poenan companions gathered around his bed, and murmurs of dissatisfaction, nay even threats were heard amongst them. To play upon the credulity of a primitive race is rather a dangerous experiment.Hamadoe, full of alarm at the condition of her brother, had thought it wise to summon her Dohong, having full faith in the omnipotence of the art of healing possessed by the whitefaces. Wienersdorf being thus created physician felt the patient’s pulse, looked at him with a sage and dignified air and applied his hand[252]to his forehead, arms and chest. At length he ordered the body of the Poenan to be bathed with vinegar and water and cold compresses to be applied to the head, with the satisfactory result of reducing the temperature of the patient and of soon restoring him to consciousness. He further prescribed an infusion ofakar pahit, the root of a native plant and a very good substitute for quinine, with the addition of some honey, and ordered his patient to take a draught of it occasionally. Whether from the effect of the medicine or from natural reaction the patient soon fell into a healthy slumber. Wienersdorf then went to inform Johannes of what had taken place and was surprised to find his information received with a burst of laughter.“I don’t see anything to laugh at,” the Swiss said, “the situation is too serious. Believe me I have heard the most horrible threats uttered against you for sending the fever to the Poenan chief and you know best what sort of people they are.”“Don’t feel alarmed, my worthy Swiss! I will soon make it right again. When next they call you in professionally, send for me and I will accompany you.”Early in the morning the Dohong was sent for again, and accompanied by Johannes he soon entered the sick room, where he found preparations being made for incantations to remove the disease by the aid of the priestesses.“For Heaven’s sake,” the Dohong cried, “stop this noise; it will make him worse.”Upon seeing Johannes the patient displayed an angry countenance and reproached him with ingratitude.“I pardon you,” he said, “for Dohong’s sake, but they have[253]taught you this ingratitude in Bandjermasin. What have I done to you to be treated so badly?”“Only a mistake, my friend,” Johannes answered. “I was tipsy last night when the fever seized me. I had taken too much toeak and I intended to send the fever to the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas. It seems that I have made a serious blunder and mentioned your name instead. But you will see that I have the power of removing the fever as well as of sending it.”And taking a handful of rice from a cocoanut shell which he had brought with him he strewed the grains around the bed of the patient, chanting in a loud voice: “O strewn grains, enter the house of the Sangiangs together; enter noiselessly, ye golden grains, into the home of the Sangiangs!”Then passing his hand over the forehead of the patient and gesticulating as if casting away something, he said:“At last it is over. One hour hence the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas will have the fever as badly as you have had it. Remain quiet now, drink the obat—medicine—which Dohong will give you. In about half an hour’s time you will experience some singing in the ears but don’t feel alarmed, it will be the sign of the disappearance of fever for Kwala Kapoeas.”With solemn steps he quitted the apartment. Wienersdorf now produced a bottle containing a solution of sulphate of quinine and gave it to the Poenan to drink.Without moving a muscle the latter swallowed the bitter draught, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, but assured his doctor that he had greater confidence in the magical performance of Johannes than in all the bitter drugs in creation.[254]A quarter of an hour afterwards he had fallen into a deep slumber.Previous to his departure from Kwala Kapoeas, Johannes with his accustomed foresight had requisitioned some quinine from the doctor’s medicine chest and this drug was now rendering him good service. Dalim, however, warned him against making similar experiments upon the natives.“Threats,” he said, “have been heard and suspicions have been muttered. Some of the people spoke of the danger of receiving total strangers like yourselves in the kottas. Up to the present they have confined themselves to murmurs. But only let them broach the word antoeën and every mandauw will be unsheathed and you will soon be weltering in your blood, your heads in the hands of the Poenans.”“What is the meaning of the word antoeën?” Schlickeisen asked.“It means the power of changing into an evil spirit in order to steal the soul of a man and thus to make him ill,” was Dalim’s reply.“I thought stealing a man’s soul was killing him?”“Yes, but death only results when the soul remains away too long. With the Dayak illness is simply considered a temporary absence of the soul from the body and healing is therefore the restoration of the abstracted soul in due time. Our priestesses are quite experts in these matters. If you like I will tell you a legend relating to the subject.”The four Europeans hereupon refilled their pipes and placed themselves round the Dayak, who commenced his narrative:[255]“Once upon a time there lived a family of Dayaks who, while digging a hole in the ground to fix a stake for one of their houses in course of erection, found a large red water-snake which they killed and relished for their dinner. The snake, however, called Lendong, belonged to the family ofNaga gallang petakand was a favorite with Mahatara. According to Dayak tradition the first living being created by Mahatara was a great water-snake upon which he gradually deposited mud and sand and thus made it carry the earth. Hence the nameNaga gallang petak, or snake serving as the foundation of the earth. Each of its motions caused the earthquake. The part of the world towards which its head pointed had prosperity—that towards which its tail pointed misfortune.“The God, incensed at the foul slaughter, turned everyone of those who had partaken of the snake into an antoeën. The father of the family was created chief of the antoeën and received the horrible title ofradja antoeën batoelang dohong, or king of the antoeëns with bones like warriors’ swords. Thenceforward all that family remained antoeëns.“I may add for your information, that once a person is suspected by the Dayaks of being an antoeën, his life is not worth a day’s purchase. Not only for the public safety is it considered compulsory to destroy him, but the one who kills him is looked upon as a hero, to whom everybody owes obligation and gratitude. I have good-naturedly advised you not to pretend to be capable of causing illness to anybody.”“No indeed, never more,” Johannes said solemnly. “But can this joke with the Poenan lead to any evil result?”[256]“As long as the Poenan remains free of fever, it will not. All danger then will be passed, for the only peculiarity of the antoeëns is that they can never themselves undo the mischief which they cause.”“My worthy Helvetian!” Johannes said, addressing Wienersdorf, at the same time handing him a small paper parcel, “here are ten more grains of quinine, let your brother-in-law swallow them by all means, for his recovery is a serious consideration to me now.”The second dose however was not necessary. After having peacefully slept till an advanced hour of the day, the Poenan had awaked, and feeling perfectly well had taken his mat and spread it under the shade of a large tree outside the house.He was now lying there drinking in large draughts of the fresh air. When he saw Johannes and Wienersdorf approach he arose and cordially shook hands with both; but his manner towards the former showed that he felt a certain reverential fear for one who at his own will could create and cure disease.Harimaoung Boekit fortunately remained free from fever, whereby Johannes’ prestige became increased in no small degree. There was nothing now to interfere with the prosecution of their journey. The deserters therefore pressed for a speedy departure. The Europeans were becoming desperate, when fortunately something unexpected occurred to put an end to their embarrassment.A djoekoeng from the deputies arrived one morning with the message that although the Dutch Government had accepted the submission of kotta Djangkan, the Commander himself would come with a steamship to fetch the new chief and conduct him to[257]Bandjermasin, there to take the oath of allegiance. This steamer might be hourly expected.Harimaoungknew that if the Commander should arrive before his departure he might prevent the emigration of the tribe and therefore their best course would be to depart forthwith. Everything was made ready with despatch and all hands were busy in the final preparations.The last night passed at kotta Djangkan was of marvellous activity, and when day at last broke forth all was ready for departure. Only the guns which for safety had been left in the batteries over night had to be embarked. The lusty arms of our Europeans soon settled this difficulty, and a leave-taking commenced which promised to be interminable, until Johannes, pointing his finger towards the south, suddenly cried out:“Banama Asep! Banama Asep!!” a fire ship, a fire ship.A cloud of smoke was indeed seen above the edge of the forest towards the south. All instantly took their places in the boats and in less time than it takes to narrate, the ten rangkans, containing one hundred and sixty five persons, the grand total of the emigration, had left the shore with all their goods and chattels. The oars clave the waters forcibly and the light vessels sped onwards. A hurrah was given by the travellers and responded to by those their late companions, and the kotta which had so hospitably received our adventurers was left behind.The country gradually became wilder, the banks loftier, sometimes hanging over as if threatening death and destruction.The river still preserved its unruffled surface, indicating the evenness of its bed. Although the stream rushed along with[258]increased speed it continued to be perfectly navigable; here and there whirlpools were to be observed as the water rushed over detached pieces of chalk, but these could be avoided with care. The Kapoeas was still a stream in which a small steamer, drawing six feet of water, could find no difficulty inmanœuvring. After a couple of hours’ towing they reached Batoe Sambong. Amai Kotong went ashore here for a few minutes to take leave of the Chief of the Kampong, with whom he had lived in peace for many years. The inhabitants of the kotta, interested in the travellers, came out in a body and offered them cakes and toeak, both of which were gratefully received not only by La Cueille but also by the women, who according to their limited powers had taken their share in the rowing.This pause on their journey did not occupy more than half an hour, but it seemed an age to Johannes, who did not feel safe until they had passed that barrier for steamers, the first cataract. Once beyond that, an hour or so would be of little importance as the fugitives could be no longer overtaken. Until then his motto was: “Forwards! forwards!!”At a short distance from kotta Sambong they passed a solitary cliff of chalk about fifty feet high, to which Johannes drew the attention of his companions. Seen from a distance it appeared to resemble the form of a gigantic woman in a kneeling position, wearing a cloth around her head. Against the foot of this rock the Kapoeas beat with violence, scattering around wild mountains of foam as if furious at the barrier which forced it away from its course to seek a new direction. Johannes informed his friends that the neighboring kotta had taken its name from this[259]stone: Batoe Sambalajong, abbreviated into Batoe Sambong.“What is the meaning of Sambalajong?” Wienersdorf asked.“Sambalajong is the name of a white head-dress worn by widows. As that stone bears some resemblance to a widow in the native mourning it is called batoe sambong, which may be translated widow’s stone.”The cry of “halt” was now heard from the foremost rangkan. They had arrived at Kiham Hoeras, the first cataract. A subdued murmur, increasing more and more as they advanced, had been heard for a considerable time, but it had scarcely been heeded by the Europeans who were intently listening to the legend of Batoe Sambong. The narrator now ceased talking and the tiktak caused by the movement of the oars in the rowlocks being also suspended, the majestic sound of the waters broke upon their ears. Looking up they beheld the river shooting downwards from on high in a magnificent cascade. The lower part of the fall consisted of massive rocks assuming the most fantastic shapes. At the more elevated part this chalk formation was broken by plutonic diorite, whose dark blue seams appeared between the white chalk on the surface. Here and there were scattered huge black masses of stone which seemed to have broken from the cliffs and to have been weather-beaten into the nearly globular shapes they now possessed. The whole of the upper part of the cataract presented to the eye an agglomeration of similar masses scattered about in the wildest manner. The impressions created by this scene of nature in her sublimity was most powerful. The Europeans looked on in much admiration[260]while their rangkans almost danced on the foaming waters; they could scarcely find words to give utterance to their thoughts.“It is magnificent,” Wienersdorf said, deeply affected; “see over there how beautifully these black and white layers of stones are intermixed; look, a mosaic like that over yonder I defy any artisan to excel.”“Observe that limestone beyond; does it not look as if carved? Only see how beautiful and white it stands out against that black background; it is like a gigantic piece of lace-work.”“Only a little less fragile than your Brussels or Mechlen lace,” Johannes added.“Look,” Wienersdorf continued enthusiastically, “at those high steep banks, in which chalk and diorite stones almost struggle for supremacy. Observe how they are clad in the loveliest soft green of gigantic ferns, crowned by the sombre foliage of the majestic primeval forest like the proud gothic arches of a mediæval cathedral. See, higher up, where the trunks lean over bending their branches, interwoven by the creepers and forming a low cave from which the white foaming waters escape as if from the mighty urn of the god of the stream.”“And yet how still all seems, does it not? Nothing, absolutely nothing but the noise of the fleeting waters; not the sound of a bird or animal breaking this dead silence. Life seems almost extinct here.”“Shut up!” was Johannes’ gay remark. “Morbid imagination, my boy, nothing else. Our poet is absolutely seeing solitude where none is to be found. The thunder of the cataract deafens all or you would soon hear the harsh cries of the hordes of gray-green[261]paroquets inhabiting the tops of yonder trees. You might hear the piercing cries of that herd of deer now grazing on the tops of the cliffs; you would hear those small bakais or monkeys flying about with their long tails through the branches of the trees, fern leaves and creepers which overhang the abyss, whistling their lively ‘kirah, kirah.’ By heavens, no! life is far from extinct here. On the contrary it shows itself in its most powerful aspects everywhere around you, even in the waters, where you may find the finest salmon disporting themselves. Presently, when we shall have mastered this wild stream and travelled upwards, all this life will disappear as if by magic. Then you will find all blank and quiet about you just as you have pictured it to yourself. Do not, however, blame nature for the change, but only men.”Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.While our deserters were thus philosophizing the Dayaks had taken steps to accomplish the difficult and dangerous ascent of the kiham. Women and children stepped on shore and began to climb the cliffs which formed as it were a flight of steps leading to the higher territory whence the Kapoeas descended. The four deserters, armed with their unerring rifles, and five Dayaks with their lances and mandauws, served as a convoy to the fair sex, all the while keeping an eye upon what was going on on the river.The rattan ropes cut at soengei Dahasan and soengei Basarang and the chains found in soengei Naning were now produced and tied together. This long cable was drawn up by eight men, who while performing their task had successively to spring from cliff to cliff, to wade half through the water and swim across some[262]smaller branches of the river. After two hours of hard work the upper end of the cable was attached to a strong tree standing on the bank above the stream while the other end was thrown across the river to the canoes. Two Dayaks now posted themselves at the tree to guard the cable while six leaped into the river and allowed themselves to be carried away by the strong tide, grasping the cable as they sped along with astonishing rapidity. They repeatedly disappeared beneath the foam of the whirlpools, and the hearts of the Europeans beat faster as they witnessed each submersion, but they soon saw the long woolly hair of the swimmers reappear on the surface as they rose up gleefully and swam rapidly onwards.The object of this manœuvring was to ascertain whether the cable had became entangled amongst the trunks of the trees or rocks, thereby imperilling the drawing up of the canoes. Although the cable was fully six hundred yards long the expert swimmers reached its lower end in a few seconds, when they wiped their faces as if nothing had happened. Five of the men now took their places in each of the rangkans, one of them steering while the four others took hold of the cable to draw the boat up against the terrific tide. The dangerous journey was undertaken by one rangkan at a time in order to prevent accidents arising from the breaking of the cable or upsetting.Thanks to the skill of the Dayaks and Poenans the rangkans completed the ascent without any misadventure. The cataract now formed a formidable barrier between the Dutch and themselves and further pursuit was almost impossible.The cable being wanted for other purposes had to be drawn up[263]again, an operation which took two hours to accomplish. The swimmers had to exhibit their skill again in diving to unfasten it whenever it became caught among the rocks.The women, owing to the difficult path they had to follow in the ascent of the cliffs, had not proceeded very far, although to these children of nature a walk like this was nothing beyond an ordinary promenade. They reached the top in about half an hour, where they sat gossiping around a tree to which the cable was attached. The younger ones passed their time in merriment while the elders lit several small fires to cook the meals for the company. In the midst of all this female clatter La Cueille’s voice was suddenly heard crying out:“Nom d’un chien!what is there in my neck that itches so much?” And tearing away the rag which protected his neck from the rays of the sun he found it soaked in blood.“I thought it was perspiration,” he cried, “trickling down my neck. Am I wounded at last?”His companions with several Dayaks approached, but the miscreants simply burst out into hearty laughter. Before the Walloon could get any answer to his appeal for help he passed his hand down his neck and felt some slimy, smooth objects from which he suddenly withdrew his fingers.“What is this?” he asked nervously.“Halamantek,” was the phlegmatic reply of one of the Dayaks.“Halamantek! what do they mean?”“Don’t make yourself ridiculous,” Johannes grinned. “Halamantek are only forest-leeches and they will rid you of some superfluous Walloon blood.”[264]A sigh of relief escaped the wounded man. On examination it proved that during their stampede through a thick wood not only the Walloon, but all of the company had been attacked by these little reptiles. He, however, from some unaccountable cause had received a double share of their favors.“The forest-leech,” Johannes explained, “is a reptile strongly resembling a thick gray thread about the length of a finger. It inhabits the lower branches of trees and from there attacks its prey, either man or beast. It creeps in some crevice of the skin or dress and greedily begins its meal. Its bite is not painful at first, resembling rather a sensation of itching, but as soon as it has sucked itself full the irritation becomes intense.”“That is exactly what I felt,” the Walloon murmured.In the meantime Moendoet had taken a handful of tobacco, infused it for a couple of minutes in some boiling water and with the lotion thus formed bathed the neck of her sweetheart. The leeches dropped off and their wounds soon healed, to the great satisfaction of the Walloon.“Henceforth we shall often be plagued with these pests,” Johannes said, “and I think it will be wise to have some tobacco water ready in our flasks for possible emergencies.”“Shall we have to pass many cataracts?” Wienersdorf enquired.“A great many; perhaps four to-morrow. But why this question?”“Because we shall then have to wash ourselves four times at least with this tobacco sauce. We shall be perfumed like the bowl of a German pipe.”“Very likely,” Johannes laughed, “but fortunately we don’t[265]want to make ourentréede salon, or perhaps you are anxious lest Hamadoe will be disgusted with you? Don’t feel alarmed, she is quite accustomed to tobacco.”By the time the cable had been drawn in, the sun had also finished his course and unceremoniously disappeared in the west behind the forest. Our men and especially the Dayaks and Poenans had had a fatiguing day and longed for some rest. They consequently resolved to pass the night in the immediate neighborhood. The rangkans were tied to a projecting tree, leaving them room enough to float in mid-stream. The women and children were lodged within them, ten of the men occupying one at each end as a safeguard. One of the men in each canoe was told off to mount guard, while the others of the crew were divided into two equal watches, posted along the banks of the river opposite the rangkans.The four deserters joined this party, two of them in each watch, one to keep lookout while the others rested.Their precautions were excellently taken and showed the solicitude felt by Johannes for their general welfare. The night however passed by undisturbed. Early in the morning Schlickeisen noticed a creaking sound coming from the forest bordering the banks. He kept a sharp lookout and observed a herd of about fifty deer, led by a handsome buck with a magnificent pair of antlers, coming down the slopes to drink from the crystalline river water. While the herd was drinking their leader stood posted on the top of the bank whence he could overlook the surrounding country. There he remained, sniffing the air and pricking up his ears, offering a fair mark to the Swiss, who proceeded to take[266]good aim and fired. His first movement, however, had alarmed the stag; the noble animal suddenly threw his horns back on his neck, uttered a loud cry and took his first and last leap. Tumbling from the steep height he rolled into the water and would undoubtedly have been carried out of reach had he not struck against one of the rangkans and become entangled among the lines.The rest of the herd had suddenly disappeared.The alarm and commotion caused by that shot and its reverberations through the steep banks was great, but thanks to the cool behavior of the Europeans peace was soon restored. The buck was drawn out of the stream, skinned and quartered, promising a delicious adjunct to the ensuing meal. All congratulated Schlickeisen upon his fair shot, but he vowed to be less hasty for the future and never to fire during inconvenient hours.An hour afterward the flotilla was again en route, making way against the fierce and increasing current of the wild stream.This day also contributed its share of difficulties. A little beyond Kiham Hoeras, near kotta Hoerakan, the dioritic soil suddenly changed into a coarse yellow-brown sandstone. This friable stone, subject to rapid disorganization, filled the bed of the river to such an extent that in some places no canoe could pass; a rangkan had to be steered with the utmost caution in order to keep within the narrow strip of water which formed the channel. The sand of this stone is easily displaced by the immense force of the fleeting mass of water and here and there forms banks in mid-stream where the tide is slackened and the river shallowed. Sometimes the sandbanks assume the dimensions[267]of islands and are known as karangans by the natives. Harimaoung Boekit informed his friends that these are highly auriferous and that not unfrequently small nuggets are found of a quality considered the best of the Kapoeas regions.“We ought to try our luck here,” La Cueille said.“Certainly not,” Johannes replied; “our way lies forward! We are still too near the Dutch and must place a few more cataracts between them and ourselves.”“And,” said Amai Kotong, “neither could we go washing gold so readily. We would soon find ourselves in trouble with the population of these regions. Each kotta has its own grounds and parts of the river, which they would not allow to be poached upon by strangers with impunity.”“Then in heaven’s name forwards!” the Walloon muttered.Besides the wild part of the river close to these islands, they had to mount four kihams that day, some of which gave them considerably more trouble than they had experienced at Kiham Hoeras, so that it was quite four in the afternoon before the tired and exhausted travellers reached kotta Karangan.This kotta, situated on the left bank of the Kapoeas, was a handsome and strong fortification with a population of over two thousand souls. Our travellers, who had been surprised at the skulls ornamenting the palisades of kotta Djangkan, felt alarmed at the immense number of these ghastly trophies here exhibited. How many human lives must have been sacrificed to supply such a quantity?Amai Kotong found friends here also and was thereupon unhesitatingly allowed to enter the kotta. The presence of[268]Harimaoung Boekit and his Poenans, however, excited considerable suspicion and it was only after much trouble and difficulty that they succeeded in pacifying the people and in preventing them from opening hostilities. Johannes repeated the old story already told at kotta Baroe, how they had been commissioned by the Dutch government to open communication with the Olo Otts, and to learn their views. He had also beforehand taken the precaution of planting the Dutch flag on one of the largest rangkans. He now solemnly produced the stamped document taken away from Damboeng Papoendeh, and mentioned that the Poenan chief had been added to his party by the Great Heer of Bandjermasin to make the meeting with the Olo Otts more feasible.It is doubtful whether the Karangannese altogether believed the story. They certainly looked respectfully at the seal, impressed in red wax, and abstained from all hostilities, but they would not permit one of the company of travellers to enter the kotta except Amai Kotong; to the others they offered their tomoi for occupation. This caused considerable satisfaction, for such a concession indicated that they were considered as friends, and the laws of hospitality being strictly recognized in Dayakland could not be violated in their persons.Our travellers, therefore, could fearlessly take their rest, having only to guard themselves against dangers from without. They consequently deemed it sufficient for one of the Europeans to keep watch, though two of the Dayaks volunteered to join in the service.[269]
The four friends continued sitting together till a late hour, their discourse dwelling upon the subject of gold seeking. La Cueille not feeling particularly sleepy reminded Johannes of a promise to narrate his experience of a Dayak iron-foundry.
“I am quite willing to kill another hour or so and shall be glad of the opportunity to interrupt our conversation about gold seeking, as that is a subject which only causes unnecessary excitement.
“But don’t expect to hear of processes and machinery as found in the West. A Dayak foundry is of a very primitive nature, as you will soon understand. This is what I personally saw in one of my expeditions:
“Near the spot where the ore had been originally dug and under cover of a lofty roof, the Dayak iron-founders constructed on some small natural or artificial mound a trough of plastic clay measuring about a yard in diameter. The walls of this trough——”[248]
“Had you not better first inform us of the spot where the ore was found?” La Cueille asked.
“As you please. The iron ore is generally found near the coal formation, both mineral products being met with together, and one layer generally covering the other. Seldom is the one absent where the other is found.”
“Parbleu!” the Walloon exclaimed, “that is extremely fortunate.”
“The layers containing the iron ore are generally visible at low tide in the lower banks of the river. The Dayaks choose their opportunity during the dry season and collect the necessary quantity of ore which, as it is generally saturated, is somewhat of a doughy nature. They first dry it in the sun, then cut it into lumps of the size of a walnut and store it away for further use. The ore does not always present the same appearance. It sometimes consists of a mixture of larger or smaller pieces of dull or occasionally shiny brown iron, and is a kind of iron oxy-hydrate of a yellowish-brown crystalline texture. Sometimes it is in the form of brown ochre, caused by the partial decomposition of the iron, and at other times in the shape of very hard sandstone in which the ore seems to be deposited. Each pound of ore yields five and a half ounces of pure iron. That is all I know about it, and that much I have been able to gather from the reports.
“The walls of the trough,” Johannes continued, “were about four inches thick at their edges, but increasing downwards and leaving not more than thirty-five square inches inside for the diameter of the bottom. This trough, called laboerang, formed their real melting furnace, and as I was informed was dried in[249]the sun for a fortnight, after which a hole for the reception of the nose of the bellows was made about seven inches above the bottom, while another hole, alier, was made in the opposite wall for the removal of cinders and for drawing off the melted iron. Our party just arrived when they were beginning to charge the furnace, which had previously been bound around with hoops of rattan and bamboo to prevent its splitting open. On the floor of the laboerang they strewed a thick layer of very finely-powdered charcoal, leaving free a square space, kakat, for the collection of the melted iron.
“Above the square space and in the hole arranged for it they placed thenozzleof the bellows. Thisnozzle, called boetoeng, was made of baked clay and reached half over the centre of the kakat. They then filled the oven about three-quarters full of charcoal, over which they spread the ore, previously roasted over large wood fires until it had acquired a red color. The charcoal above the kakat was now ignited and the alier closed with a layer of wet clay. The bamboo tube of the bellows was next introduced and the fire kindled by first blowing it gently and gradually increasing till the highest possible temperature was attained.”
“You mentioned a bamboo tube just now; surely those bellows were of European make,” La Cueille asked. “No native could manufacture such an article?”
“Spoken like a European,” Johannes said somewhat bitterly.“These bellows were decidedly not of European make. Listen and I will try to explain their construction: In a straight wooden cylinder, usually made of a hollowed-out tree of about ten inch diameter and two and a half yards long, there moved a piston,[250]the disk of which in order to secure perfect exclusion of air was pasted over with feathers and a kind of varnish composed of oil and rosin. The bamboo tube in question, called passiong, was fixed underneath the cylinder and the air was forced through this. The rod of the piston, eight to ten yards long, was fixed to a long bamboo, which being placed horizontally considerably lessened the labor of working it. This kind of bellows was called bapoetang, and the workmen in order to obtain the required temperature made from forty to fifty pulls a minute.
“When the oven was filled the fire was kept up, a fresh supply of ore being thrown in from above as the contents decreased by combustion. But in order to supply the necessary fuel at the same time, they added ten parts of charcoal to one of fresh ore. They opened the alier hourly for the removal of the slag, but instantly closed it again with wet clay.
“At night the oven was cooled down, the alier opened and the iron thus obtained removed by means of large wooden tongs with iron points. The iron, now a shapeless tough lump of a brownish-red appearance, was then thrown down on the floor which had been previously covered with pounded slag and was belabored with wooden hammers into the form of a cube, weighing about sixty pounds. Each of these was afterwards divided into ten equal parts and hammered and purified from slag until fit for the forge. That is the whole process of manufacture. I may add that the iron from the Kapoeas regions is considered of the best quality, which means a great deal, considering that Borneo iron is celebrated all over the Indian Archipelago. The weapons made of it are highly prized everywhere, and I myself have seen[251]mandauws and swords from Nagara, where the best arms of all are made, with which a nail of seven to the pound was cut through without doing any damage to the edge of the weapon. I have now told all I know and trust I have satisfied the curiosity of our Walloon.”
The latter laughed and answered thankfully:
“I shall be able to sleep at last, good-night! By-the-bye, what is the Dayak for iron?”
“Sanaman, and the ore they call batoe sanaman.”
“Many thanks, good-night.”
Shortly after midnight Wienersdorf was aroused by a Dayak who beckoned him to come outside for a minute where Hamadoe was waiting to speak to him. He found her crying bitterly. Silently taking him by the hand she conducted him to the abode of Harimaoung Boekit, her brother, whom he found raving in a paroxysm of fever. A profuse perspiration covered the brow of the patient, his respiration was rapid and stertorous and in his delirium he spoke of nothing but Johannes’ threat of sending the fever home to him. This incident, so constantly repeated by the sick man, spread among the Poenan companions gathered around his bed, and murmurs of dissatisfaction, nay even threats were heard amongst them. To play upon the credulity of a primitive race is rather a dangerous experiment.
Hamadoe, full of alarm at the condition of her brother, had thought it wise to summon her Dohong, having full faith in the omnipotence of the art of healing possessed by the whitefaces. Wienersdorf being thus created physician felt the patient’s pulse, looked at him with a sage and dignified air and applied his hand[252]to his forehead, arms and chest. At length he ordered the body of the Poenan to be bathed with vinegar and water and cold compresses to be applied to the head, with the satisfactory result of reducing the temperature of the patient and of soon restoring him to consciousness. He further prescribed an infusion ofakar pahit, the root of a native plant and a very good substitute for quinine, with the addition of some honey, and ordered his patient to take a draught of it occasionally. Whether from the effect of the medicine or from natural reaction the patient soon fell into a healthy slumber. Wienersdorf then went to inform Johannes of what had taken place and was surprised to find his information received with a burst of laughter.
“I don’t see anything to laugh at,” the Swiss said, “the situation is too serious. Believe me I have heard the most horrible threats uttered against you for sending the fever to the Poenan chief and you know best what sort of people they are.”
“Don’t feel alarmed, my worthy Swiss! I will soon make it right again. When next they call you in professionally, send for me and I will accompany you.”
Early in the morning the Dohong was sent for again, and accompanied by Johannes he soon entered the sick room, where he found preparations being made for incantations to remove the disease by the aid of the priestesses.
“For Heaven’s sake,” the Dohong cried, “stop this noise; it will make him worse.”
Upon seeing Johannes the patient displayed an angry countenance and reproached him with ingratitude.
“I pardon you,” he said, “for Dohong’s sake, but they have[253]taught you this ingratitude in Bandjermasin. What have I done to you to be treated so badly?”
“Only a mistake, my friend,” Johannes answered. “I was tipsy last night when the fever seized me. I had taken too much toeak and I intended to send the fever to the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas. It seems that I have made a serious blunder and mentioned your name instead. But you will see that I have the power of removing the fever as well as of sending it.”
And taking a handful of rice from a cocoanut shell which he had brought with him he strewed the grains around the bed of the patient, chanting in a loud voice: “O strewn grains, enter the house of the Sangiangs together; enter noiselessly, ye golden grains, into the home of the Sangiangs!”
Then passing his hand over the forehead of the patient and gesticulating as if casting away something, he said:
“At last it is over. One hour hence the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas will have the fever as badly as you have had it. Remain quiet now, drink the obat—medicine—which Dohong will give you. In about half an hour’s time you will experience some singing in the ears but don’t feel alarmed, it will be the sign of the disappearance of fever for Kwala Kapoeas.”
With solemn steps he quitted the apartment. Wienersdorf now produced a bottle containing a solution of sulphate of quinine and gave it to the Poenan to drink.
Without moving a muscle the latter swallowed the bitter draught, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, but assured his doctor that he had greater confidence in the magical performance of Johannes than in all the bitter drugs in creation.[254]
A quarter of an hour afterwards he had fallen into a deep slumber.
Previous to his departure from Kwala Kapoeas, Johannes with his accustomed foresight had requisitioned some quinine from the doctor’s medicine chest and this drug was now rendering him good service. Dalim, however, warned him against making similar experiments upon the natives.
“Threats,” he said, “have been heard and suspicions have been muttered. Some of the people spoke of the danger of receiving total strangers like yourselves in the kottas. Up to the present they have confined themselves to murmurs. But only let them broach the word antoeën and every mandauw will be unsheathed and you will soon be weltering in your blood, your heads in the hands of the Poenans.”
“What is the meaning of the word antoeën?” Schlickeisen asked.
“It means the power of changing into an evil spirit in order to steal the soul of a man and thus to make him ill,” was Dalim’s reply.
“I thought stealing a man’s soul was killing him?”
“Yes, but death only results when the soul remains away too long. With the Dayak illness is simply considered a temporary absence of the soul from the body and healing is therefore the restoration of the abstracted soul in due time. Our priestesses are quite experts in these matters. If you like I will tell you a legend relating to the subject.”
The four Europeans hereupon refilled their pipes and placed themselves round the Dayak, who commenced his narrative:[255]
“Once upon a time there lived a family of Dayaks who, while digging a hole in the ground to fix a stake for one of their houses in course of erection, found a large red water-snake which they killed and relished for their dinner. The snake, however, called Lendong, belonged to the family ofNaga gallang petakand was a favorite with Mahatara. According to Dayak tradition the first living being created by Mahatara was a great water-snake upon which he gradually deposited mud and sand and thus made it carry the earth. Hence the nameNaga gallang petak, or snake serving as the foundation of the earth. Each of its motions caused the earthquake. The part of the world towards which its head pointed had prosperity—that towards which its tail pointed misfortune.
“The God, incensed at the foul slaughter, turned everyone of those who had partaken of the snake into an antoeën. The father of the family was created chief of the antoeën and received the horrible title ofradja antoeën batoelang dohong, or king of the antoeëns with bones like warriors’ swords. Thenceforward all that family remained antoeëns.
“I may add for your information, that once a person is suspected by the Dayaks of being an antoeën, his life is not worth a day’s purchase. Not only for the public safety is it considered compulsory to destroy him, but the one who kills him is looked upon as a hero, to whom everybody owes obligation and gratitude. I have good-naturedly advised you not to pretend to be capable of causing illness to anybody.”
“No indeed, never more,” Johannes said solemnly. “But can this joke with the Poenan lead to any evil result?”[256]
“As long as the Poenan remains free of fever, it will not. All danger then will be passed, for the only peculiarity of the antoeëns is that they can never themselves undo the mischief which they cause.”
“My worthy Helvetian!” Johannes said, addressing Wienersdorf, at the same time handing him a small paper parcel, “here are ten more grains of quinine, let your brother-in-law swallow them by all means, for his recovery is a serious consideration to me now.”
The second dose however was not necessary. After having peacefully slept till an advanced hour of the day, the Poenan had awaked, and feeling perfectly well had taken his mat and spread it under the shade of a large tree outside the house.
He was now lying there drinking in large draughts of the fresh air. When he saw Johannes and Wienersdorf approach he arose and cordially shook hands with both; but his manner towards the former showed that he felt a certain reverential fear for one who at his own will could create and cure disease.
Harimaoung Boekit fortunately remained free from fever, whereby Johannes’ prestige became increased in no small degree. There was nothing now to interfere with the prosecution of their journey. The deserters therefore pressed for a speedy departure. The Europeans were becoming desperate, when fortunately something unexpected occurred to put an end to their embarrassment.
A djoekoeng from the deputies arrived one morning with the message that although the Dutch Government had accepted the submission of kotta Djangkan, the Commander himself would come with a steamship to fetch the new chief and conduct him to[257]Bandjermasin, there to take the oath of allegiance. This steamer might be hourly expected.Harimaoungknew that if the Commander should arrive before his departure he might prevent the emigration of the tribe and therefore their best course would be to depart forthwith. Everything was made ready with despatch and all hands were busy in the final preparations.
The last night passed at kotta Djangkan was of marvellous activity, and when day at last broke forth all was ready for departure. Only the guns which for safety had been left in the batteries over night had to be embarked. The lusty arms of our Europeans soon settled this difficulty, and a leave-taking commenced which promised to be interminable, until Johannes, pointing his finger towards the south, suddenly cried out:
“Banama Asep! Banama Asep!!” a fire ship, a fire ship.
A cloud of smoke was indeed seen above the edge of the forest towards the south. All instantly took their places in the boats and in less time than it takes to narrate, the ten rangkans, containing one hundred and sixty five persons, the grand total of the emigration, had left the shore with all their goods and chattels. The oars clave the waters forcibly and the light vessels sped onwards. A hurrah was given by the travellers and responded to by those their late companions, and the kotta which had so hospitably received our adventurers was left behind.
The country gradually became wilder, the banks loftier, sometimes hanging over as if threatening death and destruction.
The river still preserved its unruffled surface, indicating the evenness of its bed. Although the stream rushed along with[258]increased speed it continued to be perfectly navigable; here and there whirlpools were to be observed as the water rushed over detached pieces of chalk, but these could be avoided with care. The Kapoeas was still a stream in which a small steamer, drawing six feet of water, could find no difficulty inmanœuvring. After a couple of hours’ towing they reached Batoe Sambong. Amai Kotong went ashore here for a few minutes to take leave of the Chief of the Kampong, with whom he had lived in peace for many years. The inhabitants of the kotta, interested in the travellers, came out in a body and offered them cakes and toeak, both of which were gratefully received not only by La Cueille but also by the women, who according to their limited powers had taken their share in the rowing.
This pause on their journey did not occupy more than half an hour, but it seemed an age to Johannes, who did not feel safe until they had passed that barrier for steamers, the first cataract. Once beyond that, an hour or so would be of little importance as the fugitives could be no longer overtaken. Until then his motto was: “Forwards! forwards!!”
At a short distance from kotta Sambong they passed a solitary cliff of chalk about fifty feet high, to which Johannes drew the attention of his companions. Seen from a distance it appeared to resemble the form of a gigantic woman in a kneeling position, wearing a cloth around her head. Against the foot of this rock the Kapoeas beat with violence, scattering around wild mountains of foam as if furious at the barrier which forced it away from its course to seek a new direction. Johannes informed his friends that the neighboring kotta had taken its name from this[259]stone: Batoe Sambalajong, abbreviated into Batoe Sambong.
“What is the meaning of Sambalajong?” Wienersdorf asked.
“Sambalajong is the name of a white head-dress worn by widows. As that stone bears some resemblance to a widow in the native mourning it is called batoe sambong, which may be translated widow’s stone.”
The cry of “halt” was now heard from the foremost rangkan. They had arrived at Kiham Hoeras, the first cataract. A subdued murmur, increasing more and more as they advanced, had been heard for a considerable time, but it had scarcely been heeded by the Europeans who were intently listening to the legend of Batoe Sambong. The narrator now ceased talking and the tiktak caused by the movement of the oars in the rowlocks being also suspended, the majestic sound of the waters broke upon their ears. Looking up they beheld the river shooting downwards from on high in a magnificent cascade. The lower part of the fall consisted of massive rocks assuming the most fantastic shapes. At the more elevated part this chalk formation was broken by plutonic diorite, whose dark blue seams appeared between the white chalk on the surface. Here and there were scattered huge black masses of stone which seemed to have broken from the cliffs and to have been weather-beaten into the nearly globular shapes they now possessed. The whole of the upper part of the cataract presented to the eye an agglomeration of similar masses scattered about in the wildest manner. The impressions created by this scene of nature in her sublimity was most powerful. The Europeans looked on in much admiration[260]while their rangkans almost danced on the foaming waters; they could scarcely find words to give utterance to their thoughts.
“It is magnificent,” Wienersdorf said, deeply affected; “see over there how beautifully these black and white layers of stones are intermixed; look, a mosaic like that over yonder I defy any artisan to excel.”
“Observe that limestone beyond; does it not look as if carved? Only see how beautiful and white it stands out against that black background; it is like a gigantic piece of lace-work.”
“Only a little less fragile than your Brussels or Mechlen lace,” Johannes added.
“Look,” Wienersdorf continued enthusiastically, “at those high steep banks, in which chalk and diorite stones almost struggle for supremacy. Observe how they are clad in the loveliest soft green of gigantic ferns, crowned by the sombre foliage of the majestic primeval forest like the proud gothic arches of a mediæval cathedral. See, higher up, where the trunks lean over bending their branches, interwoven by the creepers and forming a low cave from which the white foaming waters escape as if from the mighty urn of the god of the stream.”
“And yet how still all seems, does it not? Nothing, absolutely nothing but the noise of the fleeting waters; not the sound of a bird or animal breaking this dead silence. Life seems almost extinct here.”
“Shut up!” was Johannes’ gay remark. “Morbid imagination, my boy, nothing else. Our poet is absolutely seeing solitude where none is to be found. The thunder of the cataract deafens all or you would soon hear the harsh cries of the hordes of gray-green[261]paroquets inhabiting the tops of yonder trees. You might hear the piercing cries of that herd of deer now grazing on the tops of the cliffs; you would hear those small bakais or monkeys flying about with their long tails through the branches of the trees, fern leaves and creepers which overhang the abyss, whistling their lively ‘kirah, kirah.’ By heavens, no! life is far from extinct here. On the contrary it shows itself in its most powerful aspects everywhere around you, even in the waters, where you may find the finest salmon disporting themselves. Presently, when we shall have mastered this wild stream and travelled upwards, all this life will disappear as if by magic. Then you will find all blank and quiet about you just as you have pictured it to yourself. Do not, however, blame nature for the change, but only men.”
Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.
Kiham Hoeras and its Passage.
While our deserters were thus philosophizing the Dayaks had taken steps to accomplish the difficult and dangerous ascent of the kiham. Women and children stepped on shore and began to climb the cliffs which formed as it were a flight of steps leading to the higher territory whence the Kapoeas descended. The four deserters, armed with their unerring rifles, and five Dayaks with their lances and mandauws, served as a convoy to the fair sex, all the while keeping an eye upon what was going on on the river.
The rattan ropes cut at soengei Dahasan and soengei Basarang and the chains found in soengei Naning were now produced and tied together. This long cable was drawn up by eight men, who while performing their task had successively to spring from cliff to cliff, to wade half through the water and swim across some[262]smaller branches of the river. After two hours of hard work the upper end of the cable was attached to a strong tree standing on the bank above the stream while the other end was thrown across the river to the canoes. Two Dayaks now posted themselves at the tree to guard the cable while six leaped into the river and allowed themselves to be carried away by the strong tide, grasping the cable as they sped along with astonishing rapidity. They repeatedly disappeared beneath the foam of the whirlpools, and the hearts of the Europeans beat faster as they witnessed each submersion, but they soon saw the long woolly hair of the swimmers reappear on the surface as they rose up gleefully and swam rapidly onwards.
The object of this manœuvring was to ascertain whether the cable had became entangled amongst the trunks of the trees or rocks, thereby imperilling the drawing up of the canoes. Although the cable was fully six hundred yards long the expert swimmers reached its lower end in a few seconds, when they wiped their faces as if nothing had happened. Five of the men now took their places in each of the rangkans, one of them steering while the four others took hold of the cable to draw the boat up against the terrific tide. The dangerous journey was undertaken by one rangkan at a time in order to prevent accidents arising from the breaking of the cable or upsetting.
Thanks to the skill of the Dayaks and Poenans the rangkans completed the ascent without any misadventure. The cataract now formed a formidable barrier between the Dutch and themselves and further pursuit was almost impossible.
The cable being wanted for other purposes had to be drawn up[263]again, an operation which took two hours to accomplish. The swimmers had to exhibit their skill again in diving to unfasten it whenever it became caught among the rocks.
The women, owing to the difficult path they had to follow in the ascent of the cliffs, had not proceeded very far, although to these children of nature a walk like this was nothing beyond an ordinary promenade. They reached the top in about half an hour, where they sat gossiping around a tree to which the cable was attached. The younger ones passed their time in merriment while the elders lit several small fires to cook the meals for the company. In the midst of all this female clatter La Cueille’s voice was suddenly heard crying out:
“Nom d’un chien!what is there in my neck that itches so much?” And tearing away the rag which protected his neck from the rays of the sun he found it soaked in blood.
“I thought it was perspiration,” he cried, “trickling down my neck. Am I wounded at last?”
His companions with several Dayaks approached, but the miscreants simply burst out into hearty laughter. Before the Walloon could get any answer to his appeal for help he passed his hand down his neck and felt some slimy, smooth objects from which he suddenly withdrew his fingers.
“What is this?” he asked nervously.
“Halamantek,” was the phlegmatic reply of one of the Dayaks.
“Halamantek! what do they mean?”
“Don’t make yourself ridiculous,” Johannes grinned. “Halamantek are only forest-leeches and they will rid you of some superfluous Walloon blood.”[264]
A sigh of relief escaped the wounded man. On examination it proved that during their stampede through a thick wood not only the Walloon, but all of the company had been attacked by these little reptiles. He, however, from some unaccountable cause had received a double share of their favors.
“The forest-leech,” Johannes explained, “is a reptile strongly resembling a thick gray thread about the length of a finger. It inhabits the lower branches of trees and from there attacks its prey, either man or beast. It creeps in some crevice of the skin or dress and greedily begins its meal. Its bite is not painful at first, resembling rather a sensation of itching, but as soon as it has sucked itself full the irritation becomes intense.”
“That is exactly what I felt,” the Walloon murmured.
In the meantime Moendoet had taken a handful of tobacco, infused it for a couple of minutes in some boiling water and with the lotion thus formed bathed the neck of her sweetheart. The leeches dropped off and their wounds soon healed, to the great satisfaction of the Walloon.
“Henceforth we shall often be plagued with these pests,” Johannes said, “and I think it will be wise to have some tobacco water ready in our flasks for possible emergencies.”
“Shall we have to pass many cataracts?” Wienersdorf enquired.
“A great many; perhaps four to-morrow. But why this question?”
“Because we shall then have to wash ourselves four times at least with this tobacco sauce. We shall be perfumed like the bowl of a German pipe.”
“Very likely,” Johannes laughed, “but fortunately we don’t[265]want to make ourentréede salon, or perhaps you are anxious lest Hamadoe will be disgusted with you? Don’t feel alarmed, she is quite accustomed to tobacco.”
By the time the cable had been drawn in, the sun had also finished his course and unceremoniously disappeared in the west behind the forest. Our men and especially the Dayaks and Poenans had had a fatiguing day and longed for some rest. They consequently resolved to pass the night in the immediate neighborhood. The rangkans were tied to a projecting tree, leaving them room enough to float in mid-stream. The women and children were lodged within them, ten of the men occupying one at each end as a safeguard. One of the men in each canoe was told off to mount guard, while the others of the crew were divided into two equal watches, posted along the banks of the river opposite the rangkans.
The four deserters joined this party, two of them in each watch, one to keep lookout while the others rested.
Their precautions were excellently taken and showed the solicitude felt by Johannes for their general welfare. The night however passed by undisturbed. Early in the morning Schlickeisen noticed a creaking sound coming from the forest bordering the banks. He kept a sharp lookout and observed a herd of about fifty deer, led by a handsome buck with a magnificent pair of antlers, coming down the slopes to drink from the crystalline river water. While the herd was drinking their leader stood posted on the top of the bank whence he could overlook the surrounding country. There he remained, sniffing the air and pricking up his ears, offering a fair mark to the Swiss, who proceeded to take[266]good aim and fired. His first movement, however, had alarmed the stag; the noble animal suddenly threw his horns back on his neck, uttered a loud cry and took his first and last leap. Tumbling from the steep height he rolled into the water and would undoubtedly have been carried out of reach had he not struck against one of the rangkans and become entangled among the lines.
The rest of the herd had suddenly disappeared.
The alarm and commotion caused by that shot and its reverberations through the steep banks was great, but thanks to the cool behavior of the Europeans peace was soon restored. The buck was drawn out of the stream, skinned and quartered, promising a delicious adjunct to the ensuing meal. All congratulated Schlickeisen upon his fair shot, but he vowed to be less hasty for the future and never to fire during inconvenient hours.
An hour afterward the flotilla was again en route, making way against the fierce and increasing current of the wild stream.
This day also contributed its share of difficulties. A little beyond Kiham Hoeras, near kotta Hoerakan, the dioritic soil suddenly changed into a coarse yellow-brown sandstone. This friable stone, subject to rapid disorganization, filled the bed of the river to such an extent that in some places no canoe could pass; a rangkan had to be steered with the utmost caution in order to keep within the narrow strip of water which formed the channel. The sand of this stone is easily displaced by the immense force of the fleeting mass of water and here and there forms banks in mid-stream where the tide is slackened and the river shallowed. Sometimes the sandbanks assume the dimensions[267]of islands and are known as karangans by the natives. Harimaoung Boekit informed his friends that these are highly auriferous and that not unfrequently small nuggets are found of a quality considered the best of the Kapoeas regions.
“We ought to try our luck here,” La Cueille said.
“Certainly not,” Johannes replied; “our way lies forward! We are still too near the Dutch and must place a few more cataracts between them and ourselves.”
“And,” said Amai Kotong, “neither could we go washing gold so readily. We would soon find ourselves in trouble with the population of these regions. Each kotta has its own grounds and parts of the river, which they would not allow to be poached upon by strangers with impunity.”
“Then in heaven’s name forwards!” the Walloon muttered.
Besides the wild part of the river close to these islands, they had to mount four kihams that day, some of which gave them considerably more trouble than they had experienced at Kiham Hoeras, so that it was quite four in the afternoon before the tired and exhausted travellers reached kotta Karangan.
This kotta, situated on the left bank of the Kapoeas, was a handsome and strong fortification with a population of over two thousand souls. Our travellers, who had been surprised at the skulls ornamenting the palisades of kotta Djangkan, felt alarmed at the immense number of these ghastly trophies here exhibited. How many human lives must have been sacrificed to supply such a quantity?
Amai Kotong found friends here also and was thereupon unhesitatingly allowed to enter the kotta. The presence of[268]Harimaoung Boekit and his Poenans, however, excited considerable suspicion and it was only after much trouble and difficulty that they succeeded in pacifying the people and in preventing them from opening hostilities. Johannes repeated the old story already told at kotta Baroe, how they had been commissioned by the Dutch government to open communication with the Olo Otts, and to learn their views. He had also beforehand taken the precaution of planting the Dutch flag on one of the largest rangkans. He now solemnly produced the stamped document taken away from Damboeng Papoendeh, and mentioned that the Poenan chief had been added to his party by the Great Heer of Bandjermasin to make the meeting with the Olo Otts more feasible.
It is doubtful whether the Karangannese altogether believed the story. They certainly looked respectfully at the seal, impressed in red wax, and abstained from all hostilities, but they would not permit one of the company of travellers to enter the kotta except Amai Kotong; to the others they offered their tomoi for occupation. This caused considerable satisfaction, for such a concession indicated that they were considered as friends, and the laws of hospitality being strictly recognized in Dayakland could not be violated in their persons.
Our travellers, therefore, could fearlessly take their rest, having only to guard themselves against dangers from without. They consequently deemed it sufficient for one of the Europeans to keep watch, though two of the Dayaks volunteered to join in the service.[269]