The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-04
Chapter 40
Farewell To Balingong

Farewell To Balingong
DLAIR read my mind. Looks
- like he'd sooner die on the
water" he said. than in this hole"
At that, my uncle spoke; and
though his words were husky and
very faint, it seemed to me that
there was satisfaction in them.
'It's going to be 9 good old-tash-
Toned winter, Pau"
I don't know whether he was
conscious while we were moving
him, or whether he felt the river
under him when he was finally
laid in the bottom Of the boat.
"You going to leave all that stuff
for the Malays?" Blair demanded.
There's more'n 100 guns. and a
Lot Of
EMO; I'm staying back a few
minutes. Where's your powder
SUnder the house. There's a
hatch in the deck, near the table.
sPull like the devil I'll keep
their attention here little while.
went back to the house; and
now Clyde's Tenyalang riflemen
were Aocking around me from the
darkness, grayely anxious to know
II they had seen Alright, and their
Yajah was gone. kept some OF
them with me, and told the others
TO make ready their canoes.
For q short while / stood look
ing around that cluttered main
room. Things of great value were
there, II had had time to sort
them out. But If had once started
20 take away anything, there
would have been no place to stop.
Jsfound the hatch ia the floor.
Below It was q ladder and q sling.
WIN one Of my Dyaks1 went be-
low where the kegs Of powder
waited In e. black pitt and had the
Rengalang0 men pass Dup three
kegs to the room above: ! split the
kegs open with an axe, and we
spilled powder all over. It was my
intention that the place should
be in full blaze before the powder
sent It up; / wanted no scrap Of
anything left.
BY this time Clyde's Tenyalang
panglima was begging me to come
outside. There was something ne
must show me at once.
I followed him, stumbling IN
the dark as We raced across the
compound and up the embark
ment Of the inner stockade. Three
or four Of Clyde's Dyaks W re
standing there on the top of the
stockade, silently staring at some
thing up the river. could lot see
what they were looking at; | could
hardly see the men themselves.
The panglima said. "Praus-
Tuan."
..Iow nany?"
'sThere are six. No. there are
seven now"
II can't hear their paddles"
.They are backing water in the
current: waiting for others, maybe.
We don't know what they are GO
ing to do. Tuan Paul. it's time to
co.
A quick panic struck me. SO
nearly had Clyde. out Of there
but If they took my bankong they
would sweep down on the whale
boat, too, and take Blair and Clyde.
SECT all your people into their
boats. and shove off--fast."
/ sprinted back to the house,
and fumbled about for the fuse
dangling beside the ladder.
struck fire to il, and for a moment
watched the little suffering coal
Of light begin 10 climb. II was
burning well, faster, in fact, than
I had expected. turned and ran
I vaulted down from the top OF
the foot stockade, and in two mo.
ments more we were on the river
again, at last.
Sing:
ME had not taken 10 strokes
w into the current before we be.
gan to hear the many paddles OF
the Malays moving in the river
above. They were closing a little
now. but slowly. and they did not
fire yet. II seemed to me that they
could not decide what they were
trying to do.
One of my Tenyalang lay IN
the stern, his rifle sighted back
over the stern post. "Shall fire
Taanfst taxsiA .ia911Ua &afst
Hold your fire. Suddenly
decided 70 try something else,
Sing" ! ordered. "Sing. all OF
s.. IS s< g s go - =
Ee hSslsaied, and then one 81
#In hekpf@a lev chant which,
in he hfst few words. / rec
1sH ixed pS' 4 dirge
lcl Give ne the fighting song
Give me the Soi.g OF the Tuan
Darah-~and let me hear you yelll'
They picked il up. first hest
tantly, then In wild rising ca
dences. timed By the paddles. Il
was an eerie thing to hear, that
primitive song Of victory, and
savage emulation, and defiance,
howled from the threats 81 higi-
tive men 10 whom all gains were
lost They would yell for 10
strokes, then paddle six strokes ii
utter silence; then the Wild burst