spear fell from his powerless arm, and the little crowd of Sâkai broke and fled. But a series of cries and threats from Kûlop, as he ran around them. herding them as a collie herds sheep, brought them presently to a standstill.
No thought of further resistance remained in their minds, and the gutta was quickly loaded on to the rafts, and the plundered Sâkai impressed as crews for them. The rafts were fastened to one another, by Kûlop's orders, by a stout piece of rattan, to prevent straying or desertion, and the conqueror sat at ease on a low platform in the centre of the rearmost raft, keeping a watchful eye on all, and maintaining his mastery over the shuddering jungle-folk by frequent threats and admonitions.
The wounded Chief, left behind in his hut, sent two youths through the forest to bid their fellow tribesmen make ready the poison for their blowpipe darts, for he knew that no one would now dare to attack Kûlop of the Harelip at close quarters. But the poison which the Sâkai distil from the resin of the îpoh tree requires some time for its preparation, and if it is to be used with effect upon a human being or any large animal, a specially strong solution is necessary. Above all, if it is to do its work properly, it must be newly brewed. Thus it was that Kûlop Sûmbing had time to load his rafts with gutta taken from two other Sâkai camps, and to pass very nearly out of the jungle people's country before the men whom he had robbed were in a position to assume the offensive.
