These last words were uttered in a subdued tone accompanied by a sob. The thought that his saviour would refuse his friendship visibly affected the child of Nature. For the rest, the Poenan stood there proud and gallant, his nostrils dilated and his head thrown back, while his mandauw was already half unsheathed. Wienersdorf anxiously scanned the surrounding men. La Cueille was absent; Johannes stood with his head bent upon his chest; the Dayaks of kotta Djangkan uttered a murmur of approbation and joined the side of their relatives, the Poenans. Even Dalim and his companions stood motionless. They could not count upon any assistance. A second’s hesitation would suffice to cause a quarrel which could only terminate in the death of the Europeans. Wienersdorf foresaw all this and suddenly seizing the hand of Harimaoung Boekit he raised it to his lips and bowed his head. Johannes now came forward to the flag-staff, produced a small bundle, tied it to a line and hoisted it to the top. The boys ranged themselves in file; the eldest of them stepped forward and uttering a fiendish laugh stabbed the victim under the left breast. All single men would have followed his example by piercing the flesh of the victim with the point of their lances to the depth of about half an inch but for the events which now occurred and which served to divert all attention from the victim. First, she uttered a piercing yell. She had remained calm up to the present, but now her shrieks were heart-rending. While all this was taking place Johannes shook the flag line and disentangled the parcel just hoisted, when the Dutch ensign proudly unfurled itself above the head of the poor woman. It seemed as if this tricolor was her salvation, for suddenly two guns were fired in rapid succession summoning the garrison to the ramparts. Johannes, taking advantage of the general confusion, rushed forwards, severed the cords by which the victim was bound and thus liberated her. He then joined his confederates to see what had occurred. La Cueille, seated in his elevated box, which overlooked the river for a considerable distance, placed the two loaded guns in position, possessed himself of a lighted torch and waited his opportunity with a vigilant eye on the river. At last he saw a fleet of canoes appear from behind an angle of the soengei. He remained quiet, however, and allowed them to approach nearer still. The time for action at length arrived. Adjusting the elevation of his guns he applied the torch to the touchhole, and sent a couple of balls in the midst of the fleet, sinking one of the canoes and causing no little confusion amongst the rest.