Page:Ran away from the Dutch; or, Borneo from south to north (IA cu31924023893609).pdf/38

 Everything was in the usual order. The song and the drumming proceeded from the first canoe. Immediately behind followed another boat containing the coffin. In order to be prepared for any emergency the Colonel called the guards and stationed them on the bastion, where he joined them. He also directed a non-commissioned officer to reconnoitre the approaching canoes and to be doubly watchful. His hail, "Who goes there?" was responded to and his order to land was immediately obeyed. He searched the first canoe, joked with the priestesses, but failed to discover anything suspicious. Neither did he see anything unusual on the second boat. A faint odor peculiar to the victims of cholera induced him to shorten the investigation. The canoes left the pier and soon the fort was well behind them. The Colonel followed them with his eyes for a long time and became lost in meditation when suddenly a head was seen to protrudè from beneath the roof of the second boat and a voice was heard exclaiming:

"Enfoncés les Hollandais-les têtes de fromage!

The Colonel instantly perceived how matters stood-the fugitives were hidden in the funeral cortege. He cried aloud to the oarsmen:

"Stop! Come back! Turn immediately!"

Again was heard the opprobrious epithet; this time followed. by a rifle shot which wounded a Javan soldier. The Colonel ordered the four-inch gun to be turned toward the canoes, placed it himself at the proper elevation and fired; but the night hung dark and no sure aim could be taken. The shot struck the water in the rear of the second canoe, bounded over it, passed through