CHAPTER XIII
The Rajah of Sarawak
Standing down-stream under a cloud of canvas the fleet of prahus, withthe English schooner escorting, made an imposing sight, and Tyler couldnot but feel proud as he looked on at the scene; for it was wonderful tothink that he and the humble Dyaks should have met with such success,and that the termination of their journey should have found them betteroff by far than they were at the commencement.
"Why, these prahus alone will be enough to set the tribe up once wehave arrived," mused Tyler, "and no doubt we shall be able to sell themwith ease. Then, again, the fact that the Sarebus pirates have met witha reverse at our hands will ensure a welcome for the Dyaks. But I mustnot 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 befeared? This river seems to be infested with pirates, and it will notsurprise me to hear that there are others."
"Den you will see dat dat is so, massa. De Rembas men live some milesbelow, and dey velly fierce, velly bad. But dey not always friends widde men of Paddi and de oders whom we havee beaten. Perhaps dey notinterfere, and if dey do, well, massa, sail de schooner down upon demand dey sink, dey goee to de bottom."
The news that more enemies might yet have to be encountered scarcelycaused our hero any uneasiness, for he had come to understand thatthe prahus manned by the pirates were no match for an English ship,unless, indeed, the latter were becalmed, or in some way unable to offerresistance. 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 drawclose together, and lay-to for a time, he sent a message to each one ofthe prahus that they were to keep behind the schooner, and that on noaccount 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 aship's length ahead of the fleet, and ere long arrived off the tributaryupon which the Rembas pirates had their lair. But there was no sign ofthe latter, and, indeed, not a boat crossed the water till the coast wasat hand and they were making through the wide mouth of the river.
"A fleet making in," said John Marshall in Tyler's ear, suddenlypointing 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 looksof them they are pirates."
"And we have much the same appearance," said Tyler calmly. "We will keepon without an attempt to alter our course, and perhaps they will take usfor their friends. One moment and I will get rid of this colour from myface, and will hunt out a coat. Then I can take the helm and pretend tobe 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 inwater. Five minutes later he returned to the deck with a less duskycomplexion, and with the coat about his shoulders.
"Now for the helm," he said, noticing that the fleet was now close athand, and that the pirates would pass within hailing distance. "It seemsto me that they will not even question us, for they will know that themen of Paddi have recently captured an English schooner, and will thinknothing of the fact that the latter is leading the prahus to sea. ButI do hope that our fellows will not allow their excitement to get thebetter of them, and shout and jeer at these strangers."
By now the gathering of prahus, which had been sighted entering themouth of the river Sarebus, was close at hand, steering a course whichwould take it close beside the fleet under Tyler's command. But it wasevident that the leader, whatever his feelings with regard to the men ofPaddi, had no suspicions of the new-comers, for he had posted himselfin the bows of his own particular command, and as he swept past theschooner he leapt upon the rail and shouted a greeting, to which Tylerresponded by waving his arm. Then all the dusky pirates from Rembas, agang as celebrated in those seas for their bloodthirstiness and acts ofviolence as were the men of Paddi, lined the bulwarks and sent theircheers across the narrow space which intervened as the two fleets sailedby one another. Quick to grasp the fact that they were undiscovered, theDyaks replied with loud cries and much waving of the arms, and then, erethere was time for any more, or for the exchange of words, the prahushad separated and were swiftly running away from one another.
"And now there is nothing but the open sea and a grand passage betweenus and friends," exclaimed Tyler, with every sign of satisfaction, "and,that being the case, I am reminded that we have eaten nothing for manyhours. Li Sung, just get below and see what is to be found. We willdivide the provisions, and send their share to the men and women on theother prahus. And now I can devote a little time to the captives whom werescued."
Six hours later, having coasted along within easy distance of the lineof surf which beat without cessation upon the land of Borneo, the fleetbore up to the left, and entered the river which led to the town ofSarawak, and ere very long had sighted the collection of buildings whichwent by that name.
"And there's two ships of some sort," cried John Marshall as he stood byhis leader's side, suddenly pointing to a creek close beside the houses."They're English too, and what's more, they're sending their boatsaway. It looks as though they were coming in this direction."
ELUDING THE PIRATES]
"That is certainly the case," replied Tyler, at once catching sight ofthe vessels to which the sailor had alluded, and noticing that each hadlowered three boats, which were being rowed towards the incoming fleet."I suppose that they are coming to give us a welcome, or perhaps to seewho 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 werejest like pirates, and if that hadn't been the case, them men of Rembaswould soon have been at our throats. Well, don't yer see? These fellershere, 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 ofprahus and the six open boats approached one another the latter wereseen to be manned by men in naval dress, while in the bows of each aswivel-gun was carried. Indeed, as if to show the strangers that theirarrival at Sarawak would be contested, a spout of flame and smoke shotout from one of the guns at that moment, and a ball came hurtling acrossthe forefoot of the schooner. A second followed swiftly, ricochettingacross the water, and then hulling the vessel, striking with a thudwhich could be heard far away.
"And now come the bullets," said Tyler with a smile, as the patterof musketry broke the silence, and the water was splashed beside theschooner. "But the mistake has gone far enough, and we must let them seetheir error. Stand aside, John, and just tell Li Sung to warn the othersto get under cover. I will go forward and shout to them."
Running into the bows, he sprang upon the rail there, and with one handholding the rigging so as to retain his position, waved a piece ofsail-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 yourprotection."
His words carried easily across the water, and almost at once an officerwas seen to rise to his feet.
"Cease fire!" they heard him shout. "Now, surround that schooner, as sheseems to be the leader, and train your guns upon her. You can lie offso as to be out of range of their spears, but do not be so far away asto make a rush impossible. I will go closer in, and see who it is thatcalled to us."
Careless of the fact that he might have been running into a trap, theofficer gave an order for the boat to be pulled closer in, and thenstood in the bows awaiting the moment when he would be able to go aboardthe stranger. As for Tyler, with a shout to attract John Marshall'sattention, and a wave of his arm, he had caused the latter to throw theschooner into the wind, a movement which was at once imitated by thosein command of the other vessels. Then in his quaint costume, consistingof an old coat which had been made for a man of a smaller size thanhimself, and with the remains of his old disguise
about him, he stood atthe 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 wecould not help but take for pirates? Why, you're a youngster, surely,and an Englishman!"
"Tyler Richardson by name," responded our hero, stepping forward withhis 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," criedthe one who had boarded the schooner, in astonished tones. "TylerRichardson! Why, that is the name of the young fellow who was to come tous, the lad who rescued two naval officers from the hold of a ship whichlay 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 Chinaseas, I obtained permission to accompany a gentleman who was comingto Borneo to explore certain parts of the island. A Dutchman, who hadshipped with us as interpreter, and who turned out to be one of twoleaders of the pirates of Sarebus, murdered my friend, and then helpedhis followers to capture our ship. Our boatswain, John Marshall, whostands beside you, actually saw the ruffian fire the shot which killedMr. Beverley. Then he came to my aid, and together we were able toregain possession of the schooner by means of a trick."
"And this is the same vessel, I presume?" interrupted the officer, whoseface showed his amazement.
"No, sir, this is another," replied Tyler quietly. "This fellow of whomI speak, the Dutchman--"
"I beg your pardon, but what is his name, and where did he and hisscoundrels hail from?" suddenly asked the officer, interrupting for thesecond time.
"He commanded the men of Sarebus, and was helped by a countryman of thename of Christian van Sonerell."
"Then we know of them, and a precious couple they are too! But we shallcatch them some day, and then they will have much to answer for. Butplease 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 Sarawakand the _Dido_. Shake hands."
He grasped Tyler warmly by the fingers, and then turned to greet JohnMarshall in the same manner.
"Very glad to welcome you," he added. "You will be an addition to ourcompany, and will find many friends. Now for these Dutchmen, please, andfor news of their whereabouts."
"The murderer, Hans Schlott, is within his stronghold at Paddi, where weleft 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 staringat our hero as he detailed what had happened to himself and to JohnMarshall.
"And so you and the boatswain managed to get clear away from thisrascal, and have arrived here with a whole tribe of Dyaks," he said atlast, when Tyler had ended. "Well, I can scarcely credit the story atpresent, though please do not imagine for a moment that I doubt yourword. But you must understand that the whole thing is so out of thecommon, the adventure so strange and perplexing, that I am unable tograsp its details at present. How you and this lad here managed to beatthe Dutchman so often is beyond me, and your audacity in making forPaddi takes my breath away. Why, sir, I can tell you that the Rajah ofSarawak hesitates to attack the stronghold for fear of being beatenback, 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 bebound to hunt out this rascal who murdered your friend Mr. Beverley. Butwe have been speaking for long, and my men will be firing into you ifwe are not careful, imagining that you have laid your hands on me. Onemoment and I will explain matters to them."
Leaving Tyler and the boatswain for a few moments, he went to the railand 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 suddenlyappeared opposite Sarawak were friends, and were not pirates, as had atfirst appeared to be the case.
"And now, Mr. Richardson, I think that you should report your arrivalfirst to Captain Keppel and then to the Rajah of Sarawak, Mr. Brooke, ofwhom you have heard," he continued, approaching Tyler with a friendlysmile. "If you will leave the tribe to me I will see that they arehoused and fed, while my men will board the prahus and take them totheir moorings. As for your comrade, he had better go with you, andafterwards perhaps some post will be found for him, for we mustremember that he does not belong to the royal navy, but to the merchantservice."
"Then we had better look out some clothes, sir," said Tyler contrastinghis 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 shallbe able to make ourselves respectable."
"By all means, Mr. Richardson," was the hearty answer, "and while youare below I will undertake to have the little girl and her nurse takenashore. It was a gallant act to rescue them, and you will have thethanks of your captain for it. But there, I see that you do not like tohave overmuch praise, so go below. I shall be here when you return, soas to give you an introduction."
Saluting him again, Tyler turned about, and, accompanied by JohnMarshall, slipped down to the cabin of the schooner. And here, thanksto the fact that the pirates had put off stripping their prize till themorning after their arrival at Paddi, the two were able to discover anabundance of clothing, and soon made their appearance on deck dressed inthin suits of blue.
"An excellent change," said the officer with a smile, as they went up tohim. "It was no wonder that I took you for dangerous individuals whenyou arrived, for your disguises made you look more than fierce. But nowyou are like the rest of us, and are fully prepared for an interviewwith those who lead us. You can hop into the boat at once and come withme, and by the way, Mr. Richardson, my name is Horton, Lieutenant WilmotHorton of the _Dido."_
Responding promptly to the invitation to enter the boat which awaitedthem, Tyler and the companion who had stood beside him through theirlong and adventurous journey clambered down the rope-ladder whichdangled over the side, and having been instantly followed by thelieutenant, were soon on their way to the largest of the two vesselsmoored off the town of Sarawak.
"Follow me," said the officer, taking Tyler by the sleeve as theyreached the deck. "You can go forward till we send for you, my lad," headded, turning to John Marshall. "Now, Mr. Richardson, our captain is onthe poop, and we will go to him. Please remember to touch your hat asyou mount the companion ladder, and again as you stand before him."
Hearty indeed was the welcome which was given to our hero when it wasknown who he was. From the commander of the _Dido_ downwards all viedwith one another in showing him how glad they were to see him.
"Of course I know that you are somewhat over the ordinary age," saidCaptain Keppel, as he chatted with him in his cabin; "but then you havewon a commission by bravery, and that is sufficient to recommend you andto make the Lords of the Admiralty overlook your years. Not that you areso very old, my lad," he added with a smile. "Then you have come to uswith a tale which will procure much commendation, for you have actuallybeen in the lair which these pirates inhabit, and will be able to guideus there and tell us of their doings.
"But I must not keep you longer, for it is necessary that you should goto Mr. Brooke, who is now the Rajah of the province of Sarawak, and tellhim what has occurred. You will oblige me by taking this young officerashore, Mr. Horton, and introducing him to the rajah. Send the man whoaccompanied him to me, so that I may listen to the story and hear everydetail."
Both at once turned about, touching their caps as they did so, andrepeating the action as they descended from the poop. Then theyre-entered the boat which lay alongside, and were pulled to thelanding-stage which had been erected close to the rajah's residence.
"Not at home just now," said the lieutenant, after he had made enquiriesof a Dyak lad who stood at the door. "Then we will wait, and as therajah keeps open ho
use, and gives the officers an invitation to enterwhether 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 theway, my lad, I suppose you know all about Mr. Brooke and his doings?"
"Very little, I am afraid," answered Tyler. "Of course Mr. Beverley toldme that he was here, and that he had come to better the condition of thenatives. 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 manyrespects, and who has gained the esteem and affection of every one ofus, from our commander downwards. Let me see; yes, I will commenceby telling you that one time he belonged to our sister service, thearmy, and saw a considerable amount of fighting in India and Burmah,distinguishing himself in the latter country, where he led the assaultupon a stockade, and was shot through the chest. That wound sent himhome, and it is by the merest good luck, and thanks also to the factthat he had an excellent constitution, that our friend lived to cometo Sarawak; for he was badly hurt, and hovered between life and deathfor many a month. However, recover he did at last, when he set aboutfinding 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 thoseof his fellow-beings who were worse off than himself. And that bringsme to a point which I have not mentioned. This wounded soldier was athinker, and is, too, at this moment. He did not waste his time infrivolity, in games and pastimes, as do so many in both services. Buthe devoted much of his life to work, and to investigating the conditionof men in various parts of the world. Thanks to that fact, and also tothe opportunity which a trading venture had given him, he became awareof the misery existing in this island of Borneo, and from that momenthe was bent upon relieving the condition of the people. Now you willadmit that there are few who would have set about such a matter, forwhen you come to consider the facts you will see that Borneo is, inthe first place, an island of large extent, while this portion, calledBorneo Proper, is perhaps as large as England herself. Then, again, therajah knew well that pirates abounded, and that if he escaped attackfrom them he was likely at any moment to have the Dyaks seeking for hislife, for some of the tribes are very ferocious. Still, whatever theirnature, there was no doubt that life was but a misery to the majority ofthe people, that they were constantly robbed, killed, or hurried intoslavery by the pirates, and that that condition of affairs had existedfor 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?' andI will at once admit that, to anyone faced with the same question andthe same difficulty, an answer would be hard to find. How could oneman, without the aid of his Government, without soldiers or sailorsto help him, hope to set foot in the island, and control the deedsof thousands of human beings, men who knew nothing of his aims andobjects, and cared less? Why, even those for whose relief he aimed weretoo absorbed in their misery, too used to their lives, to think thatchange was possible, and when he first came, some of them were amongsthis bitterest enemies, for they could not understand that one man, andhe a foreigner, could take such interest in a race of natives who werestrangers to him.
"Thus you will see from what I have said that from the very first theprospect of success was not too bright, while the method by which reformcould be brought about was so obscure and difficult to arrive at that aman endowed with similar courage and persistence might well have giventhe task up in despair, feeling that to make a commencement on the workwas well-nigh impossible. Not so our friend the Rajah of Sarawak. Hisheart was set upon the undertaking, and he allowed nothing to stand inhis way. When I tell you that he had absolutely nothing to gain, thathis mission was not one for the purpose of profit-making, and that heran the risk of losing anything that he already possessed, I think thatyou too will be filled with admiration.
"As an example of his dogged perseverance, he did not rush at thisenterprise with the impetuosity of a young man, only to give up the ideaat the first rebuff, or when real difficulties commenced to stare him inthe face. But he set himself, first of all, to train a crew of men uponwhom he could rely, and for that purpose he bought, out of his privatefortune, a schooner, the _Royalist_, which lies alongside the _Dido_ atthis moment. For three years he cruised in her, for the most part in theMediterranean, and during the whole of that time he was busily engagedin hunting up records of the island of Borneo and the surroundings. Atlength, feeling that his preparations were completed, he sailed fromDevonport on December 16th, 1838, having a crew of twenty men, and asupply of arms aboard, including six six-pounder guns. On arrival atSingapore he shipped a few Malay hands to help with the wooding andwatering of the ship, and then shaped a course for Sarawak.
"Now Marudu, which is in the north of the island, had been the partfor which he had intended to sail when leaving England, thinking thatthat port would be the best at which to commence his labours. But newsgathered in Singapore caused him to change his mind, and therefore hecame to Sarawak, anchoring at the very spot where the two vessels arenow moored. Imagine his pleasure when, on landing, he found himselfreceived with every honour by Rajah Muda Hassim, uncle of the Sultan ofBorneo. It was indeed a pleasant surprise, for our friend had expectedanything but a welcome; and had he carried out his first idea, andsailed for Marudu, there is little doubt that a very different receptionwould have awaited him, for that district was ruled over by a notoriouschief who favoured piracy, and in consequence the bay was the rendezvousfor 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 andunscrupulous, he was gentle in manner, while, for a Malay, he waspossessed of honest intentions.
"And now to tell you how Mr. Brooke commenced this work of his, todescribe how the first seeds were sown, the thin end of the wedgeintroduced, and the old miserable order, with its cruelties andoppression, slowly banished. Do not think that change was brought aboutfrom the very first, and that, because a pleasant welcome had greetedhim, his influence was to have weight with the natives simply on accountof the fact that he was an Englishman, and because men of that racewere thought much of in that part of Borneo. The rajah would have donenothing, would have met with failure, had it not been for the fact thatthis native, Muda Hassim, was in difficulties and in need of help, andthat by coming to his aid our friend first of all made him his debtorfor life, while at the same time he showed the natives what a man hewas; that his word was reliable, and that he could fight as well as hecould talk. Yes, that was the secret of his success. From the very firsthe 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 wentamongst the natives. Then, too, he showed an ever-ready disposition toprotect those who lived beneath the sway of this Muda Hassim, and onone occasion, when a fleet of pirates arrived in the river, with theintention of sailing farther up and raiding the Dyaks in the interior,this commander of the _Royalist_ manned his guns and let the marauderssee that they would have to fight an action before they could pass. Forthat 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 thatfor many months matters had been at a stand-still. The rebels wereentrenched in stockades, and an army under this Makota was opposed tothem. But there was no fighting, and instead the combatants watched oneanother listlessly, the besiegers unable to attack, simply because theypossessed no leader who had the courage to direct them, and the rebelsbecause they were too few. Instead, therefore, the first lounged thedays away, while the Dyaks and Malays who were in rebellion sought forfood, of which they were in great need. And all the while the countrywas at a stand-still, there
was no trade, while the wretched people wererapidly becoming destitute.
"It was at this juncture that Mr. Brooke came to the rescue. Havinglooked 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 wereentrenched; for Muda Hassim had besought his aid. In fact, for threeyears the latter had been helpless; and all the while he and the Sultanof Borneo were afraid lest, finding that terms were not to be obtainedfrom 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 tohappen, and the latter be successful, then Sarawak and the neighbourhoodwould come under the sway of the Dutch, for Sambas was controlled bythat nation. Thus, Muda Hassim and the sultan had much to lose, andlonger delay might prove disastrous.
"But our friend was not the man to enter upon a conflict of this naturefor the purpose of gain, and it was only when he became convinced of themisery which existed on account of the rebellion, and of the starvingcondition of the people, that he finally consented to accompany MudaHassim to the army and see what could be done.
"I will not tell you any of the details, Richardson, for they are oflittle interest, but will simply say that the energy of this Englishmansoon 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--somuch so that Mr. Brooke was able to make terms with them and inducethem to surrender. Finally, with the help of his crew he prevented allattempts at massacre, which would have taken place had it not beenfor his watchfulness, and, having obtained hostages, sent the rebelsto their homes. There, that is the first step in the present rajah'spopularity. He showed these natives that he was bold and strong, whileat the same time he gained their confidence, for he would not permit abeaten foe to be ill-treated, and once the war was over he set aboutincreasing the prosperity of the natives, instead of robbing them andmaking them even more miserable than before, as would have been thecase had anyone else been in his place. Indeed, he had many a wordyfight with this man Macota, and with Muda Hassim too, before he gainedsecurity for the defeated rebels, and many a time afterwards, had it notbeen for his energy and his powerful influence, robbery and violencewould 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, tillthe name of Brooke, the great and powerful Englishman, the defender ofthe weak and poor, the friend of all Dyaks and the enemy of all roguesand 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 sultanconferred the title upon him, and handed over the government of Sarawakto our friend and his heirs for ever, the people received him withgladness, and save for a few, such as Macota, and others who had fallenfoul of him, accepted him as their chief with every sign of satisfaction.
"From that moment Rajah Brooke has been busily engaged in touringthrough his district, in issuing laws for the guidance of the people,and in suppressing all attempts at slavery, all head-hunting, and allacts of violence and robbery. So energetic has he been, so powerful hashe become, that all who are bent on the old life fear him more than alittle, while the majority, the Dyaks of the interior, the peacefulMalays, and the hard-working and ever-contented Chinese--all, in fact,who long for a life spent in agriculture, in mining, or in trade--havesettled down wonderfully, placing full reliance in the Englishman and inhis word that, so far as he can prevent it, they shall be undisturbed.
"But reform cannot be brought about in a day, or in a year for thematter of that, and there are still numbers of Dyaks who, instead ofusing all their energies in trade, have constant wars with one another,often with the sole object of obtaining heads. Then, too, the pirateshave always been a severe thorn in the side of our friend, and, indeed,have become so audacious that the _Dido_ has been sent to render helpto the English rajah. And that is the reason why you failed to findher at Singapore, and also for our sailing from China. But you arehere at last, and will be able to tell us much that is valuable, forour commander and the rajah have put their heads together, and havedecided to hunt these pirates out of their nests. Those at Sarebus,or, I ought to say, at Paddi, on the Sarebus river, will come in forparticular attention, for the Dutchmen who commanded them have made themnotorious. In fact, had it not been for their presence I doubt that somany ships of European build would have been set upon, for the Malaysfear a white man more than they do fifty or sixty of the Dyaks. However,these Dutchmen have led them, and have done much harm to the trade withSingapore. For that reason partly, and now because you tell us that onehas committed a deliberate murder, we shall pay attention to Paddi, andbefore very long, I hope, we shall be able to let everyone know that thepirates who live there are no more.
"But come. We will call for some refreshment, and when we have finished,the rajah should make his appearance, for it is already near tonightfall, and it is his custom to return before that hour if possible."
The officer went to a bell and sounded it with a stick which hung besideit. Then, on a Dyak lad presenting himself, he spoke a few words ofEnglish, which, with a few in the native tongue, helped to make hiswants known.
"They are wonderfully sharp, as I dare say you have observed," he saidas he threw himself back in his chair, "and this lad who serves therajah is very quick at gathering one's meaning. But we have still alittle time before us, my lad and if you are not too tired I'd liketo hear more of your story. I have told you what I know of the rajah,and it is only fair that you should let me know how it was that youreached your ship. Come, you sailed from Singapore, hoping to pick upthe _Dido_ in these seas, in which attempt you have been successful.You ran foul of this Dutchman, by name Hanns Schlott--for whom hiscountrymen are looking, so I hear,--and you took to the land. Then youseem to have made friends with a tribe of Dyaks, in what manner I do notknow; and finally you have come to Sarawak with a fleet of prahus whichyou and this small army took from the pirates of Sarebus. That is thebare outline as you gave it to me, but there must be more behind, and Ishould be glad to listen to the tale. Out with it, and do not keep backa single item."
Lieutenant Horton turned upon Tyler with an encouraging smile, and thensat watching him as he told of the adventures which had befallen himselfand John Marshall on their way to Sarawak.
"You will do well, and deserve to have early mention in the despatcheswhich our commander will send to the admiral," said the lieutenantwhen the tale was finished; "and it is easy to see that you and theboatswain have had many an anxious moment. For myself, the conflictwith the mias seems to be the most dangerous, for the natives in theseparts tell stories of how the orang-outang can fight. In any case theyare fierce-looking monsters, and I am sure that there are few who wouldwillingly place themselves in reach of such murderous teeth and arms.Indeed, many in your case would have been content to lie in the jungleand remain hidden, for these Dyaks might well have proved enemies, andfor the sake of their own safety might have handed you over to theDutchman and his pirates. However, all turned out well, and you arehere. But what is that? Ah, the rajah has returned, and here he comes!"
He sprang from his seat to greet a tall gentleman who entered the roomat that moment, and then introduced Tyler.
"A new arrival," he said with a smile. "Come to join the _Dido_, but bythe strangest route possible. Permit me to present Mr. Tyler Richardson,who was granted a commission for bravery in England, where he rescuedtwo naval officers from a grain ship, in the hold of which they had beenovercome by foul gas which had accumulated; and who, on his way to jointhe _Dido_, has crossed many miles of Borneo, arriving here with a tribeof friendly Dyaks, and with an imposing fleet of prahus, captured fromthe redoubtable Dutchman who commands the pirates of Sarebus."
"Journey across Borneo! Sarebus pirates!" cried the new-comer, atall energetic-looking man, with clean-shaven and handsome features."Impossible! But, your pardon! I did not mean that I caught sight ofthe strange vessels lying beside the _Royalist_ and the _Dido_, andknow
ing by that fact that they could not be enemies, I hastened herewith the intention of sending off at once to ascertain where they camefrom. You see," he added with a little smile, "we have to be careful ofall strangers, for a fleet of prahus is apt to be manned by pirates,and should they manage to escape the notice of our ships, and pass ourguns, the poor Dyaks up the river would suffer. But I am interrupting.You spoke of the Dutchman, Horton. What is the meaning of this riddle?Surely you cannot mean that Mr. Richardson has been to Paddi, thathe has been a captive there? A Malay might have that fortune, but anEnglishman is never taken prisoner. He is killed without any mercy."
"And so would our young friend have been," was the prompt reply. "Thefacts are as I briefly stated them, Rajah. This young officer wascompelled to take to the land, and there he fell in with some Dyaks,who feared the pirates. Together they have made for Sarawak, and ontheir way here have contrived to capture or sink every prahu lying atPaddi, while they have brought with them a ship lately taken from thetraders of Singapore, together with a child and her nurse. But there;he has just given me the yarn, and it will not hurt him to repeat it,particularly when he is aware that the facts will be of the utmostimportance."
Thus bidden, Tyler repeated his story, the Rajah of Sarawak listeningcarefully to every word, and interrupting him at times to ask questionsas to the exact position of the stronghold at Paddi, the strength of theenemy, and the precautions taken against attack.
"You have done us a great service," said the latter at length, when hehad obtained all the details, "for you are, with the exception of theserascally Dutchmen, the only white men who have ascended the Sarebusriver. Thanks to you and your comrade, we shall be able to increase ourknowledge of the various bends and reaches, and, with the informationwe already have derived from the natives, shall be able to find ourway to Paddi. But Rembas must be seen to first before we come to thisHanns Schlott. However, the odds shall not deter us, for these piratesmust and shall be exterminated. They are the one great drawback to myscheme, and were it not for them the natives of this part of Borneowould already be settling down to a life of peace and prosperity. As itis, their goods and their lives are never safe, while in the countrycommanded and reached by the tributaries of the Sarebus the conditionof the unfortunate people is similar to that which existed here on myarrival, when the rebellion was in progress. Yes, an expedition shallbe arranged without delay, and with you to guide us, Mr. Richardson,and the men of the _Dido_ and of the _Royalist_ to follow us, we willsweep these pests away and bring happiness and prosperity to the people.But it is already dark and I am detaining you. Please come here againto-morrow, so that I may talk the matter over more fully."
With a hearty shake of the hand he dismissed them, the lieutenant andTyler returning at once to the _Dido_, where the latter found that allwas in readiness for him. Indeed, thanks to the fact that the tale ofhis adventures had buzzed through the ship, his comrades, who were allof about his own age, having already had more than a year's service,greeted him as if he were an old messmate, and carried him away to theirown special sanctum without delay, there to pour questions innumerableupon him, and to beg of him to tell them everything. But they weredestined to be disappointed, for scarcely had Tyler seated himself thana marine arrived at the door with a request that he would dine in thecaptain's cabin, and thither he betook himself without delay. When heretired to his hammock that night, and rolled himself in a blanket, itwas with the knowledge that stirring times were ahead, and that eremany days had elapsed he and his new friends would be on their way toSarebus, there to come hand to hand with the pirates.
With the Dyaks of Borneo: A Tale of the Head Hunters Page 15
