Kitabı oku: «With the Dyaks of Borneo: A Tale of the Head Hunters», sayfa 18

Some two hours later, when the sun was overhead, and a hot haze hung over the water, a sampan was seen to be rowing from the creek upon the banks of which the Chinese town was situated, and was observed to direct its course towards the Dido. At first the marine who was doing sentry-go at the summit of the gangway paused listlessly in his weary tramp, glad of anything, however small, which would break the monotony of his hours of duty, and favoured the craft with a half-pitying gaze. Then he stifled a yawn, remarked upon the heat and discomfort of such latitudes when compared to Old England, and would have pursued his beat had not a second movement on the part of the sampan attracted his attention.

"Well, that does for me!" he exclaimed, bringing his musket from the shoulder to the deck with a clash which startled the mid-day silence. "Making this way against orders! All these here blacks, and the China boys too, know well that the rule is that they are not to come alongside unless a chief or big gun o' some sort is along with 'em. And here's a sampan, with a couple of cheeky chaps aboard, making direct for us! Who knows? they might have a keg of powder aboard. Hi, you two monkeys! Clear right off, or I'll – !"

He brought the butt of his musket to his shoulder and made pretence to aim. Then, as the Chinaman who occupied a seat in front of the one who was plying the oars rose to his feet and faced about, the sentry came to the rail, and leaned over it to inspect the craft and its contents more closely.

"It ain't no use yer kow-towing," he called out, seeing that the individual who had just risen to his feet was bowing to him. "I tell yer that it ain't allowed, so clear off, and quick about it too."

Whether the Chinaman understood what was said it would be difficult to state, but it would appear as though he did, for he at once thrust his hand into the interior of his capacious coat and produced a document, which he held above his head.

"For de chief!" he called out. "Dis am a letter, and de man here and me comee to speak to de captain about de pirates."

"Oh, yer've got a letter, 'ave yer? Well, sit tight there till I've called the sergeant," shouted the sentry. "Hi, sergeant, there's two China boys wanting to come aboard!"

A few minutes' parley sufficed to obtain the necessary permission, and then the two Chinamen having been searched to make sure that they carried no arms and had no murderous intentions, they were allowed to mount the gangway and step upon the deck.

"This way," said the sergeant, "and jest stop that 'ere kow-towing. I ain't the captain."

Apparently it annoyed him to see the Chinamen bobbing there in that senseless way, for he turned from them with a scowl and led the way to the poop, where Captain Keppel was standing.

"Two men to see yer, sir," he said, shouldering his musket in salute. "Two Chinamen, what says they've a letter for yer. Shall they come up, sir?"

"A letter! Two Chinamen! Perhaps they have some information about the pirates!" exclaimed the commander with a start. "Send them up, sergeant."

A minute later the two strangers were before him, to find that his chief officer had joined him, while both were staring at these intruders, no doubt wondering what information they had to bring.

"Well, what is it?" demanded the commander. "You have a letter, and as far as I have been led to understand, you have some information to give me. Now, get along with the business, and do stop that kow-towing."

At the words a half-hidden smile wreathed the features of the man who had stood up in the craft, and who had had possession of the letter. But in a moment it was suppressed, and, at once ceasing the bows with which he had favoured the white man, he drew the document out of an inner pocket and handed it to the captain.

"Dat am de plan of de river Sarebus," he said. "Fo Sing knowee de water velly well, and Li Sung been dere many a time. De news in de town am dat de Englishmen am to go to de river to fight de pirate, and Fo Sing and Li Sung comee here to say dat dey willee go dere too, and take de news to de pirates. If we not go, den de news reach dem all de same. But s'posing we am dere, den we makee friends, we laugh and we eat wid de pirate, and one velly fine day we come away again, and tell de Englishmen allee dat we see."

"Why, the man is proposing exactly what we had arranged!" gasped Captain Keppel. "But I must keep that to myself. What do you think of this offer, Horton? It seems uncanny that these fellows should have come at such a time. One really begins to think that they have guessed our plans."

"They can hardly have done that, sir," was the answer. "But would not a second party be advisable? Then if one failed – you understand?"

"Quite so, exactly, though I trust that there will be no mishap. But this fellow says that he has been to the Sarebus before. Probably one of the pirates, if one could only get at the truth."

"Yes, that may be the case," replied the chief officer, with elevated eyebrows, "but a Chinaman will do anything for gold. Here, what are you asking for this work?"

He turned to the spokesman of the two who had come aboard, and demanded his price, while he stared closely at him, watching him narrowly.

"For me, nothing, sir. I shall do my utmost for the navy. For Li Sung, the Chinaman who accompanied me through a part of Borneo, and then down the Sarebus, he asks merely that a passage shall be paid for him so that he may sail for Singapore, there to rejoin his wife and family."

In a moment the tones of the Chinaman's voice had changed, and the captain of the Dido and his chief officer found themselves listening to the young fellow who had so recently joined them. In utter amazement they stared at him, only to find that he returned their glances gravely, and with never a smile, for Tyler was in desperate earnest, and had come aboard in this manner, not to make fun of those who were his superiors, but to test the effectiveness of his disguise. Seeing that matters had gone far enough already, and that, in spite of the brilliant light, and of the fact that Captain Keppel and Mr. Horton were so close to him, they had failed to recognize him, he at once spoke in his natural tones, so that it might become clear who he was.

"What! Impossible!" exclaimed the commander, stepping forward swiftly and thrusting his face close to Tyler's. "Mr. Richardson in disguise! It cannot be; for this is a real Chinaman if ever I saw one. What do you say, Horton?"

"It is wonderful. The lad would pass inspection anywhere, and has completely taken us in. I have no fears for him, for, dressed as he is, even the Dutchman will fail to recognize him. But what are we to do? It will never do to declare who is here, for the tale would fly round the deck, and our men would have it before half an hour had passed."

"And the safety of the expedition and of these two might be jeopardized," cried the commander. "Come down to the cabin, Mr. Richardson, and leave your companion here with instructions to say nothing and to keep his tongue between his teeth."

As if too dazed to say more, Captain Keppel turned about and led the way to his cabin, the chief officer following closely upon his heels, and Tyler bringing up the rear, kow-towing with the gravest of faces and the most servile of manners as they passed him. Once the door had closed upon them, however, the officers burst into hearty roars of laughter, and for some little time could do nothing more than stare at our hero and walk round and round him, closely scrutinizing his apparel. And well they might, too, for the special duty which was about to take Tyler to the Sarebus was one fraught with the gravest danger, and he was well aware that discovery would mean death. For that reason Li Sung had taken the utmost pains to transform him, and, thanks to the fact that on this occasion he was at home, and surrounded with all that was necessary for the purpose, he had contrived to provide a disguise which could not have been improved upon. Indeed, as he stood there in the cabin, Tyler was a Chinaman from his bald pate, with its dangling pigtail, to his thick-soled shoes. Nothing had been passed over, and so clever and painstaking had been Li Sung that the eyes seemed to be precisely the same as those possessed by the normal Chinaman. In short, as the interview upon the poop had proved, no one could recognize in the taller of the two Chinaman the young officer who had but just come to the ship; while even the leader of the pirates at Paddi would have passed him by without a suspicion that this humble individual, who seemed to find it necessary to kow-tow to every person of note or of the smallest consequence, was the Englishman for whom he sought, and whom he had last encountered in the guise of a Dyak chief.

"Your acting is superb," Captain Keppel was at length able to blurt out, "and I must really congratulate you, Mr. Richardson, upon the excellence of your appearance. But tell me how you propose to proceed? Surely, if you go up the river as you are, they will think that you are a man of some wealth and will pounce upon you, for your clothes are better than those worn, as a rule, by the Chinamen here."

"They are put on simply for the purpose of coming here, sir," replied Tyler earnestly. "If one of the country which I am supposed to represent had occasion to come to you, he would certainly don his best clothing for the purpose. But I shall take others with me, and once up the river I have but to strip off these outer garments and I become in a moment a coolie, one of the men who is to be come across in every part, at work upon the forest-trees, preparing a clearing in which to cultivate rice. The pirates do not molest them as a rule, though the Chinaman's fear of the former makes him keep at a distance from them generally. As to the river, sir, I shall act as circumstances demand, but my idea is to row boldly up to Rembas or to Pakoo and make friends with the pirates, with the idea of escaping later on."

"It sounds terribly risky, my lad," exclaimed Captain Keppel, as though a feeling of remorse had suddenly come to him for having selected this young officer for such a task. "Do you think that it will be necessary to actually throw in your lot with these men?"

"But, no – I will not interfere in any manner," he cried, after a moment's thought, interrupting Tyler before he could give an answer to the question. "I will leave the carrying out of the duty entirely to you, well knowing that you will not be impetuous, and that you have had an experience already which will be invaluable. You shall leave this ship when our chat is ended, and shall make your way to the Sarebus when and how you like. On your return to the Dido I shall have something to say, and let me remind you now that we have appointed the island at the mouth of the river as a rendezvous, and that we shall sail there shortly after you have left us. Till we meet – the very best of fortune, my dear lad! As to getting there, I may say that the men who are looking after the prahus which you brought from the Sarebus will at once hand any of the vessels over when you show them this order."

Stepping to a bureau, which was fastened to one wall of the cabin, the commander of the Dido scrawled a few hurried lines, and then handed the note to Tyler. A second later the latter was kow-towing himself from the presence of the two officers, his fingers aching with the hearty shake and grip which each had given him.

"A remarkably fine young fellow, and with wits!" exclaimed the captain. "He is an acquisition, Horton, and is as smart an officer as I ever came across."

"And he is not spoilt by success, as so many would be, sir," burst in the lieutenant "He is always in earnest, it seems to me, unless skylarking with lads of his own age, and he is clever. Look at the way he acted. Why, even a moment ago he did not allow himself to forget his rôle, and I'll be bound that the marine on sentry-go outside has not the faintest idea who it was he passed on to the deck."

That this was the case was abundantly evident, and had the door only remained open, those within the cabin would have quickly learnt the fact; for no sooner had the door closed than the sentry, an ill-conditioned fellow with a particular dislike to foreigners, grasped the Chinaman by the shoulders and hustled him on to the deck without ceremony. Then with a scowl and a "Git on with yer!" he went back to his beat, little thinking that his act was one likely to entail serious consequences later on.

But Tyler did not allow his temper to be ruffled, and, hastening along the deck, soon joined Li Sung. A moment or two later they were passing down the gangway, and very soon the two officers, watching from the gun-port in the cabin right aft, saw a tiny sampan swing out into the stream and pull for the prahus which lay moored some little distance away. A strong pull and it disappeared from sight, leaving the watchers to wonder when they would see Tyler Richardson again, and what would be his tale when he rejoined them.

CHAPTER XV
Off to the River Sarebus

Armed with the note with which the captain of the Dido had had the forethought to provide him, Tyler made direct for the prahus which had been such a short while before in the possession of the men at Paddi, and, still acting the rôle of a humble Chinee, clambered to the deck of one upon which he caught sight of some British sailors.

"From de captain," he said quietly. "Him say dat Fo Sing ask for one of de boats and takee him away a little."

Tearing the letter open, the man to whom he had handed it read the contents with a puzzled expression, for he was no great scholar.

"Deliver to the bearer, Fo Sing, any of the prahus which he may ask for, and do not question him," ran the lines.

"Well, it's a rum order, and I can't say as I see what it's for," grumbled the tar, "but it's there, in the skipper's hand, and so it'll have to be. Which'll yer have, Johnnie? There's a number of sail here, and yer are to pick and choose. Jest look round and think a bit."

But Tyler had no need to think, for already he had selected the one which he considered most suitable. And, therefore, he at once motioned to the small prahu with which the head of the schooner had been warped round when she lay at her moorings before the pirates' stockade, and indicated that that was the one which he would select.

"Then you ain't greedy," was the answer, "and since the order's plain, you'd better skip with the craft as soon as yer can, else perhaps the skipper'll change his mind."

This difficulty settled, Tyler with his companion, Li Sung, were not long in transferring themselves to the prahu, and at once, making their sampan fast to her stern, they manned two of the sweeps, and rowed the craft away to the creek from which they had originally set out.

"De China boy dere tink dat we buy him, and so not talk velly much," said Li Sung as they arrived in the tiny harbour. "Be sure dat dey see us comee here, and dey wonder why and who you am. But I tellee dem dat you a friend from de coast, and that satisfy dem. I say dat we go on a trading voyage, and end at Singapore, so dat allee right, for dey know dat poor Li wish to go dere. We must be plenty careful, massa, for dere am bad men everywhere, and here am some who lovee de Dutchman and his pirates."

"Then we will be very cautious," agreed Tyler, "and as I should be certainly questioned if I were to come ashore, I shall remain here till you have been able to do all that I have asked. Food we must have, and for that purpose you will row back to the Dido when the night comes, and will take off a supply which will be prepared for you. Then there will be weapons to be fetched also, and another boat is necessary, for to enter the river with this would be madness. We shall want one of the river-boats, which are without decks and which are propelled by means of paddles. Here is money, and you must see what can be done in the matter. Return as soon as the sun falls, and then we will row out to the ship."

Having moored the prahu to a buoy in the centre of the creek, Tyler lay down upon the floor and set himself to think, while Li Sung went ashore in the sampan to carry out his master's wishes. As for the latter, he had already thought the matter over, and realizing at length that no amount of cogitation would help him, for who could say what difficulties would confront him, he settled himself comfortably and very soon fell asleep, overcome by the closeness of the atmosphere. When he awoke it was near the hour of sunset, and happening to peep over the rail he saw a figure approaching him in a small river-boat which would accommodate two or three men, and could be easily managed by them.

"Good!" he said to himself; "he has managed that part of the matter, and with that craft we ought to be easily able to ascend the river, particularly when the tide makes in. Now for the food and other things."

Two hours later, when the sun had long disappeared and darkness covered the water, the prahu cast loose from her moorings, and was rowed from the creek with the river-boat in tow. Then, once in open water, her sail was hoisted and her head turned down the stream which led from Sarawak to the open sea.

"There will be a moon by the time we arrive at the mouth," said Tyler as they swept along, "and we shall be able to set a course by its aid. After that we can take it turn and turn about to steer and keep a watch. How long will it take us to get to the Sarebus, Li?"

"P'r'aps two day, p'r'aps less, massa. Me no tellee now. Allee according to de wind. Plenty same now, and if him hold, then we make de Sarebus velly soon. But better keep de silence, for dere am ships in de river, and p'r'aps de Dido hail for us to stop."

Following this piece of good advice, for in those days none were allowed to arrive in the river or depart from Sarawak without being challenged, Tyler, who was at the helm, directed the prahu for the centre of the stream, and kept her there till well at the mouth. Once someone sent a hail in their direction, but it was instantly suppressed, perhaps by the orders of those on board the Dido, who knew that their messenger must be leaving about that hour. After that all was silence and darkness till a gentle swell told them that they were at sea.

"And here is the moon," exclaimed Tyler in tones of satisfaction. "We've a long sail before us, and so I propose that we at once settle the watches. You turn in, Li, while I take her on for three hours. Then you can take the helm. When day comes we'll pull into some creek, and lie up till night returns. Now, off you go!"

With a nod he sent the Chinaman to the bows, where he at once lay down, and, accustomed to a hard bed and to his surroundings, promptly fell asleep. As for Tyler, he stood upright there beside the helm, wondering what was in store for him, and whether this expedition was destined to result in similar success to that which had favoured the previous one, or whether dire disaster was about to come upon himself and his companion.

"In any case I shall do my best, and can a fellow do more?" he said. "If possible, I shall remain hidden from the pirates, and return without having given them a suspicion that they have been spied upon. But if that is out of the question, I shall go to Rembas or to Pakoo, and trust to luck. To hand myself over to the men at Paddi would be madness, for the Dutchman suspects everyone, and would soon get to the bottom of my disguise. Well, it's no use wondering, so I'll just jog along and be thankful that the night is fine."

For three hours did Tyler maintain his position at the helm, steering a course parallel with the coast, which he was able to distinguish dimly on his right. Then, judging that he had done his turn of duty, he made the tiller fast and went to awake the Chinaman.

"Your watch," he said, as he shook him. "It's a fine night, with a moon and stars, so you will have no difficulty in keeping the course. Wake me if anything disturbs you."

Leaving the prahu in the hands of Li Sung, Tyler lay down in the bows and soon fell asleep, for by now he was hardened to an outdoor life, and had become so used to lying down to rest in a different and a strange place on every occasion, that nothing disturbed him or robbed him of his sleep; indeed, not even the prospect of the expedition before him could keep him awake, while the thought of danger and of difficulty produced no anxiety in his mind.

"I must just do my best, and after all this is a duty for which I have been selected," he said to himself, as he curled his limbs on the floor of the prahu. "If all goes well, then it will be a fine thing, and no doubt the commander of the Dido will be pleased. If we are captured or get into trouble it will be by mischance, and I shall probably not be alive to mind. In any case I cannot alter the future by worrying now, so I'll get a good long sleep so as to be fresh for to-morrow."

With this resolution made, he closed his eyes, and, lulled by the sough of the wind as it bellied the great sail overhead, and by the hiss and swish of water alongside, he quickly lost consciousness, and did not awake till day was dawning.

"Time to open de eyes," said Li Sung as he gently shook his young master. "Velly soon we able to see far, and by den dese two China boys better be hidden away out of de sight."

"And the sooner we are in safe quarters the better," exclaimed Tyler, springing to his feet and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Over with the helm, and let us run in to the land. With a wooded coast before us we shall have no difficulty in finding a likely spot, and then we two – a couple of friendly China boys, as you say – will hide up for the day, and make ready to satisfy our appetites. Ah, the darkness is lifting rapidly, and there is the coast!"

As he spoke he lifted his hand and pointed to a high-lying stretch of land, a strip of the north-western coast of Borneo, which had just come into view.

"Good!" he exclaimed, noticing that it was thickly wooded down to the water's edge. "There will be ample cover there, and as it is just commencing to rain we are not likely to be seen by anyone. Give the tiller over to me, Li Sung, and go forward. If you post yourself in the bows you will be able to keep a look-out for shoals and rocks, and can shout a warning to me. Just pull in that sheet as you go, and we shall sail all the quicker."

Grasping the helm, Tyler set the prahu in the direction of the coast, the Chinaman pulling in the sail till it stretched taut across the mast and allowed them to sail their craft close-hauled. Then, obedient to the order of his young master, he went forward into the bows, where, reclining at full length, he fastened his pigtail in a knot at the back of his head to keep it from trailing in the water, and then bent his gaze on the surface before him.

"If massa puts de helm a little up we strikee straight for a small place between de trees," he said when they had sailed for some ten minutes through the driving rain. "Li see a creek dere, and he say dat if we sail de prahu right in, den we hidden, and no one see us, for dey all in deir huts just now."

Following the direction indicated by his companion, Tyler pointed the prahu for the opening, which was dimly visible, and soon had the satisfaction of arriving within a few lengths of a rift between the trees, through which a clear stream of water was issuing.

"A tiny river," he said to himself, "and just the place for us, for it will give us shelter, and at the same time will allow us to get our drinking-supply without leaving the vessel. Lower away that sail, Li, for the way on her will carry us in; and stand ready to make fast to a tree. I shall run her in till well out of sight of any who may happen to be cruising along the coast, though we must not go too far, and above all we must find out that there are no natives near at hand. Remember that secrecy is a thing which we have to think of, and our lives may very well depend upon how we observe it."

"Li him knowee dat well, massa," was the answer, the Chinaman nodding his head at Tyler in a manner which seemed to say that he was a cunning fellow. "China boy not wishee to have de head cuttee off. He likee him life, and him can be velly silent when him want. But mind de rock on de side of de opening, for it am big, and de water rises about it."

He pointed swiftly to a spot beside the exit of the river, where the stream frothed and bubbled against some unseen object and was heaped high in the air. But the caution was unneeded, for Tyler had already guessed the cause, and had seen the commotion in that direction, and, moving his tiller just a trifle, guided the prahu safely past the shoal. A minute later they were running up-stream, with a high bank on either side of them and a canopy of leaves and branches overhead. Selecting a likely-looking tree, our hero steered for it, and, seeing that the banks were soft and moss-grown, ran the bows into the mud close alongside. In an instant Li Sung was overboard, rope in hand, and within a very short space of time the prahu was tugging gently at her mooring as the stream made efforts to bear her down to the sea.

"And now for a look round, and then for something to eat," cried Tyler, beginning to search in the lockers in which their provisions had been stored. "Boiled rice for the Chinaman and his friend, and a little besides. Cut away, Li, and take a look about you. When you return, the water will be hot, and you can complete the cooking."

At once the faithful fellow dived into the jungle which grew close up to the edge of the river, leaving Tyler to make the preparations necessary for a meal. Nor was the latter long in setting about the matter, for his long sail had given him an appetite. Dragging out a kettle, which he filled by dipping it in the stream, he placed it upon an oil-lamp which he had had the forethought to bring with him, and then hunted for the rice, which was the staple food of the Chinaman who accompanied him. A frying-pan soon made its appearance, together with a second stove, and by the time Li Sung returned to the prahu a couple of rashers of bacon were frizzling over the flame, while the kettle was singing merrily.

"De forest am alone, massa," said Li, as he sprang from the bank on to the craft. "Dere no one near, and we can live and sleep here velly fine. Ah, de water am boiling, and Li put de rice in! It am a good ting to eat in de morning."

Thanks to the leafy covering which wrapped them in, Tyler and his companion passed a peaceful day, which was undisturbed by the rain which continued to fall in torrents. Nor did anyone come to upset them. As soon as evening arrived, and they had eaten another meal, they prepared to set out once more, and at once began to hoist the sail.

"Not start yet awhile," said Li Sung, casting his eyes towards the entrance. "It still am light enough to see out dere, and p'r'aps dere am a ship passing. Wait, and soon we go. Li just run on shore again for a little bittee, and come back wid de coats which keep de rain away."

Without further explanation he leapt to the bank and went into the jungle, where Tyler could hear him breaking branches down. Ten minutes later, as the sun disappeared and darkness began to fall, he leapt once more upon the prahu and presented his master with a mat composed of leaves and reeds which had been roughly secured together.

"Dere," he said in accents of pleasure, "dat light, and stay on de shoulder easy, while it keep de rain away. Massa try him, please."

Motioning to Tyler that he was to put his head through the hole which had been left in the centre, Li spread a mat over his own shoulders, the tail of the leaves falling well over the arms and body, but lying so loosely and lightly that the limbs could be freely moved. And thus equipped with a protection against the rain commonly used by the Dyaks, and known as a kajan, they cast off the mooring, and having hoisted the sail, stood boldly for the sea. Then, turning up the coast, they held on their course without interruption till the following morning found them standing in to the mouth of the river Sarebus.

"And now we must be doubly cautious," said Tyler, as they ran the prahu into an out-of-the-way nook and lowered the sail. "No doubt pirates are about in all directions, and they will be familiar with those who live in the neighbourhood. For that reason they would want to inspect strangers if they happened to see them, and though we look innocent enough, and have a good tale to tell, yet the fact that I do not speak Chinese or the Dyak tongue is so much against me that I should always stand the great risk of being discovered; and if that happened – "

"De pirate choppee de head," exclaimed Li. "Massa no need to tell him servant dat. But we havee velly fine tale to tellee de men of Rembas and of Pakoo, though Li not tink it safe for massa to go to Paddi, where de Dutchman am. We only poor China boys, who not likee de British and deir ships, and who am wanting money. We hear dat de white people come velly soon to fight de pirate, and we come ever so fast to tell him. We say we will fightee for dem, and when dey not lookin' we run away and come back to our friends. Oh yes! Li him see velly clear, and he say dat allee be well. But we must be plenty careful. What does de massa wish to do?"

"Sit down there and listen. I will tell you in a few words, for we are at our destination now, and we must not delay. My proposal is that we make the prahu very fast, so that we may be sure that she will be here on our return. Then we will take to the river-boat and the paddles, and will row into the river, getting as far up-stream as possible before the day dawns. It is already much lighter, though I think that we can count upon a good hour longer. By that time, with the tide to help us, we should be some distance up, and shall, perhaps, have gained a position from which we can set a watch upon our enemies. After that all depends upon the pirates and upon circumstances. Come, bustle up, Li! Get out a gun for each of us, leaving the spare ones here, for we could not manage to carry them. Then we will take a bag of ammunition beneath our coats, for we may suddenly find that we require a large amount, and, of course, we must not forget food. There is a lot of cooked and preserved stuff which will suit very well, and for water we can rely upon the river. There, look lively while I see to the vessel."