narrow defile filled with loose boulders that could easily be detached
and sent thundering down on an assailant's head. On the other hand,
our shortness of food and water made us singularly weak in case of
siege. But we hoped for the best. Two men were posted at each defile,
and as nothing was heard for an hour, most of us fell asleep.

IV

It was just dawn, when we were awakened by the report of two muskets
and the terrific crashing of a great boulder, followed by groans
and yells. With one accord we rushed to the head of the canon.
The Illanums, naked, with the exception of party-colored sarongs
around their waists, with their bucklers on their left arms and
their gleaming knives strapped to their right wrists, were mounting
on each other's shoulders, forcing a way up the precipitous defile,
unmindful of the madly descending rocks that had crushed and maimed
more than one of their number. They were fine, powerful fellows, with
a reddish brown skin that shone like polished ebony. Their hair was
shorn close to their heads; they had high cheek bones, flat noses,
syrah-stained lips, and bloodshot eyes. In their movements they were
as lithe and supple as a tiger, and commanded our admiration while
they made us shudder. We knew that they neither give nor take quarter,
and for years had terrorized the entire Bornean coast.

We were ready to fire, but a gesture from the captain restrained us;
our ammunition was low, and he wished to save it until we actually
needed it. By our united efforts we pried off two of the volcanic
rocks, which, with a great leap, disappeared into the darkness below,
oftentimes appearing for an instant before rushing to the sea. Every
time an Illanum fell we gave a hearty American cheer, which was
answered by savage yells. Still they fought on and up, making little
headway. We were gradually relaxing our efforts, thinking that they
were sick of the affair, when the report of a musket from the opposite
side of the island called our attention to the bo's'n, who had been
detailed to guard the other defile.

The bo's'n and one native soldier were fighting hand to hand with a
dozen pirates who were forcing their way up the edge of the cliff. Half
of the men dashed to their relief just in time to see the soldier go
over the precipice locked in the arms of a giant Illanum. One volley
from our muskets settled the hopes of the invaders.

Our little party was divided, and we were outnumbered ten to o