hand, ready to
fire if necessary, I presented myself full in front of them. There were
some twenty or thirty fellows; and savage-looking warriors they
appeared, with head-dresses of feathers, and skins of wild animals on
their shoulders, while they held their krisses in their hands ready to
strike. I saw, from their active movements as they sprang up the rocks,
that I should not have the slightest chance with them if we came to
blows, and yet they did not seem like people with whom there was much
chance of keeping on peaceable terms, if one happened to be the weakest
party. I fortunately had a white handkerchief in my pocket; and on the
instant I thought I would try what effect exhibiting a flag of truce
would have. As soon as they saw the rifle, they stopped and held a
consultation, evidently well knowing its powers of mischief. Probably
they supposed that there might be several others behind it ready to pick
them off as they advanced. When, however, they saw me holding out the
handkerchief in my right hand, they suspected that I was not inclined
for war, and their confidence immediately returning, they once more
advanced towards me. I again presented my rifle and they halted. Their
leader suspected that he should have a bullet sent through him, so he
kept back the rest, who, not anticipating such a reception for
themselves, were more induced to push on.

My readers will believe that I had good reason for my apprehensions,
when I describe the fierce group winding up the pathway and scattered
about the more distant rocks before me, where they had climbed when the
front ranks came to a halt. Some I judged by their dress and features
to be Malays; others were evidently Dyaks, or some of the native tribes
of Borneo. The leader was a Malay apparently. He had on his head a
turban of gay-coloured cloth, richly embroidered, twisted round a helmet
of ancient form; his breast was guarded by a coat of plate armour, and
the scabbard of his sword hung to a gold band across his shoulders. On
his back he wore a scarlet coat, while a shawl, also embroidered, was
fastened loosely round his waist, below which again appeared a sort of
kilt, and loose trousers. His sword was ready in one hand and a spear
in the other, so that he promised to be a formidable opponent at close
quarters. But behind him came another, whose appearance was far more
terrific, and whom I guessed was of the Dyak race, probably a chief
among them.

S