M. T. H. Perelaer

“ Johannes smiled on reading this. But once inside the fort again, he called the garrison together in the square, mounted the steps and read with a loud and penetrating voice, looking solemnly at the paper, how the Commander of Kwala Kapoeas, in the name of the Resident of Bandjermasin, ordered Harimaoung Boekit with his Poenans to be delivered up to the gallows as murderers. On hearing the pretended contents of the letter, a cry of rage arose from all the assembled natives. The Poenan chief mounted the steps to satisfy himself by looking at the horrible words which pronounced his sentence. ”

“ Who are you? A listener can never be trusted,” said Schlickeisen in a menacing though subdued voice.
“Don’t fear. I won’t betray you. It matters little who I am. But look how the corporal is pricking up his ears.”
And indeed there came an imperative voice, “Silence there in that corner. I shan’t speak any more. Those who won’t hear must feel.”
Wienersdorf and Schlickeisen held their breath and everything remained quiet for a while. Suddenly their mysterious visitor bent over them and whispered almost inaudibly:
“Come to the hut of Johannes to-morrow morning after breakfast.” ”

“ Johannes answered. “Formerly it must have been a proof of his valor given by the bridegroom to his bride, to demonstrate that he was capable of protecting his wife and children. What better guarantee than the head of one of his enemies killed by his own hand could be offered by a primitive community? This custom afterwards became degraded by turning skulls into an article of luxury or of established traffic. Thus an institution originating in the best intentions became the curse of the whole population.” ”

“ Wienersdorf said. “Blood, always blood! Ours is a horrible journey.”
“Don’t worry,” Johannes answered angrily. “You should have stayed at home if you are so tenderly disposed. Besides, we only defend ourselves. Not a shot has been fired or a blow given [168] except when enforced. Defence, not defiance has been our rule and so it must continue to be as long as may be possible.”
While they were thus conversing they suddenly heard a soft sob, as if uttered by a woman. They looked at each other, not knowing how to account for the sound. They had seen all the women in the kampong. ”

“ Nothing of a suspicious nature was, however, observed; not a human soul was seen. They could almost imagine themselves to be on a desert island. But during one of these halts the travellers found reason to know that they were not unobserved. A fine ironwood tree adjacent to their resting-place [354] had attracted Wienersdorf’s attention. He approached it to gaze upon the giant which, rising like a column, proudly erected its magnificent crown of rich foliage one hundred and fifty feet in the air. ”

“ Not a single human being had they encountered during all this time, not a boat had been noticed, not even a cloud of smoke to indicate the presence of a hut in which some native was struggling for bare life. Now and then a troop of monkeys emerged from the borders of the forest, to disappear again immediately amidst the green foliage, uttering cries of terror and making the most horrid grimaces. ”

“ I know you too well to believe that. As for my own person, not a hair of my head will be hurt. I am Amai Kotong’s brother in the blood; we have often drunk each other’s life stream and sworn to assist each other. I am known to every member of the kotta, even to the children; I am the friend of all. Who would molest an old man like me?”
“All this may be perfectly true, Tomonggong, but what and how, if one of these deserters on sentry-duty should see you first? A bullet will be your greeting.” ”

“ Wienersdorf continued, “especially as those shores are not poisoned by the smoke of factories; no steamboats ruffle the smooth surface of the lake; no steam-whistle breaks the calm and holy silence of its banks, and no human crowd pursuing gain and practising usury. One felt there alone, alone under the eye of God.”
“All very fine! and I wish I could speak like that,” Johannes interrupted sharply. “How blind man becomes when he is indulging in poetical rhapsody, or rather how differently he views things from what they really are. ”

“ Are they so careful themselves of human life? How many thousands of lives have been sacrificed during the war in this beautiful island? And who caused that war? Did not their avarice? Who will tell of the numerous Javanese starved to death, because they had to plant coffee or to build kottas for the palefaces, so that they had no time left them for the cultivation of their own fields? Do you think we are ignorant of all [178] this? They forbid us to kill our hirelings and pretend to have veneration for slaves. Do not trust white men; their lips are oily but they are hypocrites. ”

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

“ The assault from the other side was only a feint, a brave sacrifice of heroes, in order to give their companions [316] time and opportunity to accomplish their chief attack. As quietly as he had gone, La Cueille crept back, called Johannes and Wienersdorf, and ran to the kitchen to get a piece of burning charcoal, with which he set fire to the match. For a moment only, the Europeans saw the spark run along the ground to disappear through the palisades. They waited impatiently, but saw nothing more. The foremost of the enemies were already visible from the edge of the plateau. ”

“ The two Swiss and the Walloon looked at this peculiar food with great suspicion, but when they saw Johannes take kindly to it and heard from him that it was a species of edible soil, their appetites urged them to try it. Although not absolutely pleasant to eat, being almost tasteless, it could not be considered disgusting. A few grains of salt and a sprinkling of pepper assisted deglutition. They could not eat much of it, however, as it was rather indigestible. The meal being cleared away the Europeans remained chatting about the wonderful island whose very soil is food for man. ”

“ Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”
When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.
“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”
“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? ”

“ La Cueille muttered. “This ugly fellow tries to make our lives more insupportable than they already are.”
“You will have to take life as it comes, and to face its trials fearlessly. Our position, however, is not quite so bad after all; we certainly have to lament the loss of one of our companions, but fortunately no one of us four has fallen yet. Wienersdorf’s wound received from the boa has nearly healed, and since La Cueille is not quite dead yet we may laugh at his pin pricks. What a noise our Walloon made about it, did he not?” Johannes laughingly remarked. ”

“ It was a boisterous night and the wind blew as if determined to uproot every tree; the sky was covered with thick clouds and the darkness was so great that everything seemed as if enveloped in black. They were now seventeen men in all, including Bapa Andong’s son and the six hirelings found on the borders of the lake. By means of the canoe belonging to our adventurers and of the two additional djoekoengs, they crossed the foaming waters of the lake to the other side where the bee trees stood. ”

“ Her figure was magnificent, tall, lithe and graceful; she possessed the carriage which peculiarly distinguishes the child of nature and which is so rarely encountered in the lands of a civilized society.
Our Europeans had often admired the beautiful Hamadoe and thought her worthy of the name she bore, sweet honey. Now, however, that this pearl of female beauty was offered to him, Wienersdorf hesitated and was on the point of refusing. Luckily Johannes interfered and adroitly answered the Poenan that his friend would gratefully accept his offer to become the husband of the fair Hamadoe. ”

“ The women busied themselves in preparing dinner, stimulated by the appetites of their lords and masters. But when they came to wash and boil their rice, the staple constituent of a Dayak meal, water was wanted. No one had thought of this. From the moment they had left soengei Mantarat not a single brook or rivulet or spring had been met with. They were in a sad strait, when a few Dayaks and Poenans, acting on their instinct, penetrated the wilderness whence they soon brought some pitcher-plant cups containing the purest water. ”

“ The fight did not last long, but yet long enough to prove that, armed with the most original weapon, man was not equal to the animal, which, like a trained fencer, avoided the blows of his opponents, and succeeded in regaling them with a thrashing they would long remember. At last Dalim managed to catch hold of the stick of the monkey and grasped it firmly. La Cueille, who up till now had been unable to join in the combat, owing to the rapidity of the movements of the combatants, then dealt the monkey a blow on the head which rendered him insensible immediately. ”

“ La Cueille cried.
“Well may you say so,” Johannes smiled satisfactorily. “But look out; you now see what sort of dare-devils these beggars are. It is one of the usual tricks of war among the Dayaks. Whenever they expect an enemy by the river, they prepare for him by cutting through the base of the trunks of the very largest trees found along the banks. They then retain them in their natural position by means of rattan ropes which are severed at the precise moment that the enemy is opposite to them. ”

“ The Dayaks are as a rule the most litigious people in creation and never feel happy unless they have some “basara” or action pending. They would prove an unexhaustible source of revenue to European lawyers, could they be transplanted into our Western hemisphere. Their basara day therefore simply means another holiday for the inhabitants of a kotta, attendance at a [230] sitting of the judges being a treat almost irresistible. The one which was now to take place was invested with special importance, as the new chief Amai Njawong would preside for the first time. ”

“ Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. ”

“ Secluded from the impressions of the outer world she had never seen anything beyond the horizon of her native forests and for her human nature did not extend further than her tribe. Whenever cruelties and tortures were practiced by the members of that tribe she turned her face and revolted against the idea of being powerless to contend against the influence of native morals and laws. And yet she would never have given her hand and heart to a coward. The husband of her choice must be able to wield his sword with a strong manly hand, must know how to support and courageously defend his wife. ”

“ The Europeans, like fate’s inexorable executioner, shot every Doessonner whose head appeared above the palisades. In the meantime the other Kapoeassers had signalled the inhabitants to clear the way for them to operate, and a heavy and continuous rifle fire was discharged amongst the troop of invaders who still retained their defiant position on the ramparts. Volley after volley was poured in, and a sortie made by the besieged to attack the flank of the enemy. The invaders wavered and dispersed; the vast army of Soerapatti flying down the hill to collect and rally at its base. ”