Ran away from the Dutch : $b Or, Borneo from South to NorthPerelaer, M. T. H. (Michael Theophile Hubert)
History
Ran away from the Dutch : $b Or, Borneo from South to North
Perelaer, M. T. H. (Michael Theophile Hubert)
Dayak (Bornean people) -- Fiction
Johannes continued for some time gazing at these initials. “Good
Heavens!” he exclaimed, “may this not be the journal of George Muller,
the savant who was butchered in this country more than thirty-five
years ago! This is a real treasure-trove. Yes, undoubtedly it is
Muller’s diary.”
Harimaoung Boekit, who had gone indoors, now reappeared with a rosary
of skulls, one of which he exhibited to the Europeans. Its conformation
proclaimed that it had belonged to an individual of the Caucasian race.
“Found with the book,” said the Poenan.
Schlickeisen and Wienersdorf both implored Harimaoung Boekit to give
them that skull, but all their efforts were in vain. The possession of
a white man’s skull was invaluable to the Poenan; so carefully tying
his rosary together he took it indoors and placed it in safety.
Johannes, however, took charge of the book to protect it from further
mutilation.
Thus passed the days prior to Wienersdorf’s wedding. He had been
longing to possess his beloved Hamadoe, and Johannes had been equally
anxious to see the journey resumed.
The day of the full moon arrived at last, and early in the morning
Dalim and Johannes commenced to prepare the bridegroom for the marriage
ceremony. According to Dayak custom he had first to bathe in the river.
Then he was painted with katiting and afterwards rubbed over with
boengkang, the fat of a black cat, until his skin shone like a polished
door-plate. The nails of his hands and feet were then gilt and on his
forehead two broad red stripes were painted, which appeared like fiery
eye-brows, over-riding the brown ones which nature had given him. He
was now dressed in a karoenkoeng, or suit of rattan armor, and on his
head was placed a cap of monkey skin, ornamented with two handsome
feathers from the tail of the rhinoceros bird. The ewah, thrown around
his waist, was made of very fine beaten bark and was considered to be
of rare excellence. Dalim then clasped around his loins the state
mandauw of Harimaoung Boekit and supplied him with a shield upon which
a monstrous crocodile was painted. His toilet was then complete.
“You do look fine,” exclaimed La Cueille. “I should like to have you at
the fair at Jupille. What money I should make by exhibiting you as a
wild Indian.”
Wienersdorf was just ready when three deputies, relatives of the bride,
appeared and solemnly asked him whether he was prepared to fulfill his
marriage contract.
“I should think so,” La Cueille answered, “he is boiling over with
impatience.”
The answer having been formally given in the affirmative, each of the
deputies received a present of gold dust from the bridegroom, who
immediately accompanied them to the residence of the bride. The other
Europeans and several attendant Dayaks followed in solemn procession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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