ld rather kill them
ourselves than let them go into the hands of our neighbours. Now that we
are protected by the _orang putei_" (he meant the British Government)
"we and our families live in more peace than before".

As though overcome by painful memories, he became silent and sad. After
a minute he went on in a dull voice, seeming to speak to himself: "Once
upon a time these parts were not so deserted, and populous, prosperous
villages were scattered over the forest. But our tranquillity and
well-being excited the envy of other tribes who wanted to subject us to
them and to make us work like slaves, so they came against us armed, and
pillaged, burnt and destroyed everything belonging to us. We were
dispersed and compelled to live in isolated huts erected in the most
inaccessible places in order not to attract the attention of other men".

He paused again and then added:

"We have nothing to lose now except our freedom which is more precious
to us than life itself, and for this we are ready to fight to the very
last even if our bodies are left on the ground for beasts and birds to
feed upon".

A fierce light kindled the old Sakai's eyes, which boded evil for anyone
who attempted to disturb the quietude of their present rambling life.
And I understood how much stronger these inoffensive people were in
their dispersion than when they were banded together in villages. If
aggressors should attack these solitary huts they would find their
owners prompt to meet the attack with all the ferocity of wild beasts
and even if nobody was saved from the massacre to report the terrible
news in other encampments, alarm would have been given by the sound of
fire-arms and cries. In consequence the other Sakais would immediately
destroy all signs of their habitation, and penetrate farther into the
forest which, for them, has no secret concealed. Towards night they
would creep among the tall grasses until they found the enemy that would
serve us a target for their poisoned arrows. However well their foes
might know the use of gun and revolver, they would be at a disadvantage,
for these weapons reveal the position occupied by those who shoot but
the fatal dart flies out of the darkness leaving the spot from whence it
comes uncertain.

Nothing could be more disastrous in the way of warfare than an attack
with poisoned arrows, in the midst of the forest, during the night. Your
men would fall right and left without having been able to de