Fresh news reached the residency the next day from the sultan, who sent
word that he had had a very threatening letter from Rajah Gantang,
declaring that if he did not break at once with the English, ruin,
destruction, and death would be his fate before many months had passed.
This threatening language had completely upset the sultan, so the chief
who bore the message said, and he begged that his friends and allies,
the English, would not let him suffer for his fidelity to them; and when
asked what he wished done, the chief replied that while Rajah Gantang
lived there would be no peace, for the rajah's emissaries were in every
part of the country, ready to carry news, to rise on their lord's
behalf, even to assassinate, should their orders be to that extent.
The result of all this was a promise that the rajah should be found, if
possible, though how it was to be done the resident could not say.
Just in the nick of time a good-sized prahu came down the river, and on
anchoring by the steamer her captain went on board, with a pitiful tale
of how he had been treated higher up the river.
Believing the rajah's power to be broken, he had been on his way down,
laden with a good cargo of tin, when he was summoned by a prahu to stop.
This he refused to do, not knowing who summoned him, when he was
attacked by a party from the prahu, two of those on board were killed,
and he himself severely wounded.
In proof of his assertions he displayed a spear wound in his arm and the
stab of a kris in his shoulder.
Doctor Bolter was sent for, and the master of the prahu had his wounds
dressed, after which he implored the help of Captain Horton to recover
the slabs of tin that had been taken from his boat, almost ruining him,
so severe was the loss.
The news that one of the prahus was about, up the river, set the ship's
company on the _qui vive_ once more. The master of the prahu, having
been robbed of his cargo, had no farther aim, and was glad enough to
offer his services as guide. When asked as to the depth of the river,
he declared that the steamer could ascend for another twenty miles, so
it was decided to make a fresh expedition against this disturber of the
country; but the whole of the plans were kept a profound secret, lest
the time and arrangements of the party should again be conveyed to the
rajah by some one or other of his spies.
Preparations were quietly made, then, and fifty men from the island
taken on board the steamer, a few at a time, so as not to attract
notice; and when at last the expeditionary party started, the occupants
of the residency were dining with Major and Mrs Sandars at the
officers' quarters, where they quietly stayed.
Steam had been got up before dark, and every preparation made, for this
time the "Startler" was to go up stream: and at last, when night rapidly
succeeded day, as it does in the tropics, the steamer lay waiting for
the rising of the moon, and then her screw slowly revolved, and she
began to feel her way gently against the swift stream--the people of the
campong only seeing her at nightfall moored as usual, and not awaking to
the fact that she had gone until the morning, of course far too late to
give any warning to the rajah if they were so disposed.
Patiently and almost silently the great steamer forced its way on for
quite a mile, when, there being no fear now of being heard, the
propeller revolved more rapidly, and the waves made by the vessel ran
washing the roots of the trees on either side.
The moon was just at its full, and seemed, as it rose, to silver the
tops of the trees, while it left the river in utter darkness, though it
marked out its course through the dense jungle where it seemed to have
to cut its way, the great trees growing to the water's edge, and
overhanging the stream.
A rapid rate was impossible, on account of the way in which the river
wound about; but it kept so wide and deep that there was but little
difficulty in its navigation, especially as not a single craft of any
kind was encountered.
The master of the prahu pointed out a couple of campongs as they passed
them, on the banks; but they might have been villages of the dead, so
silent and unoccupied did they seem, as the steamer slowly glided by.
The moon rose higher and higher, till the river was like a broad path of
silver, and along this they continued their course with a man constantly
sounding from the chains, but always to show an average depth of about
four fathoms, with a thick, soft, muddy bottom, upon which the steamer
could have met with no harm had she taken the ground.
Silence had been ordered, but as the Jacks and soldiers sat beneath the
shelter of the bulwarks, or leaned over and watched the smooth, silvery
river, they conversed in low whispers about the expedition, and wondered
what luck was to attend them now.
The plan was evident to all, it was intended to spare the men all the
risk they could, by getting the steamer within range of the prahus, and
sinking them with her big guns. If this could not be done, through the
shallowing of the river, of course the boats would have to continue the
journey up stream; but even then it was Captain Horton's intention to
make use of the boat-guns as much as possible, and save the men from the
disadvantages of boarding vessels that were so carefully protected.
Higher up the river still, and past the stockade, whose remains showed
plainly in the soft moonlight. Ever and again strange noises could be
heard from the jungle on either side, as the various denizens of the
thick tangle of vegetation were alarmed by the throb and rush of the
steamer, with its strange wave that rushed up to the bank, and startled
many a nocturnal creature from its lurking-place, where it lay watching
in search of prey.
To Bob Roberts' great delight, he found that Tom Long was one of the
party, for, being declared well enough by the doctor, he had put in a
sort of claim, as having been of the last force, to a right to belong to
this.
This was conceded to him by Major Sandars, and he was burning to
distinguish himself, if he could obtain a chance.
Very formidable he seemed, with his sword ground to the keenest possible
edge, and a revolver in his belt; though in appearance Bob Roberts was
scarcely less offensive in the way of weapons, as he took pains to show
his friend.
It must have been close upon midnight, when the man in the chains, who
had continued to take soundings, announced by degrees the shallowing of
the river.
For quite twenty miles it had kept to its muddy bottom and uniform
depth, but during the past half-hour the mud had given place to
clean-washed gravel, the depth grew less, and at last the anchor was let
go, for it was not considered safe to proceed farther. But it was not
until there was less than a foot of water beneath the vessel that the
order was given; while even then there was so much way upon the steamer
that she touched upon the gravel lightly before she gradually settled
back and swung to her cable.
Quickly and silently four boats were lowered, each containing twenty
men, and at the word of command the party, under the joint command of
Lieutenant Johnson and Captain Smithers, pushed off, with the good
wishes of all left on board.
The master of the prahu was in the foremost boat, and according to his
account, they were still about a couple of miles below where the attack
took place, he having been mistaken about the steamer's draught of
water. His opinion was that both the prahus would be found lying in the
Qualla, or mouth of a river higher up, and towards this point the boats
steadily ascended without any undue bustle, for the object of the
officers in charge was to get the men up to the point, fresh and ready
for the task in hand.
Each boat carried a gun running on slides, and upon the proper service
of these guns, depended a good deal of the success of the expedition.
They had been rowing steadily on for above half an hour, when suddenly
from their left a bright line of light cut the black darkness of the
forest, and was followed by a sharp report.
For a moment the course of the boats was checked, and one was directed
to pull in and see who the enemy might be, but directly after there was
another report a couple of hundred yards higher up, and then another,
and another.
"Catch a weasel asleep," said Lieutenant Johnson, grimly; "that signal
will run right up to the prahus. We've got to deal with some one who
has his wits about him."
So indeed it proved; for a quarter of an hour later, as they still
pushed steadily on in line, there came a warning from the first boat in
the shape of a dull heavy report, and the other boats sheered out of the
right line, ready to deliver their own fire.
For plainly enough, though wearing a grey shadowy appearance, a couple
of prahus could be seen coming swiftly down the stream, the long rows of
oars on either side beating the water with a wonderfully regular stroke,
and sending them along at quite a startling rate.
Shot after shot was fired, but with what effect the occupants of the
boats could not tell, for no heed was paid to the firing, save that the
prahus seemed to increase their speed, and were steered so as to run
down the enemy that tried to check their way.
It was a matter of little more than a minute from the first sighting of
the vessels, each of which was five or six times the size of the largest
boats, and their disappearance round the point below, with the water
foaming behind them, and the English boats in full pursuit. Several
shots had been fired, for each boat found its opportunity at last, and
the firing was kept up till the enemy had gone.
The attempt to overtake them was, however, felt to be hopeless, for the
prahus went at least two yards to the boats' one; all the officers could
hope was, that one of the shots had done irreparable mischief, or that,
warned by the firing, the steamer would sink them as they passed.
More they could not have done; for to have remained still was to have
been sunk, the prahus dashing down at a fearful rate, and evidently
seeking a collision; so, angry and disappointed, the pursuit was kept
up, every ear being attent for the first shot sent at the enemy's boats
by the steamer; but they waited in vain, for when at last they came
within challenging distance, it was to find that no prahus had been
seen.
"Was a strict watch kept, sir?" asked Lieutenant Johnson, sharply.
"Yes, of course," said Captain Horton. "I have been on deck with my
night-glass ever since you started, and as soon as we heard your guns
the men stood ready, lanyard in hand, to fire at any vessel that tried
to pass."
"Then they must have gone off through some side stream, and come out
into the river lower down."
Captain Horton stamped his foot with rage, but nothing could be done
until morning; for if the steamer had set off at once, it might have
been only to pass the prahus in the darkness of some creek.
Morning then was impatiently awaited, and at the first streak of
daylight a couple of boats at once set off, to find a side branch of the
river about a mile above the steamer, and that it came out in the main
stream once more, half a mile lower down.
They rowed through it to find the current swift and deep, though the
place resembled a narrow canal. It was a short cut off through a bend
of the river, and at last, vexed and discomfited, the steamer went
rapidly back, to learn that the prahus had passed the island at
daybreak, and had fired a few defiant shots from their lelahs as they
rapidly went by.
"Never mind, Tom Long," said Bob, as the former shivered in his
great-coat, for the early morning was damp and cold, "only take time,
and we shall put salt on their tails yet."
"No, sir," said old Dick, shaking his head seriously, "it strikes me as
you never won't catch them as manages them two swift boats. They're too
clever for us, they are. But only think of two big bits of Her
Majesty's army and navy like us being set at nought by this here savage
prince."
"Wait a bit, Dick, and you'll see," said Bob. "It strikes me that I'm
the man for settling Mr Rajah Gantang; and if it does come to me to do
so, why let him look out."
"Ay, ay, sir; and his men too. I owe 'em one for that boat affair. The
cowards! when a fellow was asleep!"
"Ah," said Tom Long, discontentedly, "it's all very well to talk, but I
want my breakfast;" and he made haste off to his quarters as soon as the
steamer's boats had set the military part of the expeditionary party
ashore.