A RIDE TO BANJOE PAHIT. AMOKH!
"Now are you ready to start?"
With this question, Edward van Rheijn came rushing into van Nerekool's
room on Saturday afternoon.
"Yes, I am quite ready," answered his friend; "but how about horses?"
"Oh! Verstork has taken good care of that," was van Rheijn's reply,
"if you will let me send out your servant for a few moments you will
have them prancing at the door in less than ten minutes."
The young men had not long to wait, for they had scarcely time to
drink a glass of beer and light a cigar, before two excellent saddle
horses made their appearance. They were well-bred Makassars, not so
perfect in shape, and handsome to look at as Kadoeërs or Battakers;
but good serviceable animals with broad, well made chests, indicating
both strength and endurance, and provided with good sinewy legs which,
if not particularly symmetrical, were strong and fit for hard work.
In a twinkling, the young men were in the saddle.
"And now, your rifle?" said Edward.
"Sidin, give me the gun," said van Nerekool to his servant.
The man handed to his master the splendid rifle which, at his request,
the regent of Santjoemeh had lent to the judicial functionary.
Charles slung the weapon by the strap over his shoulder, put a couple
of revolvers into his holsters; so that, as far as arms went, he was
almost as well off as his friend van Rheijn. A few moments later,
the pair had left Santjoemeh, and at a brisk trot were riding eastward
in the direction of Banjoe Pahit, which was their destination.
They did not talk much by the way, in fact only a word now and then
passed between them. There was indeed no very great inducement to
conversation; for, though the road they were following was fairly
well shaded by Tamarind and Kanan trees, yet the tropical heat was
most oppressive, and would not much decrease until the sun was nearing
the horizon. But it was only three in the afternoon, so that the orb
of day was still far from the end of his journey.
The horses, however, were high-mettled and indefatigable and kept up
a good pace, at a trot where the road was level, and breaking into a
gallop, when it ran up hill. The noble animals very seldom required
to be pulled up to a walk, and could not long be kept to that pace to
which they were but little accustomed. Moreover, the scenery through
which the two friends were passing might well, in every sense of the
word, be called enchanting. First their road lay through pleasant
looking dessas, whose dark roofs of atap-leaves and golden yellow
fences, formed a most agreeable prospect in the midst of the dark
foliage of the fruit trees which completely overshadowed them. Next
came plantations of cocoa-nut trees where the slender palms planted in
regular rows, lifted up high in the air their waving plume-like tops,
and cast curious ever-changing shadows on the turf which covered the
ground. Further on still, as squares on a vast chess-board, were seen
the extensive rice-fields, the dikes or mounds which bounded them
richly overgrown with grass or shaded by toeri or klampies bushes
showing quite distinctly, while the rice-fields themselves lay, at
this time of the year, glittering in the sunlight, like so many huge
water-tanks; for after harvest they are flooded, and then present an
aspect of molten silver enclosed in frames of bright green. Then behind
the rice-fields arose the stately mountains which densely covered with
virgin forest, formed a deep band of dark-green around the glittering
squares. Further on again, in the far distance, all became indistinct,
and assumed a uniform deep purple hue which contrasted sharply and
most beautifully with the light azure of the sky above. Now and then,
after the horses had had a long stiff gallop up a more than usually
steep slope, they would require a few minutes' rest; then the riders
upon looking back, caught glimpses of the Java sea which lay on the
horizon, shining under the sun's beams like a boundless mirror on
which the white sails of the ships appeared as hovering sea-gulls,
or the thick smoke from some steamer's funnel curled darkly over the
watery expanse.
Thus, our young friends had but little time to notice the intensity
of the heat. Their's was still that happy time of life in which man is
most capable of enjoying all that is grand and beautiful. Both of them
also were of a somewhat poetical nature, and the ever-varying scenery
which to the right and to the left lay stretched out before them,
could not fail to captivate and charm them by its sublimity and its
beauty. Time had indeed flown with them, when, in the neighbourhood of
a small dessa called Kalimatti, they caught sight, in the distance,
of four gentlemen, followed by a numerous escort all mounted and
spurring on to meet them.
"Hurrah!" cried van Rheijn, "there is William Verstork. Look, Charles,
that man yonder on the fine iron-grey riding at the head of the party!"
"Who are those with him?" asked van Nerekool--"Why if my eyes don't
deceive me--they are August van Beneden, Leendert Grashuis, Theodoor
Grenits and--by Heaven--yes, Fritz Mokesuep also!"
"You are right!" shouted his companion, "and escorted by the wedono,
the djoeroetoelies, the loerah, the kebajan, the kamitoewag, the tjank
(native chiefs) good Heavens!--by all the district and dessa-grandees
of Banjoe Pahit and their whole suite! And," he continued, as he
drew nearer, "upon my word all in full dress on their little horses,
with tiger-skin saddle-cloths and richly embroidered red velvet
or cloth saddles. Hurrah, capital fun!" cried Edward van Rheijn,
greatly excited as he waved his pith helmet to the advancing troop.
"Hurrah, hurrah!" shouted the others gleefully, and soon the group
of horsemen had joined the two friends and greetings and welcomes
were warmly exchanged.
"You seem to be out of spirits, Charles," said Verstork to van
Nerekool as he shook his hand; "what is the matter with you, old
fellow--I hope you are not ill?"
"No, thank you," replied the other, "I am perfectly well. I will tell
you by-and-by what ails me."
"Mr. van Nerekool is suffering perhaps from the effects of a refusal,"
remarked one of the young fellows who had accompanied Verstork.
The controller cast a look at his friend and noticed at once that
the random and heedless shaft had struck home. He therefore at once
changed the conversation and said, "If you are not unwell then let
us forward to Banjoe Pahit."
"Gentlemen," he cried, "by threes trot!" and a moment after he gave
the word "Gallop!" just like some old cavalry officer.
There was no need of the spur,--the fiery horses at once dashed
forward, and away went the little band of friends galloping down the
avenue which lay stretched out before them, and which, with its soft
carpet of turf, hardly gave out a sound under the horses' hoofs.
"Capital road this," cried one of the company. "It speaks highly for
the care the controller takes of his district!"
William Verstork gave him an approving nod, he was evidently by no
means insensible to the compliment.
"Good means of communication, my friend, are the highways to
prosperity," replied he sententiously.
"No doubt," observed another with a scornful smile, "if the population
is allowed to make use of them!"
Behind the party of European horsemen, at the distance prescribed by
etiquette, followed the native chiefs with their retinue. They were
all mounted on spirited little horses of pure native breed, which were
quite able to keep up with the pace of the others, and might perhaps,
in a long journey, have outstayed them.
Now, while this cavalcade is rapidly moving on to Banjoe Pahit,
we will seize the opportunity of making a slight acquaintance with
the companions Verstork had brought with him. We will do this in as
few words as possible, as some of them, at least, are only casually
connected with this narrative.
Augustus van Beneden was a native of Gelderland, a fine healthy
looking fellow of about twenty, whose yellow curly hair and firm,
yet open countenance were characteristic of the inhabitants of the
Betuwe. He was a barrister by profession, and had lately settled down
in Santjoemeh where he was beginning to get a fairly good practice.
Leendert Grashuis, a South-Hollander, held the position of deputy
surveyor at the land registry office of Santjoemeh. He was an excellent
mathematician, and had greatly distinguished himself in the geodetic
and geomorphic sciences. As surveying engineer, his services were
invaluable in all questions which had to do with the fixing of the
boundaries of property in the residence. When he entered upon his
duties, he found the whole matter of boundaries in the most utter
confusion--a confusion, which became only worse confounded, when,
in settling disputes about real property, the official maps had to
be produced and appealed to. When called upon to give his decision,
Leendert Grashuis always was on the side of right and equity, and
offered the most determined opposition to all manner of rapacity or
exaction, even should it happen to be the Government itself which
made the encroachment. He was about seven and twenty years of age,
and upon his agreeable exterior, good-nature and perfect sincerity
were so plainly stamped, that he was a universal favourite with all
who had the privilege of knowing him.
Theodoor Grenits also, was a man of a similar nature. He was a
native of Limburg, and, in his intercourse with his neighbours the
Belgians, had acquired a good deal of the free and easy manner of that
nation. He, therefore, was more especially in request in company where
youth and pleasure presided. He had received his early education at
the Athenæum at Maastricht, and had then gone to Leyden to complete his
legal studies. But in these studies, he had most signally failed. Now
he was employed in a merchant's office, and was striving, by strict
attention to his work and by diligence, to make up, in a mercantile
career, for the time he had wasted at the University. But, though
no great student, he also was a right noble and honest young fellow,
and in thorough sympathy with the company in which we just now have
met him.
Fritz Mokesuep, however, was a man of totally different stamp, and was
in every way the very opposite of the others. He was about thirty years
old and was a clerk in the revenue office at Santjoemeh. Education
he had none; for at a very early age his father had placed him in the
office of a tax-collector in a small provincial town in Holland. This
want of education necessarily closed to him the prospect of rising in
the social scale, which, however, he was very ambitious of doing. An
opportunity had offered, which he thought would enable him to attain
his object. The Colonial Secretary, having need of the services of
men acquainted with certain special branches in the collection of
the revenue which were at that time badly managed in Dutch India,
offered to send out thither a certain number of men thus specially
qualified, without demanding any further examination whatever. Of this
offer Mokesuep had taken advantage, in the hope that adroitness and
suppleness of spirit might, in those far-away possessions, supply for
him the place of more solid attainments. In this hope, however, he was
doomed to be disappointed, for, having on his arrival in Batavia, been
placed as third clerk in the department of finance, he had very soon
given abundant evidence of the exceeding narrowness of his views and
abilities; and thus he was packed off to Santjoemeh in the capacity
which he was now still occupying there, and which bid fair to be
his "bâton de maréchal." He was literally a "tax-collector" in the
least favourable sense of the word; and, upon his naturally depraved
character, the very nature of his office had had a still more depraving
effect. He was artful, cunning, hypocritical, and thoroughly false by
nature. His only pleasure in the world was to scrape and to hoard,
and he scrupled not to employ any means, even lying and cheating,
to gratify his passion. This grasping instinct of his came out, of
course, most strongly in his mode of collecting the taxes; and the
narrowness of his mind showed itself in the petty annoyances with
which he was perpetually plaguing all those with whom he came into
official contact. His greatest enjoyment was in extorting the last
half-cent though he would never protect anyone against demands however
excessive. On the contrary, the Indian Government might safely reckon
upon his co-operation, whenever money had to be squeezed out, even
though it might be by means the most arbitrary and the most unjust. His
outward appearance, was entirely in harmony with his character. His
head was small, gradually growing narrower towards the top, and
was sparsely covered with chestnut hair, which he wore plastered
against the temples, in two elegant curls by means of bandoline,
gum, starch, fishlime, or some such abomination. His face was long
and angular, and wore that faded yellow look which sometimes, a towel
will assume when allowed to lie for a long time unused, in a drawer or
cupboard. His nose was well-formed and sharp; but with the projecting
lips of his small mouth, it formed a profile something between that
of a baboon and a ferret--at all events, it plainly enough indicated
that he belonged to the family of the rodentia. That was the reason,
perhaps, why he was familiarly called Muizenkop (mouse-head). Not a
vestige of hair or down appeared on his chin or lip--in fact a Jesuit
father might have envied him his sallow faded complexion. How could a
man like William Verstork have ever admitted such a fellow into his
company? The reason was obvious. Mokesuep was the strict letter of
fiscal regulations incarnate, and as the controller wanted to have
as little as possible to do with the narrow minded quibblings of the
financial department, he had attached this man to his staff, who,
if he did not always give him the best advice with regard to excise
questions, at all events protected him against unpleasant remarks.
While the reader has been occupying himself with these very slight
personal sketches, the cavalcade had traversed the distance which
lay between the dessas Kalimatti and Banjoe Pahit, and now was just
entering the latter place.
Banjoe Pahit, a large dessa, pleasantly situated in a mountainous part
of the island had, on that afternoon, in honour of its expected guests,
donned its festive attire. On all sides the inhabitants appeared out
of doors, even the women and children all in their very best apparel
which they generally wore only on Fridays. At the flag-staff, which
stood in the grounds of the Controller's quarters, a brand-new Dutch
flag was flying. The Wedono, the Loerah, and other principal men of
the dessa--aye, even the public vaccinator and the Mohammedan priest
had followed that example, and expressed their zeal on this occasion,
and their goodwill, by hoisting the tricolor by the side of their
houses on the bamboo pole from which usually a dovecote used to
dangle. The cymbals also were sounding merrily, and imparted to the
demonstrations of the inhabitants, who all had turned out to welcome
the strange gentlemen, a very characteristic and local stamp.
"Upon my word," cried Edward van Rheijn, once again, "capital fun--our
Controller is giving us a grand reception--that is a good beginning."
"I have no hand, whatever, in that fun," replied Verstork. "The
people are rejoicing because you have come to rid them of the swarms
of tjellings, which ravage their fields to a frightful extent. You
will see how enthusiastically they will turn out to-morrow to help
us in beating up the game."
The cavalcade had now entered the grounds, in which stood the
Controller's house, and the riders were dismounting.
"Gentlemen," said Verstork addressing van Nerekool and van Rheijn,
"I bid you welcome to my poor dwelling." And then more generally to
the company, he said: "We shall take a few minutes to make ourselves
comfortable after our hot ride, and have a bath, and then it will be
time to sit down to dinner."
"So early as this?" asked one of the guests.
"To be sure," replied Verstork, "for after we have had something
to eat--which meal you must take as a hunter's dinner, substantial
but short--we shall have to get into the saddle again, to make a
reconnaissance at the Djoerang Pringapoes, for we must settle before
sunset where our battue will have to start from, and where we shall
have to post ourselves and lie in wait for the animals."
"But we shall have the moon to-night, shall we not?" enquired van
Rheijn. "I even fancy that it is full moon."
"You are quite right," said Verstork, "and we shall need it, too,
on our ride home. Believe me, our arrangements will take up some
considerable time; and then we shall all have to turn in early,
because to-morrow by daybreak we must be at our posts in the Djoerang,
and begin work."
Then turning to two of the Javanese chiefs, who had followed the party
into the grounds, he continued: "Wedono and you Loerah, you will both,
I hope, presently, ride with us to the Djoerah?"
"Yes, kandjeng toean," was their reply.
"Thanks; you will stay to dinner?"
But, in the most courteous manner possible, both the Javanese begged
to be excused;--they had some business to transact at home--at the
time appointed, however, they would be quite ready to start.
They did not say--which was indeed the reason of their refusal--that
they feared that among the viands pork might be included, or that some
of the dishes might be prepared with lard or some other ingredient
derived from the accursed and unclean beast.
The sun had just set, when the sportsmen had finished their survey of
the principal approaches to the Djoerang Pringapoes, and had made all
the necessary arrangements with the two Loerahs of Banjoe Pahit and
of Kaligaweh, for placing the marksmen, and other matters pertaining
to the morrow's sport.
They happened to be just then in the lower part of the Djoerang,
where a small stream, which runs right through the ravine, flows down
over its rocky bed, forming a series of small cataracts and eddies
which contribute to make the landscape, already a beautiful one,
the most picturesque spot in the whole Residence of Santjoemeh.
A few hundred yards off, in the rice-plain, lay the dessa Kaligaweh,
bathed in all the wondrous tints with which the setting sun coloured
the evening sky, and cast its reflection in the waters of the
rice-fields which, here, were flooded as elsewhere. With its trees,
its palms, its bamboos, its orchards, which almost entirely embosomed
the little yellow-fenced huts, that little dessa casting its image
upon the watery mirror, formed a scene of such magic beauty that the
Europeans could not tear themselves from so lovely a view. Nor until
the glorious tints began slowly to fade away before the rising moon,
could they make up their minds to turn homeward.
They were just saying good-bye to the Loerah of Kaligaweh, and were
impressing upon him the necessity of bringing up his people early
next morning, and were turning their horses' heads and preparing for
a sharp gallop back to Banjoe Pahit when--suddenly in the direction
of the last named dessa, there was heard a frightful tumult. All
started and stood still, and listened in the utmost astonishment. The
yelling and screaming continued, and then amidst the confused noise
made by the shrieks of women and children, the dreadful word, "Amokh,
Amokh!" (murder) was distinctly heard.
"What on earth can all this mean, Loerah?" cried Verstork to the
chief of the dessa who was still by his side.
"I don't know, kandjeng toean," replied he; "but I will ride off at
once and find out."
"Wait a bit," cried another, "here comes a policeman running like mad."
So it was; panting and almost completely out of breath one of those
canaries (so called from their yellow braided uniforms) came running
up along a pathway which led across the sawah-fields to the Djoerang
Pringapoes. As soon as he got up to the group of horsemen he squatted
down by the Controller's horse and made the sembah.
"Kandjeng toean," he panted, "they are running Amokh in the dessa
yonder. One bandoelan has been already krissed and a policeman
severely wounded."
"Who is running Amokh?" cried Verstork.
"I don't know, kandjeng toean," replied the man. "Women and children
are flying about yelling and screaming and I hurried off at once
to fetch the Loerah; but as I ran along I heard that Setrosmito is
the murderer."
"Setrosmito!" exclaimed Verstork in utter amazement. "What, old
Setrosmito? Quite impossible; is it not, Loerah?"
"No, kandjeng toean," was the chief's reply.
"But the man is much too quiet a fellow for that," continued the
Controller. "Moreover, he is not given to opium smoking, is he?"
"No kandjeng toean," was the cautious reply.
The screaming still continued, and though it was already growing dusk,
people could be distinctly seen running about wildly in the dessa.
"Come, gentlemen," said Verstork to his friends, "my presence is
required yonder. Will you come with me? If we make haste we can get
there in a minute or two."
"All right," cried the young men with one voice; "lead on, we follow
you."
There was but one of the little party who ventured to ask: "Is it
quite safe, do you think?"
That man was Mokesuep; but his objection was lost to the others. They
had already followed Verstork's example, and digging their spurs in
their horses' flanks were tearing along the road to Kaligaweh.
Mokesuep had not, however, made up his mind. He was not quite so
rash as that. Dreadful tales of "Amokh runners" were crossing his
brain. For a moment or two he stood irresolute not well knowing what
he had better do; but just then the shrieks redoubled while the gongs
were beaten furiously. That was quite enough for him. Thought he to
himself: "In such cases it is most prudent to take care and keep a
whole skin." So he turned his horse, gave it the spurs and galloped
off to Banjoe Pahit instead of to Kaligaweh.
As they were riding to Kaligaweh, Verstork thought it well to caution
his friends by telling them that in cases of Amokh running the thing
is to be on one's guard, and that fear and panic only serve to make
matters worse and increase the danger. "At all events," said he,
"keep your revolvers ready."
His caution was, however, not needed. When the horsemen came racing
into the dessa they met a few frightened women clasping their little
ones to their breast as if to protect them; but all the men were
standing with lance or kris in hand drawn up around a little hut which
was closed, and about which there was nothing in any way remarkable.
"If he comes out we must catch him on our lances," was the cry.
"What is all this confusion about?" cried Verstork, leaping from his
horse, throwing the bridle to one of the bystanders, and stepping
into the ring.
"Setrosmito has been running Amokh," was the reply from all sides.
"Setrosmito, how is it possible?" muttered the Controller, inaudibly.
But scarcely had he uttered the words, before the door of the cabin
flew open and Setrosmito appeared on the threshold.
He was an elderly man with grizzly hair which was flying in wild
confusion about his head. His jacket was torn to ribbons and a few
shreds of it only hung from one of his arms. His face, breast and
hands were smeared with blood, so that the poor wretch looked a
hideous object.
"There he is, there he is," shouted the mob. "Now look out!"
Every lance-point was at once thrown forward in anticipation of a
mad rush.
"I don't wish to hurt anybody," cried Setrosmito, to his fellows
of the dessa. "But let no one come near me to lay a hand on me;
the first that touches me is a dead man!"
With so frantic a gesture did he wave his kris, and so ghastly did
he look in his frenzy, that the crowd rushed back in dismay. Thus
Verstork, who the instant before had stood lost in the press, now
found himself standing in the foreground.
No sooner, however, had the unfortunate Javanese caught sight of the
white man than he cried out in piteous tones.
"Pardon, kandjeng toean, pardon," and hurling his kris from him he
flung himself at the Controller's feet. "Pardon, pardon, kandjeng
toean!" he cried again and again.
All this had passed with lightning rapidity--so quickly, indeed,
that the bystanders scarcely knew what was going on. When the man
besmeared with blood had advanced towards the Controller, many thought
that the latter's life was in danger. His friends, revolver in hand,
rushed forward to protect him, the natives also were springing forward
to despatch the now defenceless murderer. But Verstork calmly stopped
them, put the foremost back with his hand, and restrained the others
by crying out in a tone of command:
"Back, all of you! Keep back from the man. Do you hear?"
And going up to the crouching wretch, who was still crying in an
imploring tone of voice "Pardon, kandjeng toean," he said:
"Have you been running Amokh, Setrosmito?"
"Sir," cried the latter, "I have killed a bandoelan who was acting
disgracefully towards my child. Yes, I have done that. I have also
wounded a policeman who was helping him in it. Who would have protected
my child if I had not done so? But I have harmed no one else. The
whole dessa will tell you so!"
Verstork looked towards the crowd.
All stood breathless around; not a word of protest was spoken.
"You confess to having killed a bandoelan and wounded an
officer?" asked Verstork, sternly.
"Yes, kandjeng toean," said the poor Javanese, almost inaudibly.
"Wedono," said Verstork, "have this man bound."
"Pardon, kandjeng toean, pardon!" cried the wretched man, when he
heard the order. "Pardon! I have only protected my daughter from
disgusting ill-treatment."
"You have resisted the authorities, nobody has a right to do that,"
replied the Controller in a firm and impressive voice. "But,
Setrosmito," he continued, "the matter will be investigated by
the proper tribunal, and if, as you say, your child has suffered
ill-usage--no doubt that will be taken into consideration, and your
punishment will be lessened accordingly."
A dull murmur arose in the crowd. They knew by sad experience what
kind of justice they might expect from the white man when there was
opium in the question. A bitter smile was on every countenance, and
many a curse was muttered against that unmerciful race which holds
sway over Java and sucks its very life's blood. Now that the people
began to see that they had to do--not with a wild Amokh runner who
murdered indiscriminately but--with a father who had merely protected
his child from outrage, the feelings of the crowd instantly changed and
not a man or woman in the dessa but pitied the wretched criminal. But
a single commanding look from the Controller and one wave of the
Wedono's hand sufficed to repress every sign of displeasure.
"Wedono," said Verstork, "you will have that man carefully guarded--you
and the Loerah will be answerable for him; and you will further see
that to-morrow morning early, he is taken under properly armed escort
to Santjoemeh."
"Pardon, kandjeng toean," again groaned the unhappy father, as the
people of the dessa helped to tie his arms.
"The 'Higher Court' must decide the matter, Setrosmito," said Verstork,
"I may and I can do no more than my duty."