AN ADVENTURE IN BORNEO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 81, 5 April 1900, Page 4

AN ADVENTURE IN BORNEO.

{Continued from yesterday.)

HOW ENGINEER KENNEDY BUILT THE TELEGRAPH THROUGH THE JUNGLE.

(By Harold Bindloss.)

Kennedy was used to the tropics, but he remembered that march. Scrambling through dripping creepers, tearing themselves with the thorns, or floundering deep in corruption in the softer places, they held on through the inner depths of the jungle until at last they halted under a steep mountain. Here in a hollow they found what they sought, an interesting armoury of venomous spears and two-feet parang 'knives, besides what the white man feared most, the silently murderous blow-pipes. A boulder served as an anvil, there were broken rocks about, and for two hourd they made good use of them, then hid the shattered weapons among the undergrowth, after which Kennedy returned fervent thanks. He came back a little before sunrise after a hurried march, aching in every limb but cheerful in mind, and that day he harried his labourers mercilessly. According to his tabulation they were merely waiting until the new supplies and pay came in, when he expected there would be developements. Sing- Sing said "They try killy you." " I don't think they will," said Kennedy quietly. " I fancy we have anticipated their best move, and meanwhile I'll see they do a little for their living." So lie cut down rations, and iucieased each man's task, maintained swift obedience at the point of a Dyak's bayonet, and though he lived on tinned provisions and seldom slept at night, the lino crept on further into the juugle. But it was anxious work, especially when leaving the bungalow he lived in the forest; so his sunburnt face grew hollow, and there was fierceness in his eyes while with feverish impatience he checked oil' every loug mile won. ■ Nevertheless he chuckled sometimes when he saw the dusky labourers furtively watching him, and, because the Dyaks saw that no man left camp or work on any pretext, wondered what their comments would be when they found on the reckoning day he had forestalled them. The rare messages he sent back only conveyed a request to hold the stores and pay goods until he was ready. It was no use asking for other labourers, because their were none, and he had de ei mined his present assistants should finish the line. So day by day they pushed 011 through the inountaiu- * ailed hollow, until Kennedy counted those that must elapse before he rt ached the end of the other line which, left unfinished when its builder died, rau up to meet him from the further side. He felt that any moment might precipitate events, and wondered i also if he comd hold out that long. At I last, running ahead a temporary wire J he made the junction, rigged his bat-1 teries, and held bis breath as he waited I an answer to the message, " I'm through, but there's going to be a big mutiny. Send on your permanent fittings and pay, with as many Dyak policemen as you can. I won't keep them very long. If there's any olundering, they'll find me murdered." Twice he repeated it, and swore softly, wondering if any dusky savage had stolen a length of the line, until his pulses quickened, and he said, "Thank heaven!" as the instrument click-clacked: "Well done! Stores and help going up. Should reach you in live days, Try to keep them quiet." Kennedy kept them busy instead, seeing each one did two men's share, i and the sweating natives, who hated labour, scowled at him as he paced along the line, with big revolver ostentatiously displayed. Also, the Dyaks with loaded riiies were everywhere, and so they toiled because they could not help it, muttering to one another, for it had leaked out, perhaps through their jungle friends, that the stores and pay goods were coming. Those five days seemed agts to Kennedy, the last one especially, for tie previous night a score of men vanished,! and guessing they had gone back for the weapons, he untde mental calculations concerning the time of their return. It was noon when he sat on a , boulder, dripping with perspiration. Furtive-eyed and sullen, the naked hillmen dawdled over their midday me.il glancing behind them as though expecting something; and Kennedy strove hard to appear a,olid as he, too, listened. ' Then there were steps in the jungle —ur.even, hurried steps; and when a naked man came running into camp a clamour broke out. The labomeis drew back among the sheltering leaves;' thin brandies crackled, and amid a murmur of voices Kennedy could see faces watching him from between the] creepers. He laid a hand on his levoiver, called the Dyak policemen,! and then s.it still, intent, wondering, | witli a shudder, what the prick of a , poisoued dart »as like, .but, perhaps 1 1 because the labourers had heard news 'which engrossed them, they left him! j in peace, and seemed to be debating ; .something sigrily, for twice he heard the :, thud of a blow. So, with the stumpy , Dyaks clenching the twinkling rifles,' 'and rolling their almond eyes, he ! waited until there was a further rustling among the undergrowth, and while lie wondered if they were crawling round to take him in .heflank, another ' tramp of hurrying feet came quivering s thiough the he t, and one of the Dyaks cried aloud. A Bsitish voice made . answer; the tramp drew quicker and louder; ihere were sounds ot liunied i flight; and presently; with riiles at the trail, a few more swarthy policemen and ■ a | ei.spiring white man came pant ng into camp. , ; '-I'm very glad to (ind you safe," i said the latter, grasping Kennedy's hand. " It was almost more than i expected. Hurried on before the rest, _ in case of contingencies. But you ' seem alone. Where are the mutineer.-,'<" , ■ li They've gone! Didn't even wait foi their wages,'' said Kennedy, laughing , excitedly. " 1 think they were disappointed about their arms." When the story was finished, the newcomer laughed ur>til lie cried, and said, " It's a record case. The wild bushnwn's fond of murder, but he hates labour; and you not only made him

work, but do it gratis! Lord! I can fancy their disgust! Besides, they seem to have worked hard."

There was no more trouble, and Ken-1 nedy, after finishing the details with the coolies, went back, and was rewarded with more than his covenanted pay. But he says he will long remember the time he ran the telegraph through the head-hunters' country.Sheffield Telegraph.