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Updated: June 17, 2025
They rushed away at lightning speed, some along the smooth sand beach, while others rose right up into the air, and on loud whirring wings flew off into the forest. "Now!" said Saloo, with joy gleaming in his dark, Oriental eyes. "Now we getee pay for patient waitee we hab egg better than dulion belly bess solt of egg malee."
Saloo had by this time climbed to the topmost rounds of the ladder; and was able to assist Henry in descending, which he did without further difficulty or danger. No great harm had happened to him; he had received only a few scratches and skin-wounds, that would soon yield to careful treatment and the surgical skill which his father possessed, along with certain herbal remedies known to Saloo.
Saloo himself had been one of these bird-hunters, in early life, before taking to the sea, which last, as a general thing, is the favourite element and profession of a Malay.
Saloo did not descend immediately, but once more thrust his hand into the nest, hoping, no doubt, to find an egg or eggs in it. Instead of these, the contents proved to be a bird and only one a chick recently hatched, about the size of a squab-pigeon, and fat as a fed ortolan.
Saloo had begun to despair of being able to find another. The fruit of the durion proved not only pleasant eating, but exceedingly nutritious. It would sustain them, could they only get enough of it. How was this to be obtained? For a time they stood considering; when Captain Redwood became impressed with an original idea.
After this digression let us return to the megapodes of Borneo, whose appearance had strongly excited the curiosity of Captain Redwood and his party. The birds that had now displayed themselves to the eyes of our party of castaways were of the species known as "maleos," by Saloo called malee.
"A snake, be japers!" was the conjecture that dropped from the ship-carpenter's lips, while the same thought occurred simultaneously to the others; for they could think of no living thing, other than a serpent, capable of sending forth such a sibilant sound as that just heard. "What is it, Saloo?" hailed Captain Redwood; "are you in any danger?"
In fact, the arm of Henry was badly lacerated; and his little sister, on seeing the blood upon his shirt sleeve, uttered an alarm that brought first Saloo, and then the others, affrighted to the spot. "What is it?" were the interrogations of the two white men, as they came hurrying up, while the impressive Malay put none at once comprehending the cause of the alarm.
During all, Captain Redwood showed that he was thinking less of himself than his children. Willingly would he have lain down and died, could that have secured their surviving him. But it was a fate that threatened all alike. On this account, he was wishing that either he or one of his comrades, Murtagh or Saloo, might outlive the young people long enough to give them the rites of sepulture.
Was there any living thing in the forests of Borneo biped, quadruped, or reptile possessed of sufficient powers to cope with the hairy colossus now before their eyes, which seemed to partake of the characters of all three, and twice the strength of any of them individually? Saloo had said there was none. But it was not from the forests of Borneo its enemy was to come.
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