An encounter with a rhino
Published on: Saturday, March 20, 2021
By:
William Illiafa Pryer, Extracted from NBH 50 Years earlier
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For the next two hours I was in water never less than hip deep, while every hundred yards or so it would get deeper; at last the water had reached an average of up to my armpits, and the necks of the boat boys, with frequent places where it was six or eight feet deep; these had to be negotiated by our fixing loose poles in tree branches and wriggling across them, we were all thoroughly chilled and shivering with cold, the Kinabatangan was still over two and a half miles away, one of the men sent ahead soon got out of his depth altogether and reported that no signs of shallower water could be seen, the men had nothing to eat but some cold potatoes of which I happened to have a few, rafting was impossible – and as at that rate of progress we should not have got to the river by nightfall, I thought it was not worth the risk trying to proceed, and so ordered a return.
The water was currentless and we might have had to wait three or four days for the path to become practicable, while a day’s heavy rain would have made it deeper than ever.
One somewhat unexpected obstacle was the sunken logs and roots of trees, which as in all land subject to flood stick up out of the ground in a curious way, we were continually stumbling over these to the detriment of our shins which were all bruised and bleeding when we came out.
Our last night’s solup being regained, the retreat began about 9 o’clock and Segaliud being little over 14 miles away, we hoped to get there before dark. Knee deep water was very little obstacle to us after our late experience and the water having fallen we soon go on dry ground, and started back as fast as we could, but were unable to pass the mile posts faster than four of them every three hours.
When in water about knee deep we sighted a nine foot crocodile, he gave an ugly leer at us but concluded that there were too many of us, so it went off the shallows with a great surging of waters. A short distance further we saw another.
At about the fifth mile post, we met with a rhinoceros. Ahmad Besar (so named on account of his small stature) and myself were some quarter of a mile or so ahead of the others, and were descending a hill, before us was a small space, almost clear of undergrowth; a scuffling in the bushes was heard and a large animal lolloped into the open space before us and stood there.
I was thinking about something else and my first idea, as the brute came through the bushes was that it was a horse, but as soon as it was clear of the undergrowth I recognised what it was quickly enough. It stood there tossing its head not 15 yards away while I aimed at it with my forefinger and said “My Kingdom for a gun”! – Rhino at this half turned round towards us, and I looked about for a nice young tree and suggested to Awang that we had better refuge in one, Awang, however, mighty valorous, hauled out my creese, an Illanun parang, three feet of hard steel and flourished it with a warlike howl, whereupon rhino trotted away and took up his stand on the top of the next small hill about 100 yards off. I sat on a log not sorry for the rest, while Awang went back and got the rifle, and we went in search of it, but saw it no more.
Not half a mile further on a bear roared at us, but would not show, and I was too tired to go after him.
At dark we were still a mile from the plantation, and had to feel our way through the forest, it was so dark I could not always see the man in front of me although he was not 5 feet off, and the leading man had to feel from one cut stump to another, getting astray several times. At last however we came out on the estate all right and very soon were being tended and cared for by Mr Keasbery.
The little Kadyans, my boat boys, had done a good day’s work; besides the 14 mile walk over such a path as I have described, they have struggled in the water for over two hours, had had nothing to eat but a few cold potatoes and some biscuits, and had carried packs of 30 or 40 lbs weight all the time.
After a good sleep all night, not disturbed by a continuous trickling of rain drops on to our faces or down the napes of our necks; we left for Sandakan where twelve hours hard paddling landed us safely, and none the worse for our watery experiences.
17th Oct, 1938, All Saints’ New Church Fund
As no account of the above fund has appeared for sometime in our columns, it might appear that recently it has been standing still, or at least that no very special efforts were being made to increase it. As a matter of fact this is by no means the case, and the fund has already grown this year by over six hundred dollars. But the really big effort for 1938 is to be made on Saturday, November 5th, noted in the annals of another famous building, when the Jesselton Hotel will once more be the scene of a Fete and Sale of Work on the grand scale in aid of this Fund.
We understand that there will be all the old attractions which have become familiar to the population of Jesselton on similar occasions during the past few years, together with a number of new ones. Attractive stalls with new goods of all descriptions, as well the ever popular Rummage Stall; sideshows, competitions, teas and refreshments; a decorated bicycle procession and all the fun of the fair are promised to those who want to enjoy themselves and help a worthy cause at the same time.
The ladies of the West Coast, together with a band of helpers drawn from all communities too numerous to mention, have been engaged for months now upon the work of organisation and preparation, and it is to be hoped that a fine afternoon, large crowds, and record sales will reward their efforts; and that the unsuccessful attempt to destroy the British Houses of Parliament on the notorious fifth may be succeeded by a successful attempt to add to the very few architectural beauties that North Borneo can boast. So “please to remember the fifth November”, but for All Saints’ Fete and Sale of Work.
St Michael’s School Jubilee
St Michael’s School, which was founded in 1888 by the Reverend A Elton the Anglican priest-in-charge at Sandakan, has recently been celebrating its golden jubilee, and various functions took place to mark the event. A Jubilee Tea-party for the school was held on September 28th, and on the following day (St Michael’s Day) a Concert was given which revealed quite considerable gifts in several of those taking part, while Saturday was devoted to the Sports. On Sunday, October 2nd, there was a Solemn Eucharist of Thanksgiving.
A dinner for members was given by the Old Boys’ Association at the Shu Khi Lau Restaurant on Friday, September 30th, at which there was a large gathering. The Ven Archdeacon Mercer (President) gave an interesting resume of the history of the school and its place in the education of the people of North Borneo. He was followed by Mr Thomas Chan who spoke of the debt of gratitude owed by all who had passed through the school, and by Mr Luk Shui Shin.
The Headmaster (Rev R Henthorne) reminded the gathering of the real aims of education and stressed the importance to the community of St Michael’s and similar institutions. He closed with a reference to the present unsatisfactory and inadequate conditions of the school buildings and the urgent need for a new and worthy school. Immediately upon the conclusion of the Headmaster’s speech an Old Boys’ Subscription List towards the new school fund was opened by Mr Matthew Wong, whose example was speedily followed by all present, a fitting close to a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
A Chinese Ruse
There is a story told in the “Sejara Malayu” relating how, when the Emperor of China heard that the Indian prince, Raja Suran, was bringing a fleet to attack China and had already reached Temasek, the ancient site of Singapore, his Prime Minister advised the despatch to Temasek of a vessel manned by aged and toothless sailors, with a cargo of rusty needles, and with some fruit trees in bearing planted on board. This was done. The boat arrived safely, and Raja Suran sent officers on board to make enquiries as to the voyage to China.
The sailors explained that they were young lads when they started, that the needles, samples of which were exhibited, had then been iron rods as long as a man’s arm, though now they were almost entirely rusted away, and that the fruit trees had grown from the seeds of fruit which they had eaten on board in the early days of the voyage. The Raja, when this was duly reported to him, decided that such a journey was much too long for him to undertake, and that an immediate return to India was advisable; the expedition accordingly was abandoned.
The device sounds rather far fetched, but an interesting sidelight can be found in the travels of Ibn Battuta, who when he arrived at Calicut in India about the year 1336AD saw in the harbour there some big Chinese junks which he says carried a complement of 1000 men – 600 sailors and 400 men-at-arms: “the sailors”, he writes (Broadway Travellers edition, p.236) “have their children living on board ship, and they cultivate green stuffs, vegetables and ginger, in wooden tanks”. It may have been this practice which gave the idea to the Chinese Minister.
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