Now the bewildered Ialan savages had grown quieter. Tamate called to
the engineer to drive ahead once more. Slowly the launch forged her
way through the running waters and drew nearer and nearer to the
centre of Iala.
There on either side stood the houses in long rows stretching up the
river, and on the banks hundreds of men stood silent and as still as
trees. Their canoes lay half in and half out of the water ready for
instant launching. In each canoe stood its crew erect and waiting. All
the women and children had been sent away, for these men were out to
fight. They did not know whether this strange house upon the water
with the smoke coming from its chimney was the work of gods or devils.
Still they stood there to face the strange thing and, if need be, to
fight.
Brown Iko stood in the bows of the _Miro_; near him stood Tamate. Then
the engine stopped and the anchor was dropped overboard. The savages
stood motionless. Not a weapon could be seen. The engineer, hearing
the anchor-chain rattle through the hole, blew the steam-whistle in
simple high spirits. As the shriek of the whistle echoed under
the arches of the trees, with the swiftness of lightning the Ialan
warriors swung their long bows from behind their bodies. Without
stooping each caught up an arrow that stood between his toes and with
one movement fixed it and pulled the bamboo strings of their black
bows till the notch of the arrows touched their ears.
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