Part 32 (1/2)
Behind the carrying parties was a dense crowd of Malays, who rushed forward as soon as the fireb.a.l.l.s fell, hurling their spears and shooting their arrows, to which the defenders replied vigorously.
”The stockade will not stand a moment against those trees,” he continued. ”'Tis best to call the men in, at once.”
The rajah ordered the native beside him to sound his horn and, in two or three minutes, the men poured in at the entrance. As soon as the last had come in, the bamboos were put in the holes prepared for them, with some rattans twined between them. Scores of men then set to work, bringing up the earth and stones that had been piled close at hand.
In the meantime, the three hundred men on the walls kept up a shower of arrows on the enemy. The battering rams, which consisted of trees stripped of their branches, and some forty feet long and ten inches thick, did their work and, by the time the entrance was secure, the Malays poured in with exultant shouts.
A large supply of the fireb.a.l.l.s had been placed on the platforms and, as these were lighted and thrown down, the a.s.sailants were exposed to a deadly shower of arrows as they rushed forward. At this moment the rajah's servant brought up four double-barrelled guns.
”They are loaded,” the chief said, as he handed one of these to Harry.
”How long is it since they were fired?” the latter asked.
”It is three months since I last went out shooting,” the rajah replied.
Harry at once proceeded to draw the charges.
”I should advise you to do the same, Rajah. A gun that has not been fired for three months is not likely to carry straight, and is more dangerous to its owner than to an enemy.”
The rajah called up two of his men, and one of these at once drew the charges of the guns, and reloaded them from the powder horn and bag of bullets the servants had brought.
The enemy did not press their attack, but retired behind the palisades and, from this shelter, began to shoot their arrows fast, while a few matchlock men also replied.
”It would be as well, Rajah, to order all your men to sit down. There is no use in their exposing themselves to the arrows, and they are only wasting their own. We must wait, now, to see what their next move will be. Fire will be of no use to them, now; and the wall will take some battering before it gives way and, brave as the men may be, they could not work the battering rams under the shower of spears and arrows that would be poured upon them.
”I should send the greater part of your men down to get off the roofs of the huts. Those up here must place a man or two on watch, at each side, and throw a fireball occasionally.”
In a few moments the enemy ceased shooting their arrows, for the light of the fireb.a.l.l.s showed them that the garrison was in shelter.
”There is no occasion for you to stay here, any longer, Rajah. I will look after matters until morning, and will send to you, as soon as there is any stir outside.”
In half an hour, the huts were stripped of their most combustible material. This was heaped up under the platforms, where it would be safe from falling arrows. The women drew pots of water from the well, and a hundred men were then left in the courtyard, with orders to pull up or stamp out any flaming arrows that might fall. But as the time went on, it was evident that the a.s.sailants had not thought of providing themselves with the materials requisite, and the greater part of the garrison lay down quietly and slept.
Harry had waited until he saw the work in the courtyard completed; and then, with the interpreter, entered the rajah's house. The room he generally used was empty. Some lamps were burning there, and he laid himself down on a divan, while the Malay curled himself up on the floor.
Harry had slept but a short time when he was awakened by a light touch on his shoulder and, springing up, saw a woman, with a boy some six years old, standing beside him. The woman placed her finger on her lips, imploringly. Harry at once roused the interpreter. Through him, the woman explained that she was the widow of the late rajah, and that her son was the lawful heir to the throne.
”I have come to you, brave white lord,” she said, ”to ask you if your people will grant us protection.”
”That would be impossible,” Harry replied; ”my people are busy with their own wars in India and, even were they not so occupied, they could not interfere in a domestic quarrel between the Malay chiefs.”
”Why are you fighting here, then?”
”I am fighting in my own quarrel. I was attacked, and my followers killed, by the rajah now a.s.sailing this place. I, myself, should have been murdered, had I not made my escape; and should certainly be killed by him, if he were victorious.
”I think it likely that, before very long, there may be an English trading station at Singapore and, if you and your son were to go there, you would certainly be well received. I shall, of course, relate your story, which I have already heard, on my return to Calcutta; and on my explaining that your son is ent.i.tled to the throne of Joh.o.r.e, it may be that some sum would be granted for your maintenance; for it may well be that, in time, the throne may again become vacant, and that the people, tired of these constant wars, will unite to accept your son as rajah. I may tell you that I am sure the tumangong will grant us a trading station, and possibly the whole island; but as he is not the Rajah of Joh.o.r.e, although at present independent of him, we should like to have his a.s.sent to the cession. It is for this purpose I have come here although, up to the present time, I have not said anything about it to the rajah, as we have both been much too busy to talk of such matters.
”It may be years before the English come to Singapore; but my report will certainly be noted and, a.s.suredly, an asylum would be granted you, and you would be kindly received. I can say no more than that.”