_ CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. WALTER'S ADVENTURES IN BORNEO
My Dyak hosts seemed well-disposed towards me; yet, I confess, I was not altogether comfortable in their society. The first morning after my arrival, just as I left my sleeping-corner, I saw a large basket standing in the chief's room. Supposing it to contain provisions, I looked into it, when, what was my horror to see it filled with a number of dried Imuran heads grinning horribly up at me! I turned away in disgust, when I saw the chief looking at me with a glance of triumph in his eye, just as a civilised person would have been pleased at exhibiting a collection of his orders of merit for gallantry in battle or sagacity in the council. They were trophies, I found, taken by the chief in his wars with neighbouring tribes. Probably it was the possession of these which had raised him to his position in his tribe.
Soon afterwards I saw a number of young men coming along. They were singing and shouting. I saw that one of them had a head, yet gory and fresh, on the top of a spear. A light brown girl, really a pretty creature, ran out to welcome him; and I afterwards discovered that she was his bride-elect, and that he had gone with his companions on a foray in order to obtain this human head, to make himself worthy of her affection. These people were, however, very gentle and mild in their manners to each other, and had I not witnessed this, and similar sights, I could scarcely have supposed they were the savages they have been described. A party soon afterwards assembled, apparently to go out on a hunting expedition. Each man had a wooden tube about five feet long. This was a blow-pipe, through which bamboo arrows are shot with great precision. The points are dipped in a subtle poison, which destroys birds and small animals almost instantaneously when struck with them. Some of the men, also, were armed with bows and arrows. The chief men carried swords about two feet in length, slightly curved, and broad at the end. They were admirably tempered, and the chief, to show me how sharp they were, cut through with a blow a small bar of iron, and then showed me the blade to prove that it was not in the least turned. The poison of their arrows was, I believe, extracted from the juice of a tree similar to the upas-tree of Java. It is called _ippo_.
I accompanied them on the hunting expedition, when they used generally the blow-pipe I have described. The instant a bird was struck, it dropped dead to the ground. I observed that they immediately cut round where it had been wounded, and all the birds thus killed were afterwards eaten without any bad effect.
Having completely recovered my strength, I was anxious to recommence our voyage, and told Ali of my wish. He, however, seemed in no hurry to go away; but signified that, if I would be content to wait a little longer, he would accompany me. I endeavoured to employ the time in obtaining some knowledge of the Dyak language, as also the habits and customs of the people. I found that at a little distance from this village another existed, inhabited by the same tribe, or at all events the people were on terms of friendship with each other. There was great wailing one day, and I suspected that a person of consequence, perhaps a chief, was very ill, or had died, in the other village. Finding some of the people going in that direction, I followed them. The path, however, was very difficult to walk in, as it was sunk a foot or so below the ground on either side, and was only broad enough for a man's foot to tread in; the Dyaks walk in a peculiar manner, by placing one foot directly before the other, without in the slightest degree turning out their toes. I found on my arrival at the village that my suspicions were correct. The chief was not dead, but very ill, and as I saw him lying on his mat in an upper room, I perceived that he had not long to live. Had I known at the time more of the customs of the people, I should have been greatly alarmed for my own safety and that of Ali.
On my return with several people of our village, the chief made signs to me that he was going on an expedition. Supposing it to be for hunting, I gladly signified that I was ready to accompany him. Several large canoes, which I had not before seen, were now drawn out of a place of concealment a little up the stream. Our chief with about forty followers entered them, armed with their swords, bows and arrows, and blow-pipes. Not till we had got a little way down the river did I discover that they bore a more warlike appearance than would have been the case had they been simply going on a hunting expedition. What had become of Ali I could not tell, or I might have learned from him more about the matter. We started soon after daybreak, and pulled along the coast for a considerable distance, when we landed in a bay where apparently there were no inhabitants, as the thick jungle came close down to the water without a break on either side. Here the flotilla remained till the sun sank low, when we shoved off and continued as before along the coast. It was dark when we entered the mouth of another river, up which we proceeded, the men paddling carefully, and not a word being spoken. We kept close in with the bank, now and then touching on the long straggling roots of a mangrove-tree, then forcing our way through the entangled mass of underwood, out of which affrighted birds flew shrieking amid the darkness.
I had now but little doubt that we were on some marauding expedition. Now and then we stopped, apparently that our leader might listen to ascertain whether any enemy was near, when from the forest there came forth shrill whistles, chirrups, unearthly cries, drumming noises, such as make one of these Indian forests apparently more full of life during the night than when the sun sheds his beams over the scene. Now we glided away more towards the centre of the river, which was as smooth as polished glass, and reflected, wherever the trees left an opening, the millions of stars which sparkled in the clear sky overhead; while above us on either side rose the tall stems of the mighty trees, waving their sable plumes in the air; and often, as if some sprites were amusing themselves in letting off rockets, sparks of fire darted out in thick masses, now appearing in one spot, now in another amid the waving leaves. The sparks were produced by thousands and tens of thousands of fire-flies. Thus we made our way up the stream, now branching off in one direction now in another, till I could not possibly have discovered my way again to the ocean. At length we drew up under a thick shaded bank, when the chief and most of his followers landed, stepping noiselessly over the soft green sward as they made their way through the forest. One man only was left in each canoe. I also remained, having now stronger fears than ever that my companions were bent on evil. Not a sound was heard except those I have before described proceeding from the forest. Suddenly I saw a bright light burst forth amid the branches of the trees. Loud shrieks and cries rent the night air. My companions seemed highly excited, and could scarcely restrain themselves from leaping on shore and deserting the canoes. The cries increased. Shouts of triumph rose above them. For some minutes they continued. So fearful were the sounds that they made my heart sink within me, and gladly would I have escaped from them. Then all was silent. In a few minutes we heard steps coming through the forest. I had little doubt that some village had been attacked by my friends, and expected to see a number of prisoners brought to the canoes; but, instead, every man bore a round ball in his hand, so it seemed through the gloom; but when they stepped into the canoes, what was my horror to discover that each was a human head held by the hair. Shoving off their canoes, they began to paddle away down the stream up which we had come. Once more they were silent, as they had been when we approached the ill-fated village. I had now no doubt that they had set fire to it while the inhabitants were fast asleep, and then, as they rushed out to escape the flames, they had waylaid and cut off the heads of all they could catch hold of.
When daylight broke, we had already gained the mouth of the river. Each man who had been so fortunate as to kill an enemy, sat with a gory head by his side, and my horror was increased when I saw that several were those of women and children. I turned away sick at heart from the spectacle. The river opened out on one side into a wide lagoon, and as the mists of night rose, I saw at no great distance a tall bird with red plumage standing in the water seeking his prey. His body was comparatively small, but he had an enormous neck, and a bill a yard long, it seemed, and of immense size at the head. I knew him at once to be an adjutant bird--the chief of fishermen. Soon he began to move his head rapidly about, then he made some rapid strides into deep water, into which he plunged his long beak, and presently rose with a large fish held by it. The fish wriggled about as if attempting to escape, then by a sudden jerk he seemed to throw it into his mouth, down which it disappeared.
Again we were at sea, paddling along parallel with the shore. There was no longer a necessity for silence, and the Dyaks gave vent to their joy and satisfaction at the success of their headhunting with shouts and songs and peals of laughter. "It was no laughing matter to the once peaceful inhabitants of the village you have so ruthlessly destroyed," I should have liked to have said, but as they would not have understood the sentiment, I remained silent, and I saw that they smiled whenever I turned away my eye with disgust as it chanced to fall upon their gory trophies. They met, on our return, with an enthusiastic welcome. Directly on landing they set off to the neighbouring village, probably to console the dying chief with the sight of the heads they had brought, to assure him that in his passage to the other world he would have no lack of retainers. They had been gone some time, and the house was almost deserted, when I saw Ali paddling up in our boat to the steps. He sprang up on the platform and came to me. "Bad people dese," he said. "Dey cut off Ali's head, dey cut off Walter's head," and he made a significant sign across his throat. "I know what do, ay, ay."
I could not understand his purpose--indeed, he did not deign further to explain himself. He had left the boat at the steps. He made signs to me to get into her. I did so, and found that he had supplied her with a pair of oars and a number of bamboos of water, as well as a supply of rice and fish and other articles of food. He then made signs to me to row a little way down the river, and there to wait for him. I had got to a little distance, when I saw some one moving under the house, where a quantity of dry husks of rice and stalks of various sorts had been collected. I recognised Ali by his costume, different from that of the Dyaks. Presently I saw him making his way from under the house, and coming along the path near the spot where he had told me to meet him. Just then several Dyaks sprang out from the jungle; I saw the bright gleam of a sword, and the instant afterwards Ali's body fell to the ground, and a Dyak waved his head in triumph in the air. Such might be my fate, I thought. A strong breeze was blowing. While the Dyaks were rejoicing round the head of the man it appeared to me they had so treacherously murdered, I saw a bright flame spring up from under the house. Presently it caught the dried bamboos which formed the flooring, and in a few seconds the whole building was in flames. As the greater number of the inhabitants were absent, there were not people enough to attempt to put it out. A few seemed to run into the building, but quickly retreated. I dared not return, warned by the fate of Ali, and suspecting that, should I fall into the Dyaks' power, I should be treated in the same way. I therefore bent to my oars, and began to pull down the stream as fast as I could go. I might have hoisted my sail, but that, I thought, might attract the attention of the Dyaks. In the meantime the whole house was wrapped in flames, while the wind blew the light embers towards the neighbouring houses and trees. The rice plantation caught fire, and soon I saw the fire extending on either side down the banks of the river. It seemed as if a hundred torches had been applied to the jungle at the same moment, but it was not so. The spark which Ali had kindled was the origin of the whole. Fearful was the rapidity with which the flames had spread among the dry brushwood. For months probably not a drop of rain had fallen there. Now the fire worked its way amid the leaves and dry grass, now the flames mounted the trees, wrapping round the tall palms, the leaves being like touch-paper; and no sooner was one ignited, than the next caught fire. Thus both banks of the river soon bore the appearance of being covered with gigantic torches flaming and waving in the air. The sun had set by this time, the flames looking more fierce and lurid amid the darkness of night. Away the fire leaped from tree to tree, licking up with its fiery tongue every object it encountered. I pulled for my life, for the fierce flames blew across from side to side of the stream, making a fiery arch overhead, while the boughs as they burnt through came crashing down in masses of fire astern of me.
Fast as I rowed, the flames came faster, and it seemed impossible that I should escape. A fearful death, I thought, was about to overtake me. It was like some terrible dream. I dreaded lest the boat might ground on some bank, or run against the wide-spreading roots of the mangrove-trees. But on, on; I felt that my only prospect of escape was to persevere. I had often to turn my head round, to try and discover the branch of the stream up which we had come. I saw one at length on my left, and pulled down it, having strong doubts, however, whether it was the right one. At length I appeared to have got to a distance from the flames, which I could see however, burning up as brightly as before amid the trunks of the trees which lined the banks of that part of the stream through which I was now making my way. My arms began to ache, perspiration dropped from my brows, but still I must go on. I was by this time getting out of sight of the flames, but I could still see the glare of the burning forest rising above the topmost boughs of the trees. Finding myself in a broad stream, I began at length to breathe more freely. The wind came down it. I guessed by that that it led directly to the sea. For the first time I dared to cease rowing, and stepping the mast, hoisted my sail. Strange sounds came out of the woods on either side, and sometimes I fancied I could hear the shouts of the Dyaks pursuing me, to revenge on my head the destruction of their village. I knew that an account of the catastrophe would soon have been conveyed to the tribe whose chief lay dead, and I thought it probable that they would come in pursuit of me and cut me off, should it be known that I had escaped. I glided on, recovering my strength with the rest I was thus able to afford myself. And now the river opened out wider than before, and I saw through the gloom the calm sea spread out before me. There was not a ripple on the bar. The current ran smoothly, and my boat, carried on its tide, glided out into the ocean.
I was now as eager to escape from the land as I before had been to reach it, but in what direction to steer my course I knew not. On I sailed. The boat now began to rise and fall on the swell of the open ocean. She was well provisioned for many days, and I trusted by economising my food to make it last till I should reach some land inhabited by civilised people. As far as I could judge, therefore, I steered to the south-west. Encouraged by Macco's preservation under somewhat similar circumstances, I hoped either to be picked up as he was, or to reach the shore I was in search of in safety. When day broke I was already at some distance from the land--too far, I hoped, to be seen by any of the Dyaks who might be in search of me. I had, however, miscalculated my strength, for having been pulling for so long during the night, I soon began to feel excessively fatigued, and longed to lie down and sleep. At length I could no longer resist the temptation, and lowering my sail and mast, I stretched myself in the bottom of the boat. _