"I turned to cut him (his colleague) down: he cried out in alarm; the well known voice caused an instant’s hesitation: at that moment a spearman stepped forward, left his javelin in my mouth, and retired before he could be punished."
I give up, what's the connection of the photo. It's RF Burton, got that, what's it have to do with a spear in the head?
He took a spear through the head. That diagonal scar is the mark, and I believe there was one on each side. Lost a few teeth IIRC, but somehow escaped death by infection. Luck or a strong immune system?
The extraction can't have been much fun, somewhat like the extraction of the bodkin from the head of Henry V:
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”