Kitabı oku: «With the Dyaks of Borneo: A Tale of the Head Hunters», sayfa 16
CHAPTER XIII
The Rajah of Sarawak
Standing down-stream under a cloud of canvas the fleet of prahus, with the English schooner escorting, made an imposing sight, and Tyler could not but feel proud as he looked on at the scene; for it was wonderful to think that he and the humble Dyaks should have met with such success, and that the termination of their journey should have found them better off by far than they were at the commencement.
"Why, these prahus alone will be enough to set the tribe up once we have arrived," mused Tyler, "and no doubt we shall be able to sell them with ease. Then, again, the fact that the Sarebus pirates have met with a reverse at our hands will ensure a welcome for the Dyaks. But I must not run too far ahead, for we are not yet out of the river. Tell me," he went on, calling the Chinaman to him, "are there any others to be feared? This river seems to be infested with pirates, and it will not surprise me to hear that there are others."
"Den you will see dat dat is so, massa. De Rembas men live some miles below, and dey velly fierce, velly bad. But dey not always friends wid de men of Paddi and de oders whom we havee beaten. Perhaps dey not interfere, and if dey do, well, massa, sail de schooner down upon dem and dey sink, dey goee to de bottom."
The news that more enemies might yet have to be encountered scarcely caused our hero any uneasiness, for he had come to understand that the prahus manned by the pirates were no match for an English ship, unless, indeed, the latter were becalmed, or in some way unable to offer resistance. But for all that he did not allow the subject to escape him, and having, by dint of shouts and signals, induced his followers to draw close together, and lay-to for a time, he sent a message to each one of the prahus that they were to keep behind the schooner, and that on no account were the men to show their arms, or to wave to the enemy. Then, turning the schooner's bows once more towards the sea, he led the way a ship's length ahead of the fleet, and ere long arrived off the tributary upon which the Rembas pirates had their lair. But there was no sign of the latter, and, indeed, not a boat crossed the water till the coast was at hand and they were making through the wide mouth of the river.
"A fleet making in," said John Marshall in Tyler's ear, suddenly pointing to one edge of the wide bay into which the Sarebus poured. "They will pass close to us as we run into the sea, and from the looks of them they are pirates."
"And we have much the same appearance," said Tyler calmly. "We will keep on without an attempt to alter our course, and perhaps they will take us for their friends. One moment and I will get rid of this colour from my face, and will hunt out a coat. Then I can take the helm and pretend to be the Dutchman."
Running below he quickly unearthed a coat from one of the cabins, and, having obtained a bucket and a piece of soap, immersed his face in water. Five minutes later he returned to the deck with a less dusky complexion, and with the coat about his shoulders.
"Now for the helm," he said, noticing that the fleet was now close at hand, and that the pirates would pass within hailing distance. "It seems to me that they will not even question us, for they will know that the men of Paddi have recently captured an English schooner, and will think nothing of the fact that the latter is leading the prahus to sea. But I do hope that our fellows will not allow their excitement to get the better of them, and shout and jeer at these strangers."
By now the gathering of prahus, which had been sighted entering the mouth of the river Sarebus, was close at hand, steering a course which would take it close beside the fleet under Tyler's command. But it was evident that the leader, whatever his feelings with regard to the men of Paddi, had no suspicions of the new-comers, for he had posted himself in the bows of his own particular command, and as he swept past the schooner he leapt upon the rail and shouted a greeting, to which Tyler responded by waving his arm. Then all the dusky pirates from Rembas, a gang as celebrated in those seas for their bloodthirstiness and acts of violence as were the men of Paddi, lined the bulwarks and sent their cheers across the narrow space which intervened as the two fleets sailed by one another. Quick to grasp the fact that they were undiscovered, the Dyaks replied with loud cries and much waving of the arms, and then, ere there was time for any more, or for the exchange of words, the prahus had separated and were swiftly running away from one another.
"And now there is nothing but the open sea and a grand passage between us and friends," exclaimed Tyler, with every sign of satisfaction, "and, that being the case, I am reminded that we have eaten nothing for many hours. Li Sung, just get below and see what is to be found. We will divide the provisions, and send their share to the men and women on the other prahus. And now I can devote a little time to the captives whom we rescued."
Six hours later, having coasted along within easy distance of the line of surf which beat without cessation upon the land of Borneo, the fleet bore up to the left, and entered the river which led to the town of Sarawak, and ere very long had sighted the collection of buildings which went by that name.
"And there's two ships of some sort," cried John Marshall as he stood by his leader's side, suddenly pointing to a creek close beside the houses. "They're English too, and what's more, they're sending their boats away. It looks as though they were coming in this direction."
"That is certainly the case," replied Tyler, at once catching sight of the vessels to which the sailor had alluded, and noticing that each had lowered three boats, which were being rowed towards the incoming fleet. "I suppose that they are coming to give us a welcome, or perhaps to see who we are."
"What do we look like, do yer think, sir?" cried the boatswain gruffly. "Why, back there at the mouth of the Sarebus river you said that we were jest like pirates, and if that hadn't been the case, them men of Rembas would soon have been at our throats. Well, don't yer see? These fellers here, under the Englishman I suppose, take us for what we look to be, and if we're not partic'lar careful they'll be firing into us."
That this was a possibility all very quickly saw, for as the fleet of prahus and the six open boats approached one another the latter were seen to be manned by men in naval dress, while in the bows of each a swivel-gun was carried. Indeed, as if to show the strangers that their arrival at Sarawak would be contested, a spout of flame and smoke shot out from one of the guns at that moment, and a ball came hurtling across the forefoot of the schooner. A second followed swiftly, ricochetting across the water, and then hulling the vessel, striking with a thud which could be heard far away.
"And now come the bullets," said Tyler with a smile, as the patter of musketry broke the silence, and the water was splashed beside the schooner. "But the mistake has gone far enough, and we must let them see their error. Stand aside, John, and just tell Li Sung to warn the others to get under cover. I will go forward and shout to them."
Running into the bows, he sprang upon the rail there, and with one hand holding the rigging so as to retain his position, waved a piece of sail-cloth to the men who were approaching.
"Friends!" he shouted at the top of his voice. "Don't fire any more, or you will be killing those who are coming here to ask for your protection."
His words carried easily across the water, and almost at once an officer was seen to rise to his feet.
"Cease fire!" they heard him shout. "Now, surround that schooner, as she seems to be the leader, and train your guns upon her. You can lie off so as to be out of range of their spears, but do not be so far away as to make a rush impossible. I will go closer in, and see who it is that called to us."
Careless of the fact that he might have been running into a trap, the officer gave an order for the boat to be pulled closer in, and then stood in the bows awaiting the moment when he would be able to go aboard the stranger. As for Tyler, with a shout to attract John Marshall's attention, and a wave of his arm, he had caused the latter to throw the schooner into the wind, a movement which was at once imitated by those in command of the other vessels. Then in his quaint costume, consisting of an old coat which had been made for a man of a smaller size than himself, and with the remains of his old disguise about him, he stood at the top of a rope-ladder which was lowered over the side.
"Eh! what's this?" demanded the officer as he scrambled over the rail. "And who are you who sail into the river at the head of a fleet which we could not help but take for pirates? Why, you're a youngster, surely, and an Englishman!"
"Tyler Richardson by name," responded our hero, stepping forward with his hand held to his forehead in salute. "Gazetted to the Dido, sir, and pursued by pirates on my way to join my ship."
"And you understand how to salute an officer of superior rank," cried the one who had boarded the schooner, in astonished tones. "Tyler Richardson! Why, that is the name of the young fellow who was to come to us, the lad who rescued two naval officers from the hold of a ship which lay in Southampton."
"I am the one of whom you speak," said Tyler modestly. "As I have said, I came out to Singapore, and hearing that the Dido had left the China seas, I obtained permission to accompany a gentleman who was coming to Borneo to explore certain parts of the island. A Dutchman, who had shipped with us as interpreter, and who turned out to be one of two leaders of the pirates of Sarebus, murdered my friend, and then helped his followers to capture our ship. Our boatswain, John Marshall, who stands beside you, actually saw the ruffian fire the shot which killed Mr. Beverley. Then he came to my aid, and together we were able to regain possession of the schooner by means of a trick."
"And this is the same vessel, I presume?" interrupted the officer, whose face showed his amazement.
"No, sir, this is another," replied Tyler quietly. "This fellow of whom I speak, the Dutchman – "
"I beg your pardon, but what is his name, and where did he and his scoundrels hail from?" suddenly asked the officer, interrupting for the second time.
"He commanded the men of Sarebus, and was helped by a countryman of the name of Christian van Sonerell."
"Then we know of them, and a precious couple they are too! But we shall catch them some day, and then they will have much to answer for. But please go on with your tale, Mr. Richardson, and let me say at once, before we go any further, that I give you a hearty welcome to Sarawak and the Dido. Shake hands."
He grasped Tyler warmly by the fingers, and then turned to greet John Marshall in the same manner.
"Very glad to welcome you," he added. "You will be an addition to our company, and will find many friends. Now for these Dutchmen, please, and for news of their whereabouts."
"The murderer, Hans Schlott, is within his stronghold at Paddi, where we left him this morning," said Tyler, "and the other – "
"Paddi! You left him there! But, excuse me, I will not interrupt again."
The officer managed to repress his astonishment, and stood there staring at our hero as he detailed what had happened to himself and to John Marshall.
"And so you and the boatswain managed to get clear away from this rascal, and have arrived here with a whole tribe of Dyaks," he said at last, when Tyler had ended. "Well, I can scarcely credit the story at present, though please do not imagine for a moment that I doubt your word. But you must understand that the whole thing is so out of the common, the adventure so strange and perplexing, that I am unable to grasp its details at present. How you and this lad here managed to beat the Dutchman so often is beyond me, and your audacity in making for Paddi takes my breath away. Why, sir, I can tell you that the Rajah of Sarawak hesitates to attack the stronghold for fear of being beaten back, and also because he needs a guide. But we shall alter that now, or I am much mistaken; for if we went for no other purpose we should be bound to hunt out this rascal who murdered your friend Mr. Beverley. But we have been speaking for long, and my men will be firing into you if we are not careful, imagining that you have laid your hands on me. One moment and I will explain matters to them."
Leaving Tyler and the boatswain for a few moments, he went to the rail and called to those who manned the boats to come closer to the schooner. Then in a few hurried words he explained that those who had so suddenly appeared opposite Sarawak were friends, and were not pirates, as had at first appeared to be the case.
"And now, Mr. Richardson, I think that you should report your arrival first to Captain Keppel and then to the Rajah of Sarawak, Mr. Brooke, of whom you have heard," he continued, approaching Tyler with a friendly smile. "If you will leave the tribe to me I will see that they are housed and fed, while my men will board the prahus and take them to their moorings. As for your comrade, he had better go with you, and afterwards perhaps some post will be found for him, for we must remember that he does not belong to the royal navy, but to the merchant service."
"Then we had better look out some clothes, sir," said Tyler contrasting his own appearance with that of the smart officer who had accosted him. "Will you allow us to go below before we report ourselves? Then we shall be able to make ourselves respectable."
"By all means, Mr. Richardson," was the hearty answer, "and while you are below I will undertake to have the little girl and her nurse taken ashore. It was a gallant act to rescue them, and you will have the thanks of your captain for it. But there, I see that you do not like to have overmuch praise, so go below. I shall be here when you return, so as to give you an introduction."
Saluting him again, Tyler turned about, and, accompanied by John Marshall, slipped down to the cabin of the schooner. And here, thanks to the fact that the pirates had put off stripping their prize till the morning after their arrival at Paddi, the two were able to discover an abundance of clothing, and soon made their appearance on deck dressed in thin suits of blue.
"An excellent change," said the officer with a smile, as they went up to him. "It was no wonder that I took you for dangerous individuals when you arrived, for your disguises made you look more than fierce. But now you are like the rest of us, and are fully prepared for an interview with those who lead us. You can hop into the boat at once and come with me, and by the way, Mr. Richardson, my name is Horton, Lieutenant Wilmot Horton of the Dido."
Responding promptly to the invitation to enter the boat which awaited them, Tyler and the companion who had stood beside him through their long and adventurous journey clambered down the rope-ladder which dangled over the side, and having been instantly followed by the lieutenant, were soon on their way to the largest of the two vessels moored off the town of Sarawak.
"Follow me," said the officer, taking Tyler by the sleeve as they reached the deck. "You can go forward till we send for you, my lad," he added, turning to John Marshall. "Now, Mr. Richardson, our captain is on the poop, and we will go to him. Please remember to touch your hat as you mount the companion ladder, and again as you stand before him."
Hearty indeed was the welcome which was given to our hero when it was known who he was. From the commander of the Dido downwards all vied with one another in showing him how glad they were to see him.
"Of course I know that you are somewhat over the ordinary age," said Captain Keppel, as he chatted with him in his cabin; "but then you have won a commission by bravery, and that is sufficient to recommend you and to make the Lords of the Admiralty overlook your years. Not that you are so very old, my lad," he added with a smile. "Then you have come to us with a tale which will procure much commendation, for you have actually been in the lair which these pirates inhabit, and will be able to guide us there and tell us of their doings.
"But I must not keep you longer, for it is necessary that you should go to Mr. Brooke, who is now the Rajah of the province of Sarawak, and tell him what has occurred. You will oblige me by taking this young officer ashore, Mr. Horton, and introducing him to the rajah. Send the man who accompanied him to me, so that I may listen to the story and hear every detail."
Both at once turned about, touching their caps as they did so, and repeating the action as they descended from the poop. Then they re-entered the boat which lay alongside, and were pulled to the landing-stage which had been erected close to the rajah's residence.
"Not at home just now," said the lieutenant, after he had made enquiries of a Dyak lad who stood at the door. "Then we will wait, and as the rajah keeps open house, and gives the officers an invitation to enter whether he is here or not, we will go in and shelter from the heat. Follow me, and I will show you where you can be comfortable. By the way, my lad, I suppose you know all about Mr. Brooke and his doings?"
"Very little, I am afraid," answered Tyler. "Of course Mr. Beverley told me that he was here, and that he had come to better the condition of the natives. But I did not know more than that, and do not now."
"Then I will spin you a yarn about this man, who is a wonder in many respects, and who has gained the esteem and affection of every one of us, from our commander downwards. Let me see; yes, I will commence by telling you that one time he belonged to our sister service, the army, and saw a considerable amount of fighting in India and Burmah, distinguishing himself in the latter country, where he led the assault upon a stockade, and was shot through the chest. That wound sent him home, and it is by the merest good luck, and thanks also to the fact that he had an excellent constitution, that our friend lived to come to Sarawak; for he was badly hurt, and hovered between life and death for many a month. However, recover he did at last, when he set about finding a task which would occupy all his thoughts and all his energy, and which would at the same time help to lighten the condition of those of his fellow-beings who were worse off than himself. And that brings me to a point which I have not mentioned. This wounded soldier was a thinker, and is, too, at this moment. He did not waste his time in frivolity, in games and pastimes, as do so many in both services. But he devoted much of his life to work, and to investigating the condition of men in various parts of the world. Thanks to that fact, and also to the opportunity which a trading venture had given him, he became aware of the misery existing in this island of Borneo, and from that moment he was bent upon relieving the condition of the people. Now you will admit that there are few who would have set about such a matter, for when you come to consider the facts you will see that Borneo is, in the first place, an island of large extent, while this portion, called Borneo Proper, is perhaps as large as England herself. Then, again, the rajah knew well that pirates abounded, and that if he escaped attack from them he was likely at any moment to have the Dyaks seeking for his life, for some of the tribes are very ferocious. Still, whatever their nature, there was no doubt that life was but a misery to the majority of the people, that they were constantly robbed, killed, or hurried into slavery by the pirates, and that that condition of affairs had existed for untold years. To all of this Mr. Brooke determined to put a stop.
"You will ask very naturally: 'How did he set about the matter?' and I will at once admit that, to anyone faced with the same question and the same difficulty, an answer would be hard to find. How could one man, without the aid of his Government, without soldiers or sailors to help him, hope to set foot in the island, and control the deeds of thousands of human beings, men who knew nothing of his aims and objects, and cared less? Why, even those for whose relief he aimed were too absorbed in their misery, too used to their lives, to think that change was possible, and when he first came, some of them were amongst his bitterest enemies, for they could not understand that one man, and he a foreigner, could take such interest in a race of natives who were strangers to him.
"Thus you will see from what I have said that from the very first the prospect of success was not too bright, while the method by which reform could be brought about was so obscure and difficult to arrive at that a man endowed with similar courage and persistence might well have given the task up in despair, feeling that to make a commencement on the work was well-nigh impossible. Not so our friend the Rajah of Sarawak. His heart was set upon the undertaking, and he allowed nothing to stand in his way. When I tell you that he had absolutely nothing to gain, that his mission was not one for the purpose of profit-making, and that he ran the risk of losing anything that he already possessed, I think that you too will be filled with admiration.
"As an example of his dogged perseverance, he did not rush at this enterprise with the impetuosity of a young man, only to give up the idea at the first rebuff, or when real difficulties commenced to stare him in the face. But he set himself, first of all, to train a crew of men upon whom he could rely, and for that purpose he bought, out of his private fortune, a schooner, the Royalist, which lies alongside the Dido at this moment. For three years he cruised in her, for the most part in the Mediterranean, and during the whole of that time he was busily engaged in hunting up records of the island of Borneo and the surroundings. At length, feeling that his preparations were completed, he sailed from Devonport on December 16th, 1838, having a crew of twenty men, and a supply of arms aboard, including six six-pounder guns. On arrival at Singapore he shipped a few Malay hands to help with the wooding and watering of the ship, and then shaped a course for Sarawak.
"Now Marudu, which is in the north of the island, had been the part for which he had intended to sail when leaving England, thinking that that port would be the best at which to commence his labours. But news gathered in Singapore caused him to change his mind, and therefore he came to Sarawak, anchoring at the very spot where the two vessels are now moored. Imagine his pleasure when, on landing, he found himself received with every honour by Rajah Muda Hassim, uncle of the Sultan of Borneo. It was indeed a pleasant surprise, for our friend had expected anything but a welcome; and had he carried out his first idea, and sailed for Marudu, there is little doubt that a very different reception would have awaited him, for that district was ruled over by a notorious chief who favoured piracy, and in consequence the bay was the rendezvous for all the robbers and ruffians in and about the island.
"This Muda Hassim, however, was a very different class of individual, for he had some education, and, in place of being fierce and unscrupulous, he was gentle in manner, while, for a Malay, he was possessed of honest intentions.
"And now to tell you how Mr. Brooke commenced this work of his, to describe how the first seeds were sown, the thin end of the wedge introduced, and the old miserable order, with its cruelties and oppression, slowly banished. Do not think that change was brought about from the very first, and that, because a pleasant welcome had greeted him, his influence was to have weight with the natives simply on account of the fact that he was an Englishman, and because men of that race were thought much of in that part of Borneo. The rajah would have done nothing, would have met with failure, had it not been for the fact that this native, Muda Hassim, was in difficulties and in need of help, and that by coming to his aid our friend first of all made him his debtor for life, while at the same time he showed the natives what a man he was; that his word was reliable, and that he could fight as well as he could talk. Yes, that was the secret of his success. From the very first he had enemies, and there is no doubt that his life was often in danger; but the rajah never thought of his position seriously, but boldly went amongst the natives. Then, too, he showed an ever-ready disposition to protect those who lived beneath the sway of this Muda Hassim, and on one occasion, when a fleet of pirates arrived in the river, with the intention of sailing farther up and raiding the Dyaks in the interior, this commander of the Royalist manned his guns and let the marauders see that they would have to fight an action before they could pass. For that he gained the gratitude of many who had never set eyes upon him, but who at that time knew him vaguely as the Englishman.
"Very soon, however, his name and his appearance were known everywhere, for Muda Hassim was, as I have already said, in great difficulties. It seems that a rebellion had broken out in the district of Sarawak, owing to the oppression of a chief of the name of Makota, and that for many months matters had been at a stand-still. The rebels were entrenched in stockades, and an army under this Makota was opposed to them. But there was no fighting, and instead the combatants watched one another listlessly, the besiegers unable to attack, simply because they possessed no leader who had the courage to direct them, and the rebels because they were too few. Instead, therefore, the first lounged the days away, while the Dyaks and Malays who were in rebellion sought for food, of which they were in great need. And all the while the country was at a stand-still, there was no trade, while the wretched people were rapidly becoming destitute.
"It was at this juncture that Mr. Brooke came to the rescue. Having looked into the matter thoroughly, and run back to Singapore for a time, he was at length induced to proceed to the part where the rebels were entrenched; for Muda Hassim had besought his aid. In fact, for three years the latter had been helpless; and all the while he and the Sultan of Borneo were afraid lest, finding that terms were not to be obtained from their own people, the rebels should apply to the men of Sambas, pirates for the most part, to take up their cause. If that were to happen, and the latter be successful, then Sarawak and the neighbourhood would come under the sway of the Dutch, for Sambas was controlled by that nation. Thus, Muda Hassim and the sultan had much to lose, and longer delay might prove disastrous.
"But our friend was not the man to enter upon a conflict of this nature for the purpose of gain, and it was only when he became convinced of the misery which existed on account of the rebellion, and of the starving condition of the people, that he finally consented to accompany Muda Hassim to the army and see what could be done.
"I will not tell you any of the details, Richardson, for they are of little interest, but will simply say that the energy of this Englishman soon brought an end to the little war. A rush on the part of his men, with himself at their head, soon changed the ideas of the rebels – so much so that Mr. Brooke was able to make terms with them and induce them to surrender. Finally, with the help of his crew he prevented all attempts at massacre, which would have taken place had it not been for his watchfulness, and, having obtained hostages, sent the rebels to their homes. There, that is the first step in the present rajah's popularity. He showed these natives that he was bold and strong, while at the same time he gained their confidence, for he would not permit a beaten foe to be ill-treated, and once the war was over he set about increasing the prosperity of the natives, instead of robbing them and making them even more miserable than before, as would have been the case had anyone else been in his place. Indeed, he had many a wordy fight with this man Macota, and with Muda Hassim too, before he gained security for the defeated rebels, and many a time afterwards, had it not been for his energy and his powerful influence, robbery and violence would have been practised upon the humble Dyaks of the interior. And so, little by little did his fame reach the ears of far-distant people, till the name of Brooke, the great and powerful Englishman, the defender of the weak and poor, the friend of all Dyaks and the enemy of all rogues and pirates, become one to conjure with. Indeed, if not rajah in fact, he was as good as leader of this province, and when at last the sultan conferred the title upon him, and handed over the government of Sarawak to our friend and his heirs for ever, the people received him with gladness, and save for a few, such as Macota, and others who had fallen foul of him, accepted him as their chief with every sign of satisfaction.
"From that moment Rajah Brooke has been busily engaged in touring through his district, in issuing laws for the guidance of the people, and in suppressing all attempts at slavery, all head-hunting, and all acts of violence and robbery. So energetic has he been, so powerful has he become, that all who are bent on the old life fear him more than a little, while the majority, the Dyaks of the interior, the peaceful Malays, and the hard-working and ever-contented Chinese – all, in fact, who long for a life spent in agriculture, in mining, or in trade – have settled down wonderfully, placing full reliance in the Englishman and in his word that, so far as he can prevent it, they shall be undisturbed.
