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.