wished
to see the head-hunting Igorots; when I asked the Japanese for
permission to visit the head-hunters of Formosa, I met only with
excuses and evasions. At my taste the officials pretended to be
surprised and grieved. But Monsieur de Haan, doubtless because he had
lived so long in the wilds that head-hunters were to him a commonplace,
not only made no objection, he even offered to accompany me.

"We can go up the Koetei on your cutter," he suggested. "It is
navigable as far as Long Iram, two hundred miles up-country, which is
the farthest point inland that one of our garrisons is stationed. Thus
you will be able to see the Dyak country as comfortably as you could
see Holland from the deck of a canal boat. On our way we might pay a
visit to the Sultan of Koetei, who has a palace at Tenggaroeng. Though
he has no real power to speak of, he exercises considerable influence
among the wild tribes, of which he is the hereditary ruler. He's the
very man to put you in touch with the head-hunters."

The suggestion sounded fine. Moreover, in visiting savages as
temperamental as the Dyaks, there would be a certain comfort in having
the head of the government along. So, as Monsieur de Haan did not
appear to be pressed with business, we arranged to start up-river the
following morning.

It was late afternoon when I returned to the _Negros_. I was completely
wilted by the terrible humidity, and, as the river looked cool and
inviting in the twilight, I decided to refresh my body and my spirits
by a swim. But when I suggested to the Doctor that he join me he shook
his head gloomily.

"Nothing doing," he said. "I've been wanting to go in all day but the
port surgeon tells me that I'd be committing suicide."

"But why?" I demanded irritably, for I was ill-tempered from the heat.
"It's perfectly clean out here in mid-stream and there is no danger
from sharks here, as there was at Zamboanga and Jolo."

By way of replying he pointed to a black object, which I took to be a
log, that was floating on the surface of the river, perhaps fifty yards
off the cutter's gangway.

"That's why," he said dryly.

As he spoke a dugout, driven by half-a-dozen paddles in the hands of
lusty natives, came racing down stream. As the canoe drew abreast of
us, the paddlers chanting a barbaric chorus, there was a sudden swirl
in the water and the object which I had taken for a log abruptly
dropped out of sight.

"A crocodile!" I ejaculated, a little