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In a few minutes they had constructed a rude framework on crotched sticks, driven into the soft ground, with a platform of poles on the top. On this one of the two men mounted with his biliong, with which he began his work with a blow at the tree about four feet above the level of the ground.
The edge of the chisel portion was parallel to the handle; but Achang explained that the Dyaks had another kind of biliong, with the cutting part at right angles with the handle, and this was used as an adze. While Lane, the carpenter, was ridiculing the tool, the Malays on shore moved to a tree in sight of the steamer, which had stopped her screw close to the sampan.
We could easily bring down both; but we won't fire at them, for I think we are all curious to see how the Malays will manage the affair. The chopper has already made a big cut in the tree, and I doubt if Lane could have done the work any quicker." The carpenter did not say anything, but no doubt he was greatly surprised at the rapid progress the native made with the biliong.
It makes a natural plank two inches thick, which may be trimmed into any shape with the biliong." The party were ready to depart; and they made all sorts of courteous gestures to their hosts, especially the ladies. The women asked them for tobacco, as Achang interpreted the requests. They had none, but some of the seamen supplied them with all they had about them.
"One is a big one, and the other is her baby." "But what are the Malays doing now?" asked Louis. "Make a stage to stand on," replied Achang. "What do they want of a stage?" demanded Lane contemptuously. "You will see if you wait," added the captain. They were picking up poles where they could find them, and cutting saplings, which they dropped with a single blow of the biliong.
They had no guns, and could not shoot their game, whatever it was; but each of them had a biliong. This was the implement Achang had bought in Sarawak. It looked something like a pickaxe with only one arm, the end of which was fashioned like a mortising chisel, and was used as an axe.
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