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diff --git a/21469.txt b/21469.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f806cd1 --- /dev/null +++ b/21469.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4031 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mate of the Lily, by W. H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mate of the Lily + Notes from Harry Musgrave's Log Book + +Author: W. H. G. Kingston + +Illustrator: unknown + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21469] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MATE OF THE LILY *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Mate of the Lily; Notes from Harry Musgrave's Log Book, by W H G +Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is another book by Kingston on the theme of a youngster whose +father has not returned from a voyage at sea, and whose mother therefore +is almost destitute, with several younger children to house and feed. +Luckily her brother Jack, the Mate of the Lily, is home, and though +pledged in marriage, offers to provide for the family, taking the +eldest, Harry, with him as an apprentice officer. They are to look for +a return cargo in the Java Seas and thereabouts, and use the +opportunity, following certain clues, to search for Captain Musgrave and +his vessel. + +There are all sorts of vicissitudes, from storm, volcanoes, grounding, +and persistent attacks by the pirates that infest those seas. + +Needless to say they find him, though practically at the end of his +life, from despair. On being found he recovers his spirits, and so is +brought home. + +It is well-written, and full of suspense. There are other twists to the +story that I have not mentioned above, and I am sure you would enjoy +reading the book or listening to it. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE MATE OF THE LILY, NOTES FROM HARRY MUSGRAVE'S LOG BOOK, BY W H G +KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +Jack Radburn, mate of the "Lily," was as prime a seaman as ever broke +biscuit. Brave, generous, and true, so said all the crew, as did also +Captain Haiselden, with whom he had sailed since he had first been to +sea. Yet so modest and gentle was he on shore that, in spite of his +broad shoulders and sun-burnt brow, landsmen were apt to declare that +"butter wouldn't melt in his mouth." + +A finer brig than the "Lily" never sailed from the port of London. Well +built and well found--many a successful voyage had she made to far +distant seas. Jack Radburn might have got command of a larger craft, +but Captain Haiselden, who had nursed him through a fever caught on the +coast of Africa, and whose life on another occasion he had saved, thus +closely cementing their friendship, begged him to remain with him for +yet another voyage, likely to be the most adventurous they had ever yet +undertaken. + +Jack Radburn, who was my uncle, stayed when on shore--not often many +weeks together--with his sister, Mrs Musgrave, my mother. + +Though he was my uncle, I have spoken of him as Jack Radburn, mate of +the "Lily," as did everybody else; indeed, he was, I may say, as well +known as the captain himself. My mother, who was the daughter of a +clergyman long since dead, had not many acquaintances. She had been +left by my grandfather with little or nothing to depend upon, when her +brother introduced to her my father, then first mate of the ship to +which he belonged. + +Her greatest friend was Grace Bingley, who lived with her mother, wife +of a ship-master, a few doors off from us. + +Uncle Jack had consequently seen much of Grace Bingley, and had given +her the whole of his warm honest heart, nor was it surprising that he +had received hers in return, and pretty tightly he held it too. Even my +mother acknowledged that she was worthy of him, for a sweeter or more +right-minded girl was not, far or near, to be found. + +Some four years before the time of which I am now speaking, my father +sailed in command of a fine ship, the "Amphion," for the Eastern seas. +The time we had expected him to return had long passed away. My mother +did not, however, give up all expectation of seeing him, but day after +day and week after week we looked for him in vain. The owners at last +wrote word that they feared the ship had been lost in a typhoon, but yet +it was possible that she might have been cast away on some uninhabited +island from whence the crew could not effect their escape. My mother +therefore still hoped on and endeavoured to eke out her means so as to +retain her house that my father might find a home should he return. + +I was setting off with Uncle Jack for the "Lily," which was undergoing a +thorough repair, and he seldom failed to pay her one or two visits in +the day to see how things were going on, when two seamen came rolling up +the street towards us in sailor fashion, and looking, it seemed to me, +as if they had been drinking, though they may not have been exactly +drunk. As they approached one nudged the other, and, looking at Uncle +Jack, exchanged a few words. + +They would have passed us, when he, having noticed this, hailed them-- + +"What cheer, my hearties, have we ever sailed together?" + +"Can't say exactly, sir, for we've knocked about at sea so long that +it's hard to mind all the officers we've served under. But now I looks +at you, sir, I think you used to come aboard the `Amphion' before she +left Old England. We heard say you were the captain's brother." + +"The `Amphion!'" exclaimed Uncle Jack, eagerly, looking hard at the men. +"Can you give me any news of her?" + +"Aye, sir, but it's bad news." + +"Out with it, whatever it is," exclaimed Uncle Jack, fixing his eyes on +the man, to judge whether he spoke the truth. + +"It's a matter of over four years gone by when we sailed for the Eastern +seas. We had been knocking about in them parts for some months, when we +were caught in a regular hurricane, which carried away our topmasts and +mainyard, and did other damage. At the same time we sprang a leak, and +had to keep the pumps going without a moment's rest. When night came +on, and a terrible dark night it was, sir, matters grew worse and worse, +not a hope but that the ship would go down, though we well-nigh worked +our arms off to keep her afloat. Howsomedever before long, she struck +on a reef, though she hadn't been thrashing away on it three minutes +when she drove off, and the water came rushing in like a mill stream. +`Out boats,' was the cry. Bill here and I, with three others, got into +the jolly-boat, but before another soul could spring aboard her she +drifted away from the ship. We felt about, and found a lugsail and an +oar. To go back was more than we could do, and it's our belief that +scarcely had we left her than the ship went down. As our only chance of +keeping the boat afloat was to run before the sea, we stepped the mast +and set the lug close reefed, hoping to come upon some land or other. +When morning broke no land was in sight. We thought we saw what looked +like it far away on the starboard quarter, but we could only go where +the wind drove us. Three days we scudded on without a drop of water or +bit of food to put into our mouths. I speaks the truth, Bill, don't I?" + +"Ay, ay!" said Bill, looking as if he did not even like to think of that +time; "you does, mate." + +"Go on," said Uncle Jack. + +"Well, first one went mad and jumped overboard, then another died, then +another, and I thought that Bill would die too, when down came a shower, +and with the help of our sail we filled an empty breaker which we had in +the boat. Then we knocked down a bird which came near us, and that gave +us a little more strength. Then three flying-fish came aboard, which +kept us for three days more, and after that we caught a small shark, but +the water came to an end, and we were both so well-nigh done for that +neither Bill nor I could hold an oar to steer by, nor knew where we were +going--I speaks the truth, don't I, Bill?" + +"I suppose you does, but I don't mind much what happened then. I was +too bad," said Bill. + +"Well, as I was a-saying, I thought it was all over with us, when a ship +hove in sight and took us aboard. She was a foreign craft, and not a +word of what her people said could we make out, any more than they could +understand us. We were not over well treated, so we ran from her the +first place we touched at; and after knocking about for a long spell in +them South Sea islands among the savages, in one craft or another, we +got home at last. What I've told you is the blessed truth; ain't it, +Bill?" + +Bill grunted his assent to this assertion; he evidently was not a man of +words. + +My uncle cross-questioned the men, but could get nothing more out of +either of them. Whether or not he was perfectly satisfied I could not +tell. Still it seemed too probable that the "Amphion," with my father +and all hands, was lost. + +Having lodged the seamen so as to find them again, my uncle returned +with me to my mother. She was prepared for the information he had to +give her. She had for some time been persuaded of what everybody else +believed, that my father was lost, and she now knew herself to be a +widow. It was a severe shock to her notwithstanding. She looked at me +and my five brothers and sisters, all younger than I was. + +"What shall I do with these fatherless children?" she asked, while her +eyes filled with tears, thinking more of us than of herself; "my means +are almost exhausted, for my dear husband saved but little, and I shall +not have the wherewithall to pay the rent of this house, much less their +food and clothing." + +"God has promised to provide for the fatherless and widows," answered +Uncle Jack; "while I have a shilling in my pocket it shall be yours, +Mary. Harry, too, is able to support himself. We'll take him aboard +the `Lily,' and soon make a prime seaman of him." + +My mother looked at me, grieving at the thought that I must so soon be +taken from her. Then other thoughts came into her mind. + +"But you, my dear Jack, require all the means you possess for yourself. +Grace has promised to become yours whenever you desire it." + +"I know that," answered Uncle Jack. "I prize her love, but we are both +young and can wait, and true as mine is for her it must not overcome my +duty to you and yours. Captain Haiselden talks of some day going to +live on shore, when he will give up charge of the `Lily' to me, or I may +obtain a larger craft and shall make enough for Grace, and you, and +myself, I hope. At all events, my dear sister, you and the children +must not starve, and we shall have Harry here making his fortune. So +cheer up, Mary, and trust in God." + +"I do, Jack, I do," she answered, taking his hands, while the tears +still flowed down her pale cheeks. "Harry will do his duty, I know, and +some day be able to help me, and I must try to do what I can for myself, +though I fear it will be but little." + +"You have friends who will be glad to lend you a helping hand," said +Uncle Jack, who judged of others by himself. "We may have, I trust, a +successful voyage, and all will go well, Mary." + +Much more he said to the same effect. My mother appeared comforted, at +all events she grew calm, and as Captain Haiselden consented to take me +on board as an apprentice, she set herself busily to work to prepare my +outfit, while my sister Mary, who was next to me, and my two younger +brothers were sent to school, and Grace Bingley came in every day to +assist her in her task. + +How industriously Grace sat working away with her needle, every now and +then jumping up to prevent Frank or Sally from getting into mischief! +Some of the larger garments were certainly not for me. My mother had +promised to overhaul Uncle Jack's wardrobe and supply what was wanting, +according to a list he gave her. I should like to describe Grace as she +sat in the bay window opposite my mother with the work-table near them, +but it will suffice to say that she was young, fair, and pretty, with +eyes that seemed to have borrowed their colour from the sky. My mother +had assumed the widow's cap, and might from her clear complexion, and +her brown hair braided across her brow, have been taken for Grace's +elder sister. Though the heart of Grace must have been sad enough I +suspect, she talked cheerfully, endeavouring to distract my mother's +mind from the thoughts of the past as well as the approaching parting +from me. I came in occasionally and found the two sitting as I have +described, but I was generally on board the brig with Uncle Jack, +assisting in fitting her out, and thus got initiated into many of my +duties before I ever went to sea. The captain often came on board +during the evening to see how we were getting on, but during the day he +was mostly engaged in looking out for freight in addition to the cargo +he intended to ship on his own account. He was just the man the crew +were willing to serve under, his countenance exhibiting sense and +determination, and a kindly spirit beaming from his eyes; his hair +grizzled rather by weather than by years; his figure, of moderate +height, broad and well knit, betokening strength and activity. + +We were to sail for Singapore, after which we were to proceed eastward +to trade with the various islands in that direction. + +We expected to have the "Lily" ready for sea in about a week, when just +before this time Captain Bingley, who had been long absent in command of +the ship "Iris" of some four hundred tons, returned home. I was at my +mother's one evening when Uncle Jack, with Grace Bingley, came in. She +looked, I thought, somewhat out of spirits. My mother thought so too, +and asked her the cause. She hesitated for a moment as if to master her +feelings, and then said-- + +"It is, I have no doubt, for the best, and father wishes it. Mother and +I are to accompany him on his next voyage round Cape Horn and up the +western coast of America, then across the Pacific to Java, and so round +the world. I cannot refuse to go, and of course we should both like to +see strange lands, as well as being with father, but I had hoped to be +able to remain with you, Mary, and you know how happy I should have been +in doing so." + +My poor mother looked much distressed. "Of course, if your father +wishes you to go you have no choice, but I shall miss you greatly." She +could scarcely restrain her tears as she spoke. + +Uncle Jack became very grave as he heard what Grace said. + +"You sail round the world! Has your father positively determined on +this?" he asked. + +I guessed his thoughts; he was ready enough to encounter all the risks +and perils of the sea himself, but he was very unwilling that Grace +should be exposed to them. What if the ship should be wrecked! What if +sickness should break out on board, or a mutiny occur, or should she be +captured by an enemy! He dreaded dangers for Grace which he did not +take into a moment's consideration in regard to himself, but he strove +not to allow her to perceive his anxiety. + +"Father is not a person, as you well know, to be turned from his +purpose," she answered, trying to smile. "Mother has promised to go, +and I cannot let her go without me. She or father might fall ill, for +he is not so strong as he was, and I ought to be ready to nurse them, +and I hope, my dear Jack, that we shall be back as soon as you are, +though my chief anxiety is leaving Mary; and Harry also away. Perhaps, +too, we may meet; my father doesn't know exactly where we shall go after +we leave the China seas; it must depend upon the freight obtained." + +"It is a wide region, and I was hoping that I could picture you when I +was away, safe at home," answered Uncle Jack, but he refrained from +saying more. He was unwilling to create any anxiety in Grace's mind. +He certainly, however, looked more distressed than any of the party. + +After this Grace could be less at our house than usual, as she had to +help her mother in preparing for their voyage. The "Iris," she told us, +was to be got ready for sea with all despatch. Uncle Jack and I one +evening went on board to have a look at the ship that, as he observed, +he might at least know what sort of a craft Grace was sailing in. The +cabins were comfortably fitted up and well suited for the accommodation +of the captain's wife and daughter, as well as for a few other +passengers. I asked him what he thought of the ship. + +"She's a fine enough vessel, but I can judge better of her if she were +loaded, and I should like to know what sort of a crew she has," he +answered. "Captain Bingley is a good seaman, and I respect him as +Grace's father; but he wants to make money, and he may be tempted to +overload his ship, or visit dangerous places to obtain freight." + +I did not see the parting between Uncle Jack and Grace, as I went on +board the "Lily" the night before we sailed. I had already wished +good-bye to my dear mother and all the young ones, and as she had to +look after them, she could not come to see us off. I know very well +what she must have felt, and I heartily wished, when the moment came for +leaving, that I could have remained to comfort and protect her. My +going away must have brought back to her recollection with painful +vividness the time when my kind father last sailed I suspect she thought +that she might never see me again; still she knew that I must work for +my livelihood, as I did myself, and I was going to begin the profession +I had chosen, and for which I had long had a desire. For dangers and +hardships I was ready, fully persuaded that, though I might encounter, I +should get through them. + +We were at sea at last, running down channel with a fair wind. Uncle +Jack had had no difficulty in obtaining a good crew, for when he could +find them, he picked up old shipmates, who were always glad to sail with +him. He had promised Timothy Howlett and Bill Trinder to look them up, +and they, having spent the last shilling in their pockets, were glad to +ship on board, he hoping that they having been before in those seas +might be useful. James Ling was second mate and Sam Crowfoot boatswain, +making up the complement of our officers, besides which there was our +supercargo, Edward Blyth, a young but very intelligent man, who had +already made a voyage to the Eastern seas, understood Dutch as well as +the Malay languages, and was thus able to act as interpreter at many of +the places where we were going. He was well informed on many subjects +also, and possessed a good knowledge of natural history. I must not +forget "Little Jem," the smallest boy on board. Instead of being +knocked about and bullied, he was somewhat of a favourite among the men, +with whom, however, he was pretty free and easy in his way of talking; +but they liked him all the better for that. To the officers he was +always respectful, well-mannered, and, being very intelligent and +active, was consequently a favourite with them. + +We had on board four carronades and a long gun, as where we were going +it was necessary to have the means of defence, but they were stowed +below during the first part of the voyage. We had also a supply of +cutlasses, pistols, and boarding pikes for all hands, which ornamented +the fore bulk head of the main cabin, though occasionally taken down to +be cleaned and polished, so that they might be of use when wanted. + +Uncle Jack took great pains to teach me navigation, and, as I had learnt +mathematics at school, I was soon able to take a good observation with +my sextant and to work out the calculations correctly. A knowledge of +seamanship I found was not to be obtained so rapidly, though Crowfoot, +the boatswain, was always ready to give me instruction and express his +opinion how a vessel ought to be handled under all possible +circumstances, but a large amount of presence of mind, and what may be +called invention, has to be exercised on numerous occasions, for which +no rules can be laid down. + +"Now, Harry, you see wits is what a sailor wants. You've got learning, +and with learning you can pick up navigation pretty smartly. I haven't +got the learning, and so I can't get a mate's certificate; but I've got +the wits and have been many a long year at sea, and so I am fit for a +boatswain, and can take charge of a watch with any man," he remarked. + +The wind favouring us after we left the chops of the channel, we ran +into the north-east trades, which took us to within two or three degrees +of the equator; and after that we had the calms and heavy rains which +are invariably met with, and were sometimes wet to the skin, at others +roasted in the hot sun. No one suffered, however, and after getting out +of them, we picked up a fine south-east trade wind. This carried us +down to twenty-six degrees south. The meridian of the Cape was passed +about the fiftieth day after leaving the Lizard. We ran down our +easting on parallel forty south. The brig was going about eight knots +before the wind, when one morning there was a cry of "Man overboard!" + +Uncle Jack, who had been below, sprang up the companion-ladder, and, +looking over the side, saw that it was little Jem, who had fallen from +the fore yardarm. Ordering all hands to brace up the yards and the man +at the wheel to put down the helm, while he threw off his jacket, he +leaped overboard and struck out for the boy. + +"Heave a grating here!" he shouted. "Harry, don't come," and I, who was +on the point of following, did as he directed. + +The captain was on deck a moment afterwards and made ready to lower the +lee quarter boat. Every one on board, as may be supposed, was busy +pulling and hauling and bracing up the yards and backing the main +topsail, so that there was no time to see what had become of the first +mate and boy, but the captain had his eye upon them. It was sharp work, +for we knew the lives of our fellow-creatures depended upon our +exertions. I wished that I had possessed the strength of two men. As +soon as the brig was hove to, I took one glance to windward. I thought +I saw Uncle Jack and the boy, but I also saw what filled me with alarm, +a huge albatross flying above, apparently about to swoop down upon them. +It was but a glance, for I sprang over to the other side to jump into +the boat, eager to be among those going to save them. The second mate +was already in the boat, three other hands following. As soon as we got +under the stern of the brig, we saw the captain standing aft, pointing +in the direction we were to steer. The second mate, I thought, appeared +very cool. + +"Give way, lads," he shouted. "We shall be up to them before that bird +strikes either of them on the head, for it seems that is what he is +trying to do." + +A long rolling sea was running, and only when we were at the top of a +wave were those ahead of us visible to the mate, who stood up every now +and then the better to watch them. + +"There's that bird making another swoop!" he exclaimed, and soon +afterwards he cried out, "He has risen again. Give way, lads! He may +not have struck both." + +I did give way as may be supposed. If one had been struck, might it not +have been Uncle Jack! + +"He has hold of the grating at last!" cried the mate. "I see him waving +his hand. There comes the bird again!" + +Once more my heart sank within me. I could not turn round to look, or I +might have missed my stroke. The boat seemed to be making but fearfully +slow progress as I watched the brig rising to the seas, and as she +pitched into them, throwing the spray over her bows. There stood the +captain pointing with his hand, as if to encourage us to persevere. On +and on we pulled, I expecting every moment to hear the mate exclaim that +the albatross had made a fatal swoop. At last I heard a voice, though a +very weak one, cry, "Take the boy in first." + +I knew it was that of Uncle Jack; I saw him lift little Jem up while he +held on to the gunwale. The two men in the bow then hauled him in, and +next the grating on which he had supported himself. + +Uncle Jack sank down utterly exhausted. We passed the boy aft. He +seemed to be dead. We then dragged the first mate into the +stern-sheets, but could not attend to him, for we were compelled to keep +our oars going to get the boat round as soon as possible. Uncle Jack +lay without moving. I saw that one of his shoes was off. He presently +came to. His first thought was for the boy, whose hands and chest he +began to chafe as well as his weakness would allow. + +The second mate, I thought, might have spared a hand to help him, but he +looked on, it seemed to me, with indifference, jealous that the first +mate should have behaved so gallantly, or--although I tried to put the +thought from me--angry that he had escaped. We pulled away until +rounding the stern of the brig, we got alongside, when a cheer burst +from the crew as they saw that we had the first mate and little Jem +safe. Eager hands stood by to lift them or board, for even Uncle Jack +was still too weak to help himself. While the boat was being hoisted up +the captain directed Mr Blyth and me to carry the boy into his own +cabin, he and two of the men following with the first mate, who was +placed in his own berth. We, in the meantime, had got the boy's clothes +off him and had wrapped him up in a dry blanket, while we kept chafing +his chest, arms, and feet until he breathed freely. He soon returned to +consciousness, and looking about him was much surprised to find where he +was. + +"Where's Mr Radburn? Oh, sir, have you got him safe?" was his first +question. + +He is all right, my lad. + +"It's that bird, sir; it's that bird, sir! Oh, save me from it!" he +continued crying out. + +"The bird won't hurt you, and Mr Radburn is safe in his cabin, I hope," +answered Mr Blyth, in a kind voice. + +As soon as I could I went to see how the first mate was getting on. He +had swallowed a cup of hot tea, for we were just going to breakfast, and +this had greatly restored him; and though the captain had advised him to +be still, he was putting on his dry clothes, and in a short time joined +us at table. + +Uncle Jack said that he had felt the tips of the bird's wing pass over +his head each time that it swooped down, but that he had taken off his +shoe and attempted to defend himself, until the bird had seized upon it +and carried it off. "It will find the shoe a tough morsel to digest," +he added, laughing; "but truly I have reason to thank God that it did +not strike either little Jem or me with its sharp beak, and I was so +exhausted that if the boat hadn't come up when she did, I should have +been unable to keep him longer at bay." + +Either Mr Blyth or I stayed by "Little Jem" all day, the captain and +first mate every now and then looking in. By night he was well enough +to be removed to his own berth forward, where the men promised to look +after him. + +The captain and Mr Blyth complimented the first mate on his gallant +conduct, but he seemed to think he had done nothing out of the way. + +"There is one thing a man should consider before he jumps overboard, and +that is, whether there is too much sea on to allow of a boat being +lowered, for if there is he will not only lose his own life, but cause +the loss of others," observed the captain. "It is a hard matter, +however, to lay down a rule. Still it is very certain that we should do +our best to save the lives of our fellow-creatures." + +We once sighted an island, which I believe was one of the Crozet group. +In rather over three months we entered the Straits of Sunda, when, as we +were approaching shores the inhabitants of which were addicted to +piracy, we got up our guns from the hold and mounted them, and +overhauled our firearms. Before long we had a good chance of requiring +them, for when running through the Straits of Banca, between that island +and Sumatra--while nearly becalmed--we made out three large prahus full +of people, pulling towards us. Whether their intentions were friendly +or the reverse we could not ascertain, but we certainly did not like +their looks; a breeze, however, sprang up and we stood on our course. +Soon afterwards we came in sight of the fine town of Singapore, founded +in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who made it a free port. At that +period a wretched village stood on its site, the neighbouring harbour +being the rendezvous only of a few trading prahus. It is now a +magnificent city, and upwards of a thousand square-rigged vessels anchor +annually in the roads. On the hills beyond it can be seen the +residences of the merchants, surrounded by plantations of spice-trees, +while excellent roads with bridges over the streams run in all +directions. + +Besides English churches and chapels, there are Chinese Joss houses, +Hindoo temples, and Mohammedan mosques, while large numbers of Chinese +and Malay cottages form the suburbs. The Chinese are here seen in +considerable numbers, being the most industrious part of the population, +and include many wealthy merchants. There are Klings from Western +India; Arabs, chiefly shop-keepers; Parsee merchants; Bengalese, mostly +grooms and washmen; Japanese sailors, many of whom are also domestic +servants; Portuguese clerks, and traders from Celebes, Boli, and other +islands of the vast archipelago. + +Having discharged part of our cargo, we took on board such articles as +we heard were in demand among the natives with whom we hoped to open up +a trade. In the interval Mr Blyth proposed that he and I should make a +trip into the interior. We could not, however, go far, for the island +is only about twenty-seven miles in length and eleven in breadth. We +were particularly warned not to venture into the forest, as we should +run a great risk of being carried off by tigers, large numbers of which +infest the jungles, and, it is said, kill a Chinaman a day, they being +the chief workers in the plantations. The captain gave me leave to +accompany the supercargo, and we hired two small Timor ponies for our +excursion. We had not got far when we met a party of men carrying +between them the skin of a large tiger, propped up on a sort of platform +formed of bamboos, looking very fierce, with its mouth open and tail on +end. They were on their way to the government office to receive the +reward given for every animal killed, just as payment was made in former +years in England for the head of each wolf put out of existence. The +animal had been caught in a pit covered over with sticks and leaves, the +usual mode in which they are trapped. We kept a sharp look-out, with +our pistols ready to shoot a tiger should one attack us. We heard +several roars, and a huge beast crossed the road in front of us. After +this we did not feel altogether comfortable, expecting every moment that +it would spring out from the jungle and carry off one or both of us. + +We returned to the city, however, without an actual encounter. I cannot +stop further to describe this interesting place. In a few days we +sailed for George Town on the eastern side of the island of Penang, the +seat of Government of the British possessions in the Straits of Malacca, +Penang is larger than Singapore, a considerable portion being rocky, and +those most industrious of mortals, the Chinese, form the chief part of +the population. After discharging the cargo we had brought from England +for this place, we again sailed, steering through the straits of +Singapore for the eastward. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +We were bound for Kuching, the capital town of the province of Sarawak +in Borneo, where Mr Brooke, who went out in 1839 in his yacht the +"Royalist," had, by his judgment and intrepidity, established a thriving +community, of which he had been appointed the chief or rajah. The +captain and supercargo had mapped out our future course. This was to be +along the north coast of Borneo, through the Sooloo archipelago, across +the sea of Celebes to the coast of Papua, and thence through the Banda +sea to Timor, whence we were to return home along the southern coast of +Java. It took two days to get up to Kuching, the capital of the +province of Sarawak, after we had entered the mouth of the river on the +banks of which it stands. On either side were hills covered with +jungle, with here and there clearings where the peaceably-disposed +natives had established themselves. + +Mr Blyth and I had an opportunity, in company with a gentleman who was +making a shooting expedition, of taking a trip into the interior. I +wish that I could describe the magnificent vegetation, the gigantic +trees, and the curious animals we saw. One of the most curious was the +mias. What is a mias? will be asked. It is the native name of the +far-famed ourang-outang, the principal wild inhabitants of this region. +We were proceeding through the forest, with our guns, when one of our +Dyak companions came running up to tell us that he had seen a mias, and +that if we made haste we might be in time to shoot it. + +We hurried on, the Dyak leading the way, until we entered a thick +jungle. He pointed to a tree far above our heads. Upon looking up we +saw a great hairy body and a huge black face gazing down upon us, as if +wondering what strange creatures we could be. Mr Blyth and our friend +fired; whether they had hit the mias we could not tell, but it began to +move away among the higher branches at a rapid rate. Led by the Dyak we +followed, when again we caught sight of it on the branch of a tree, +where it remained for a minute or more. By this time we were joined by +several other Dyaks, whose shouts appeared to frighten the +ourang-outang, which tried to get along the edge of the forest by some +lower trees, keeping, however, beyond the reach of our rifles. The +Dyaks, flourishing their weapons, rushed on ahead of us hoping to have +the honour of killing the monster. We had lost sight of them for a few +seconds, when we heard fearful shrieks and shouts, and running forward, +we saw that the mias had either voluntarily descended the tree, or had +fallen to the ground, and had rushed at one of the natives, who, unable +to escape, was standing with his spear ready to defend himself. We were +afraid in attempting to kill the mias that we might shoot the native, +when, just as the creature was about to seize the man with its mouth and +formidable claws, our friend fired and the animal fell, shot through the +heart. + +On measuring the mias, from the top of its head to its heel, we found +that it was four feet two inches long, while its outstretched arms +measured seven feet three inches across. Its head and body were of the +size of a man's, the legs being very short in proportion. This mias was +of the larger species, many being under four feet high, and some of the +females not more than three feet six inches. + +We saw a frog, with large web feet and inflated body, fly from the top +of a tall tree. It was about four inches long, the back and limbs of a +shining black hue, with yellow beneath. Our friend had promised us a +rich treat at supper, and he produced a fruit which he told us was the +Durian. It was of the size of a large cocoa-nut, the husk of a green +colour, and covered all over with short stout spines. It grows on a +lofty tree, somewhat resembling the elm. It falls immediately it is +ripe; but the outer rind is so tough that it is never broken by the +fall. There are marks which show where it may be divided into five +portions; these are of a satin whiteness, and each one is filled with an +oval mass of cream-coloured pulp, in which are two or three seeds about +the size of chestnuts. This pulp is the eatable part. Its consistency +is that of a rich custard. As to describing its taste, that is more +than I can do. It is not acid, nor is it sweet, nor juicy, but yet, as +we ate it, we agreed that none of these qualities were wanting, and that +it was the most delicious fruit we had ever met with. The Mangosteen, +which comes to perfection in Borneo, is another splendid fruit of a +sub-acid flavour, better known than the Durian. But I must not stop to +give long descriptions either of the animals or fruits we met with. +Blyth and I had to return, as we could not long be absent from the brig. + +Often had the now smiling plantations through which we passed been +plundered by blood-thirsty pirates, and the heads of their inhabitants +carried off. A visitor on board gave us dreadful accounts of the +atrocities committed by the pirates in the seas through which we were to +sail. + +"We will show them that they had better not attack us," observed Captain +Haiselden, pointing to our guns. "The `Lily' is a match for all their +fleets put together." + +"Not if the `Lily' is caught at anchor or in a calm; you may then find +that they are too much for her," was the answer. "These prahus often +carry sixty men or more, with guns and small arms, and you would find it +no easy matter, were you to be attacked, to beat them off." + +"They'll not stop us; but we will keep a bright look-out for them," +answered Captain Haiselden. + +We had a fine breeze as we ran along the coast of Borneo, and although +we saw in the distance not a few long suspicious-looking prahus, we +sailed too fast for them to overtake us. We saw one of these crafts +lately captured, which had been brought to Kuching. She was about +ninety feet in length, and of proportionate beam. In the bow she +carried a long twelve-pounder gun, and six swivels on each broadside, +besides which she had thirty or forty rifles or muskets on board, and +other small arms, swords, pistols, and pikes. She pulled eighty oars in +two tiers, and had had a crew of a hundred men. Over the rowers, +extending the whole length of the vessel, was a light flat roof composed +of fine strips of bamboo covered with matting, which, notwithstanding +its lightness, was very strong. This deck served as a platform, on +which the fighting men stand to fire their muskets or hurl their spears, +while the rowers below them sit cross-legged on a shelf projecting +outwards from the bends of the vessel. + +The Dyak piratical vessels are called "Bang Kongs." Although they are a +hundred feet in length by ten in beam, they draw but little water, and +are both light and faster than the Malay prahus. They have long +overhanging stems and sterns, are propelled by eighty paddles, and are +as swift as any craft afloat. Some mount a few small swivels, and each +carries a certain number of Malays armed with muskets, besides which +they have their regular crew of Dyaks, whose weapons are spears. From +drawing so little water they are much dreaded, as they can run up the +shallowest river, when their savage crews, landing, commit most horrible +atrocities on the inhabitants living near the banks. + +We had left Sarawak about three days, when it fell almost calm; still +the vessel was making some way through the water. I was stationed +forward to keep a look-out. As I turned my eyes around the horizon +ahead I fancied that I could distinguish what appeared just like a small +number of black dots rising above it. Before I sang out, however, +asking the boatswain, who had come on the forecastle to take my place, I +ran aloft, with a spy-glass slung to my back, to satisfy myself whether +I was right or not. Reaching the fore-topmast cross-trees, I took a +steady look in the direction I had seen the dots I was convinced that +they were prahus, though whether large or small I could not be certain, +pulling towards the coast of Borneo. I counted six altogether. On my +return I went aft to report what I had seen to the captain. + +"We will keep away a little, and pass astern of them. They may possibly +not have seen us, or if they have, they'll think it prudent not to come +nearer." + +The first mate on hearing my report also went aloft, and on his return +corroborated it. I confess that I felt somewhat uneasy at the sight of +these vessels. They might be peaceable traders, but they might be +pirates, who, should they find us becalmed, might try to obtain a rich +booty such as our vessel would afford them. + +I was surprised that my uncle and the captain took the matter so coolly. +I watched the strangers until they were no longer to be seen from the +deck. After some time we again hauled up and stood on our course to the +eastward. Later in the day, on going aloft, I again caught sight of the +prahus, as I believed them to be, but as they were very low in the +water, they were scarcely visible to any but a sharp pair of eyes, such +as I possessed. + +In the afternoon I was taking a turn on deck with Mr Blyth, the captain +and first mate being below, and the third mate in charge of the brig, +when I observed a small cloud coming up on the port bow. + +"There's wind in that cloud, I'm sure," I said to my companion. "I'll +point it out to the mate, for he doesn't seem to see it." I did so. + +"That's all you know about the matter, youngster," he answered in a +scornful tone. + +"We shall be taken aback if we don't shorten sail, and I don't know what +will happen," I remarked to Blyth, when I rejoined him. "I have a good +mind to run down and tell the first mate." + +Scarcely had I said this, and was about to spring down the +companion-hatch, when Mr Ling sang out-- + +"Ready, about ship!" + +The helm was put down, the yards were being braced round, and the brig's +head brought to the wind, when, as I looked up, I saw every sail aback. +At that moment I heard the voice of the captain, who had just come on +deck, shouting, "All hands shorten sail and save ship," but the order +was given too late. The squall I had seen coming up just then struck +her, and in one moment, with a fearful crash, the main-mast fell. I +should have been crushed had I not by tumbling head first down the +hatchway avoided it; the next instant the foremast followed, and the +bob-stays giving way, dragged the bowsprit on board. The moment the +crash was heard the first mate sprang up the companion-ladder shooting +me with his head on deck again. I looked round expecting to see many of +the crew killed. My eye first fell on Mr Blyth, who was holding on by +a stanchion, and apparently uninjured. The second mate, too, excepting +a blow on the shoulder, had escaped, while of the crew, though they +looked very much astonished, not a man was seriously hurt. Several of +them, indeed, who had been below, had only rushed up on hearing the +crash of the falling masts. They were gazing with open eyes on the +utterly dismantled state of the brig, lately so taunt and trim, waiting +for the captain's orders what to do. But what had become of him? He +was nowhere to be seen. At first I feared that he had been knocked +overboard, but as I looked about I caught sight of a man's legs sticking +out from under a mass of sails and rigging. Knowing that it must be the +captain, I ran to drag him out, calling on Blyth to assist me. + +We soon got him free, but he did not move; we feared that he was dead. +At Blyth's suggestion, with the help of two of the men, we carried him +below and placed him on his bed. + +Greatly to our relief he in a short time began to show signs of life. + +"He will soon come round," said Blyth; "I will watch him, so do you go +on deck, Harry, where I am sure you will be wanted, and tell the first +mate how he is getting on." + +I hurried up, and reported the captain's state to my uncle. + +"Thank heaven!" he exclaimed; "I had no wish to take his place, but I +must attend to the work before us--we have plenty of it." + +He then turned round to the bewildered crew-- + +"We must first haul in all the gear trailing overboard, my lads, and +then get up jury-masts," he shouted out, hurrying along the deck to +examine the state of things forward. + +Having got the spars and rigging on board, we commenced unbending the +sails and unreefing and coiling away the ropes. As we got the yards +free we stowed them amidships, that we might use those of them which +were most suitable for jury-masts. The wind had in the meantime been +increasing, and the sea was getting up. All we could do was to keep the +vessel before it, while we laboured hard to rig a jury-mast forward that +we might, as soon as possible, get sail on the brig to steady her. She +was now rolling fearfully, and it was with difficulty even that we could +keep our feet. I looked out more than once in the direction where I had +seen the prahus, fearing that should they discover our present +defenceless condition they might attack us, for although we might fight +our guns it would be at a great disadvantage. + +The gale blew harder and harder. I had not heard for what port the +first mate intended to steer, though I of course knew that he would +endeavour to make one as soon as possible, either Sarawak or Singapore; +but as the gale was at present blowing us away from both of them until +we could get up jury-masts and haul our wind it would be impossible to +reach either the one or the other. There were numerous dangers in the +way which would at all events have to be encountered. + +We were moving sluggishly on amid the fast rising seas, when I saw an +object in the water, still at a considerable distance ahead. Now it +appeared on the summit of a sea, now it sank into a hollow. It looked +so much like the wreck of a vessel that I reported it to the first mate. + +"Maybe some unfortunate craft capsized by the squall, a fate which might +have been ours had not the masts given way," he observed. "We'll +endeavour to keep close to her in case any of the crew may have escaped +and be clinging to the wreck." + +As we got nearer I jumped up on the forecastle, when I saw that the +object was a vessel of some sort, but not an European craft. She was a +prahu, probably one of the fleet we had before seen. In a short time I +perceived that there was some one on board clinging to the stern, which +was the highest part out of water. + +I at once told the first mate. He and the second mate held a short +consultation as to the best means of rescuing the person--pirate as he +might be, we could not leave him to perish. + +Some spars had been lashed to the stump of the foremast on which a royal +had been set, and this enabled us to have the brig somewhat under +command. Ropes were got ready to heave to the man. The boatswain, who +took the helm, steered the vessel so as to pass close to the wreck +without the danger of running her down. Immediately the brig's side +touched her a rope was hove to the man, who was standing up ready to +catch it. + +"Haul away!" he shouted, as he clutched it firmly, and several willing +hands being ready to haul him in. The next instant he was on board the +brig, while the wreck, bounding off from us, dropped aft, about, it +seemed, to plunge beneath the foaming seas. + +"Why, my lad, who are you?" asked the first mate, who had assisted him +on board. + +"I am an Englishman," was the answer of the stranger, but he in vain +tried to say more. + +"Though you are pretty well sun-burnt, you have an Englishman's face +sure enough, though you seem to have lost the use of your tongue." + +"Long, long time no talk English," replied the man, who seemed to +understand pretty clearly what was said to him. We had too much to do, +however, to spend time in asking him questions. + +Before night we had some spars lashed to the stump of the main-mast, +which enabled us to set a little after sail and bring the vessel to. + +It was of the greatest importance not to run further eastward. Happily +the wind shifted, and getting the vessel's head round we steered for +Singapore. The gale, too, began to abate, and the sea to go down, so +that we were able to carry on our work with less difficulty than had +before been the case. The dangers in our course were numerous, but we +hoped, by constant vigilance, to avoid them. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +We had an anxious time of it as we made our way back to Singapore, +between islands innumerable and coral reefs below water, on which it was +often with difficulty we avoided running. The first mate was seldom off +the deck, and Crowfoot, the boatswain, showed that he did not boast +without justice of his seamanship. + +It is on such occasions that a sailor has an opportunity of proving what +he is made of. The wind continued fair and the weather fine, or our +difficulties would have been greatly increased. The less I say of the +second mate the better. Uncle Jack did not trust him, and while it was +his watch on deck constantly sent me up, or made an excuse for running +up himself to see how matters were going on. He insisted also on taking +his share in attending on our poor captain, who remained in his berth +unable to move, and, as we feared, in a very precarious state. Blyth +and I assisted in nursing him, but the second mate, through whose +carelessness the brig had been dismasted and the captain injured, +refused to take the slightest trouble to help us--indeed, he kept out of +the cabin altogether. The young man we had rescued from the Malay prahu +gradually regained his recollection of English, but from the first he +showed an unwillingness to talk about himself, and I observed that he +kept aloof as much as possible from the crew. When I asked his name he +said it was Ned Light, that he had been wrecked somewhere to the +eastward, and, narrowly escaping with his life, had been taken prisoner +by the pirates, who had kept him ever since in bondage. He appeared to +be more ready to talk to little Jem than to any one else, and the two +were constantly together. When I tried to find out from the boy what +account Ned gave of himself, Jem was remarkably reticent. At length, +however, one day he said, "He seems to be afraid of some of the men, +sir. He thinks that they intend to do him harm, but I cannot find out +why he has got that idea into his head. I told him that he might trust +you and the first mate, but he only answers, `Better not talk.'" + +All had gone well in consequence of the constant watchfulness and +untiring efforts of the first mate, when, as we were within about four +days' sail of our destination, while rigging out a boom on which to set +a square sail, one of our best hands, Dick Mason, fell overboard. The +brig was running about four knots through the water, and as Mason could +swim well, no one felt much apprehension about his safety. The sails +were instantly clewed up, and the only boat which had escaped injury was +at once lowered. Ned and I, with Crowfoot, the boatswain, and two other +hands jumped into her and pulled away towards our shipmate, who was +striking out boldly to meet us. Before the boat was lowered, however, +the brig had run some distance, and we had a considerable way to go. +Just as I was going down the side I saw a black fin rising above the +surface, passing close under the stern. The boatswain I knew had seen +it too, for he urged us to use our utmost exertions to reach Mason, and +sang out to him to keep splashing about with all his might. We did our +best, making the oars bend again. We were within half a cable's length +of the poor fellow, when a fearful shriek reached our ears. I +instinctively turned round just in time to see his head disappear +beneath the bright surface. There was a ripple where he went down, and +as we got up to the spot and looked into the depths of the ocean we +could see a struggling human form surrounded by a ruddy tinge, and the +glittering white of the shark's lower jaws. Ned, who was in the bows, +plunged down his boat-hook, but Mason's hands were already far below the +point he could reach. The next instant the shark had disappeared with +its prey. + +All hope of recovering even the body of our poor shipmate was gone, and +we returned with sad hearts on board. + +"He is a great loss to us," remarked the boatswain. "He was one of the +men I could always trust, and that's more than I can say of some of the +rest." + +"But Tim Howlett and Trinder are smart hands, surely?" I observed. + +"They may be, but I don't like their goings on. If others trust them, +it's more than I do." + +"I am sorry to hear you say that of the men," I remarked. "I fancied +that they were about the best men we have on board." + +"You haven't seen as much of them as I have, or you wouldn't say that of +them," replied the boatswain. + +"I'll give a hint to the first mate of what you think," I said. + +"No use in doing that. He generally has his weather eye open, but he's +too generous to believe evil of a man unless he has strong proof. You +must leave him to find the matter out for himself." + +At last we sighted the island of Singapore. Instead, however, of +bringing up before the town we made a signal for three boats, which +towed us into the new harbour. There we came to an anchor close to the +shore, and were able to refit much more rapidly than we could have done +in any other place. Our crew generally laboured away from sunrise to +sunset without complaining. But Howlett and Trinder grumbled at the +additional work they had to perform. The second mate seemed always out +of humour, and went about his duty in a listless fashion, frequently +abusing the men without any cause for so doing. The captain, who was +getting better, would not allow himself to be taken on shore to the +hospital, asserting that he was much more comfortable on board with Mr +Radburn, Blyth, and me to look after him, than he should be there. We, +however, persuaded him to let us send for a doctor, who came, and, +greatly to our relief, assured us that he was going on favourably, +although it might be a long time before he would be able to attend to +his duty on deck. The first mate had asked Ned if he would enter in +place of Mason, but he did not--as I thought he would have been glad to +do--accept the offer. + +I spoke to him, advising him to remain, assuring him that he would be +well treated. + +"The first mate and boatswain are kind to me, but I think, sir, I had +better ship on board another vessel homeward-bound," he replied. + +I asked him, however, to remain a day or two, which he agreed to do. +Next morning, when the hands were mustered for work, Howlett and Trinder +were not to be found. I was sent on shore to look for them, it being +supposed that they were not far off, but after a long search I had to +return on board and say that I could not find them. There was a creek a +little way off lined with mangrove bushes. The captain therefore +directed Mr Blyth and me to take one of the boats and pull up it with +four hands, all of us well-armed, thinking that the deserters might have +concealed themselves somewhere on its banks, hoping to get an +opportunity of making their way over to Singapore. + +We had got a short distance up the creek when I saw a vast number of +dark objects hanging to the bows of the mangrove trees. + +"Are those things fruit, or are they the nests of birds?" I asked, +pointing them out to Mr Blyth. + +"Neither one nor the other," he answered: "those are bats, or, as they +here are called, flying foxes. As we return they will be on the move, +and you will then see what they are like." + +"I will take the present opportunity," I answered, and steering the boat +closer in to the shore I observed that there were thousands and tens of +thousands of the creatures hanging by their claws to the boughs in a +most curious manner as thick as a swarm of bees. With a boat-hook we +pulled off two or three, which falling inboard were picked up. They +showed, however, no fear, nor did they make any attempt to escape, but +licked our hands and appeared perfectly at ease. The head was like that +of a miniature fox, and the skin was beautifully soft. Blyth told me +that they live upon fruit, large quantities of which they consume. On +reaching the head of the creek we found a hut, in or about which it was +supposed that the runaways might have concealed themselves, but we could +discover no traces of them, and consequently judged that it would be +useless to search further in that direction. + +The dusk of evening had come over as we pulled down the creek, and the +bats had begun to stir. Presently the whole air was filled with them as +they took their flight towards the plantations where they were about to +forage. They looked, with their wings stretched out, of wonderfully +large size, so as literally to darken the sky. + +The next day passed and still we could hear nothing of the two men. The +captain on this sent Blyth and me over to Singapore, where we found that +they had entered on board a homeward-bound ship and had sailed. With +the assistance of the agent we succeeded in replacing them by two other +Englishmen, and we also engaged four Lascars, fine active-looking +fellows, who were likely to prove of much use, as they could endure the +heat of the sun better than could our own men. + +The captain inquired whether the man we had picked up had entered. + +"He has been working very steadily," answered the first mate, "but Harry +shall ask him if he intends to remain." + +When the men knocked off work I went forward to speak to him. + +"Well, Ned, what have you determined on?" I asked; "the captain wishes +to know whether you will enter." + +"I will very gladly do so, Mr Harry," he answered. "I like you and the +first officer, and as I have no friends at home who care for me, I am in +no hurry to get back to old England." + +"Why were you unwilling to enter before?" I inquired. + +"Well, sir, I don't mind telling you now. It was on account of those +two fellows, Howlett and Trinder. I have served with them before, and +us I know a thing or two about them, and that they are mutinous, +ill-disposed rascals, I was afraid that they would find me out, and some +dark night heave me overboard, or knock me on the head." + +"On board what ship did you serve with them?" I asked. + +"On board the `Amphion,'" he answered. "They and several others of the +crew, tarred with the same brush, stole a boat and deserted from her, +leaving us so short-handed that, one of the officers and two other hands +being washed overboard, when the ship caught in a typhoon we were unable +to manage her, and she drove on a reef and was lost, we who remained +scarcely escaping with our lives." + +"The `Amphion!'" I exclaimed, much astonished. "Why, that was my +father's ship! Did you say the captain escaped?" + +"Yes; all of us, except one poor fellow, got safely on shore, but it was +a wild place, and we found ourselves among savages, who threatened to +take our lives, but they did not, though they ill-treated us, and made +us work for them." + +"Do you think the captain is still alive? Can you pilot us to the +place?" I inquired eagerly. + +"All I can say is that the captain was well in health, though sadly cast +down, when I last saw him," answered Ned. "As to finding the spot where +we were wrecked, that is what I fear I cannot do, for I don't know even +the name of the country; and as I am ignorant of navigation, and was +soon afterwards carried away by the Malay pirates, who took me about +with them from place to place, I have lost all reckoning, though I +calculate that it was somewhere away to the eastward. I think, however, +that I should know the country if I saw it again, though these islands +are so much like one another that I could not be certain; but do you +say, sir, that you are Captain Musgrave's son? I have only heard you +called Mr Harry, and I did not know it before, or I should have spoken +to you." + +"Yes, Captain Musgrave, who commanded the `Amphion,' was my father, and +we have long given him up for lost," I replied. "Do you think that he +remained at the place where the ship was wrecked, or was he carried off +by the pirates?" + +"He was not carried off by those who took us, for he and the first mate +and two seamen had gone up the country, and so escaped. Three others +were taken with me, but what became of them I do not know, may be they +were drowned or krissed by the Malays, as I never saw them again; +indeed, it is a wonder that I am alive, seeing what I have gone through. +The fellows who first got hold of me did not keep me long, but sold me +to another gang. They and I were afterwards wrecked, and when we were +trying to make our escape on board some canoes we had built, we were +overtaken by another fleet of pirates, who killed most of my companions. +They spared my life, but sold me after some time to the people to whom +the prahu belonged, from the wreck of which you picked me up." + +"You must come aft and narrate what you have told me to the first mate," +I said. + +I ran down to tell the captain and first mate, who directed me to bring +Ned below, that they might hear his story. Having cross-questioned him +far more than I had done, they were perfectly satisfied that he had +spoken the truth, though they found it impossible to make out where the +`Amphion' had been wrecked. They put a chart before him, but he was +utterly unable to guess where the wreck had occurred, or even to point +out Singapore, where we then were. Thus we were left in doubt whether +the `Amphion' had been lost on the coast of Borneo or on that of Celebes +or Gillolo, or even as far east as New Guinea. + +Ned's account made my uncle and me more eager than ever to continue the +voyage. The captain fully entered into our feelings, but at the same +time he felt that it was his duty to attend to the interests of the +owners, and to visit only the places where trade could be carried on. +The Dutch, who hold possession of Java and many of the Spice Islands to +the eastward, throw so many difficulties in the way of commerce for the +sake of keeping it in their own hands, that the captain had been +directed not to visit any of their ports if he could avoid doing so. +Our object therefore was to trade chiefly with the natives, from whom we +were more likely to learn something about the wreck of the "Amphion" +than from the Dutch, for it was considered that if they had had any +communication with the survivors of her crew, means would have been +found to send home an account of the occurrence. Now, as I have said, +nothing had been heard of the "Amphion" when we left England, nearly +four years after the time it was supposed she had been lost, beyond the +statement made by the two men who said they had escaped from her. Ned's +account showed that the owners were right in their conjectures as to the +possibility of her having been cast on some desert shore, instead of +having gone down, as was more generally believed, in a typhoon. By +working night and day, we at length got the "Lily" _ataunto_, and we +were thankful when being towed cut of harbour we found ourselves with a +fair wind standing to the eastward. We had the same dangers of coral +reefs, sand banks, and low islands to encounter as before, but we were +in a better condition now to avoid them. + +Having passed the island of Labuan--since taken possession of by the +English--on the north-west of Borneo, we stood along the coast until we +rounded the northern end of that large island. To give some idea of the +size of Borneo, I may say that the whole of England, Ireland, and +Scotland, with the Orkney and Shetland Islands, would fit inside it, +leaving a very wide margin all round in addition. We were talking about +the inhabitants, when Uncle Jack observed-- + +"With the exception of Sarawak in the west, the whole of this +magnificent country is in a state of barbarism. The few Malay +settlements along the coast are but very slightly removed from the same +condition. It is said that the chief delight of the Dyak tribes, who +inhabit the interior as well as the larger part of the coast and the +banks of the rivers, is to attack their neighbours for the sake of +obtaining heads, and that no lover can present himself before his +intended bride until he offers her one of those gory trophies as a proof +of his prowess. The greater the number of heads he can present, the +more willing the damsel becomes to receive his advances. +Notwithstanding such a peculiar custom, the Dyaks possess many excellent +qualities. They are said to be truthful and honest, generally +intelligent, kind tempered and mild, and tolerably industrious; superior +indeed in many respects to the Malays and Chinese, who cheat and plunder +them. + +"While we are opening up Africa, it seems to me that we should make an +effort to civilise and carry the blessings of Christianity to the +numberless inhabitants of Borneo beyond the province of Sarawak." + +We passed through the Straits of Balabac, between Borneo and the long +island of Palawan into the Sooloo Sea, said to be infested by pirates, +who have little difficulty in escaping pursuit among the numerous +islands to the south, forming the Looloo Archipelago. To the east of us +were the Philippine islands, owned and misgoverned by the Spaniards. + +We, however, kept along the coast of Borneo, and though pirates might +have swarmed in its bays and rivers, we were fortunate in not falling in +with any. We met, however, several traders, Chinese as well as Malay, +from whom we made inquiries through Ned respecting the wreck of an +English vessel in those seas. Blyth also endeavoured to obtain +information as to where the articles we wished to procure were most +likely to be obtained. The captain of one of the Malay vessels came on +board us to do some trading on his own account. As he seemed inclined +to be communicative, we put several questions to him through Ned, who +was evidently highly interested in the replies he received. + +To our questions as to what the Malay said, Ned replied, "He tells me, +sir, that he has heard of several white men being at a village on the +banks of a large river some way up from the coast. As far as I can make +out, they have been there a long time, and the natives won't let them +get away. The people he speaks of may be Captain Musgrave and some of +my old shipmates; but yet it does not seem to me from the sort of +country he describes that it can be near the place where the `Amphion' +was lost." + +We told Ned to inquire if one of the men belonging to the prahu would be +willing to pilot us up the river, promising him a handsome reward if he +would do so, and undertaking to set him on shore at any place he might +name which we could reach. For this purpose the first mate, Blyth, and +I, taking Ned, went with the Malay captain on board his vessel. +Summoning his crew, he explained the object of our visit and the offer +which had been made. After a long palaver a man stepped out and +expressed his readiness to accompany us. The Malay captain, after a +short talk with the man, introduced him to us, saying that his name was +Kalong, that he was well acquainted with the coast and an experienced +sailor, as indeed are most of the Malays of the archipelago. This +matter, with which all parties were pleased, being settled, we returned +to the "Lily," and sail was made for the part of the coast where Kalong +informed us we should find the mouth of the river. We hove to soon +after sunset that we might not pass the spot during the night. + +When Kalong came on deck at daybreak, we once more stood in for the +coast. The wind, however, was light, so that we made but little +progress. He pointed to the southward, indicating that we must steer in +that direction. At length, to our great joy, we saw what was evidently +the mouth of a large river, fringed thickly with mangrove trees. + +Ned shook his head. "That's not where the `Amphion' was cast away," he +remarked, as we stood towards it. "Still it may be, notwithstanding, +that our friends are up there. Kalong says that there is water enough +for the brig all the way up to the village, but he thinks it would be +wiser to anchor just within the mouth and let only the boats go up, as +the wind might fail us and we might have a hard job to get out again. +As it is a long pull he also advises that the boats should leave the +brig in the evening, so as to get to the place the next day." + +This advice exactly agreed with what the first mate thought best, and +Captain Haiselden, whom he consulted, was of the same opinion. We +accordingly, the wind favouring us, stood on and brought up just inside +the mouth, which formed a beautiful harbour. We lost no time in getting +ready for our expedition. Two boats were lowered, each pulling four +oars, the crews consisting of four Englishmen and four Lascars, besides +Kalong and Ned, the first mate and I going in one and Mr Blyth and the +boatswain in the other. We were all well-armed, and had provisions for +a couple of days. We also carried a number of articles for trading with +the natives, whom we hoped, from Kalong's account, to find friendly. + +We had thus left but a small number of men on board, but as the brig was +in a safe place, the captain, trusting to Kalong's report, considered +that there was no risk of her being attacked by pirates. I heard him +tell the first mate, however, when we went into his cabin to wish him +good-bye, that he should have a sharp look-out kept, the guns loaded, +and all hands armed in case of accident; and, he added, "Remember, +Radburn, that you are to run no unnecessary risk; don't trust the +natives too much, and keep your party well together if you land, so as +to be able to get back to the boats. Kalong may be a very honest +fellow, but it is as well not to rely too much on him. If you hear of +any Englishmen being in the village or neighbourhood, get Kalong to open +up a communication with them, and send a written note to ask who they +are." + +"Aye, aye, sir!" answered Uncle Jack; "you may depend upon my +discretion." + +I naturally felt very eager, for I had persuaded myself that we should +certainly find my father, notwithstanding Ned's doubts. I do not think +my uncle was quite so sanguine, still he was very willing to undertake +the expedition. We had on board a small light canoe, which we had +brought from Singapore, large enough to carry two or three people, but +easily paddled by one. At the last moment it was determined to carry +this canoe with us, as she could tow astern, and might be of great use +in sending ahead to act as a scout. + +As soon as everything was ready we shoved off, our shipmates remaining +on board, giving us three hearty cheers as we pulled away. We found +that the river made several bends, so that in a short time we were out +of sight of the brig. + +As we passed close, sometimes to one bank, sometimes to the other, we +could hear the cooing of pigeons, the shrill call of peahens, and the +notes of many song birds; above which rose the chattering of troops of +monkeys, while parrots and other gaily-coloured birds flew from bough to +bough. The monkeys occasionally showed themselves, leaping along the +branches, often running out to those above our heads and uttering hoarse +cries, as if ordering us away from their domains, grinning fiercely at +us, hooting and chattering, and shaking the boughs in their indignation. + +We had got up some distance, and calculated that it would be dark in the +course of a short time, when, having entered another reach, we saw +before us on the right hand shore an opening in which were several huts, +of a construction common in that country, being erected on tall posts +with a ladder leading to them. + +Kalong said that he was not aware of any village being there, and that +it had probably not long been established. As we could see only three +huts, and as there were not likely to be many inhabitants, he and Ned +offered to go on shore and obtain information, while we remained in the +boats with our arms ready for use, should the natives show any signs of +hostility. Uncle Jack, however, directed us to keep our weapons +concealed, while we had, besides the English ensign, a white flag flying +in the bows of our boat. + +Blyth, on hearing of the plan, wished to land, and my uncle, after a +little hesitation, gave me leave to accompany him, provided we kept +behind Kalong and Ned until they had ascertained the character of the +people. We accordingly at once pulled in for the bank. Kalong and Ned +sprang on shore, Blyth and I fallowing. We had pistols in our belts, +and each wore a sword; but, as the Malays all go armed, such weapons +were not likely to make them suppose that we were otherwise than +peaceably disposed. + +We had not proceeded far, when several Dyaks, who had apparently been +watching us from their elevated dwellings, came down the ladders which +led from them to the ground, and made friendly gestures, inviting us to +advance. The men wore waist cloths of blue cotton which hung down +behind, and were bordered with blue, white, and red. Their heads were +bound with handkerchiefs of the same colours. They wore earrings of +brass, and heavy necklaces of black and white beads. On their arms were +a number of rings of white shells or brass, their long shining black +hair hanging over their shoulders, and to their waists, secured by a +belt, was a pouch with materials for "betel" chewing. In the belt was +stuck a long slender knife, and most of the men held in their hands a +knife-headed spear. + +The women, who were better clothed than the men, wore coils of rattan to +which their petticoats were fastened round their waists, besides which +their arms and legs were ornamented with rings of brass wire, and their +heads by hats of curious shape, adorned with beads. They had generally +a pleasant expression of countenance, and appeared ready to afford us a +friendly welcome. + +Kalong and Ned at once entered into conversation with them, as they +seemed perfectly to understand each other. No information, however, +could be obtained about the white men of whom we had heard. Without +hesitation they came down to the boats, bringing some mats and other +articles which we purchased at a very moderate rate. They had also with +them some curious monkeys with enormous noses, faces of a brick-dust +colour, and about as ugly specimens of the monkey tribe as I ever saw. + +Their bodies were about three feet in length covered with thick fur, of +a bright chestnut-red. I am almost afraid to say how long their noses +were, but they stuck out with the nostrils at the tips and had certainly +a most curious appearance. The arms and legs had somewhat of a whitish +tinge, and the hands were grey rather than black. Ned told us that they +were very active, and when at liberty could be seen leaping from branch +to branch, generally in large troops, holloaing loudly as they go along. +Blyth purchased a couple, as they were very tame and seemed +well-mannered. He hoped to be able to keep them alive if he could +obtain suitable food. + +After a short and satisfactory intercourse with our native friends, we +shoved off and proceeded up the river. The tide, however, soon turned, +and Uncle Jack, considering that it would be useless to attempt pulling +against it, brought up for the night a short distance from the left +bank, but sufficiently far off not to run the risk of being surprised by +hostile natives. + +As we had a long pull before us, the first mate arranged that all hands +should lie down except two in each boat to keep watch, that we might be +the better able to work the next day. Supper, however, was first served +out, for we had hitherto not had time to eat anything. It was arranged +that Ned and I should have the first watch in our boat, and as soon as +supper was over, the rest of the party stowed themselves away as best +they could on or under the thwarts. The boats lay in the shadow cast by +the tall trees on the bank nearest to us, from which strange sounds ever +and anon came off, produced either by wild beasts or insects, not +sufficiently loud to drown the ripple of the water as it flowed rapidly +by. The bright stars shone down from a cloudless sky on the surface of +the stream, flickering and dancing in the eddies caused by the current. + +I found great difficulty in keeping awake, though, of course, I did my +best to prevent my eyelids from closing by constantly shifting my +position and looking round in every direction, not that I apprehended +danger, but from knowing that it was my duty to be prepared for any +contingency. + +I had been on watch for an hour or more, when Ned, who was seated on a +thwart, stepped aft. "Hist, Mr Harry," he said, in a low whisper, "do +you hear the sound of voices coming down the river?" + +I fancied that I did. + +"Just listen." + +I listened, and after some time could distinctly hear some strange +sounds, though I was not certain that they were those of human voices. +I awoke the first mate, who also heard them. + +"If you like, sir, Kalong and I will pull up in the canoe and try and +find out where they come from," whispered Ned; "it may be that the +natives are only holding one of their harvest feasts near the bank of +the river, or it is just as likely that a fleet of pirates has come up +through some other branch of the river, and has been plundering the +villages they have fallen in with, as I have known them often to do in +these parts. It wouldn't be safe to fall in with them. They would soon +run down our boats and not leave a man of us alive." + +"Though you may be mistaken, we will take the prudent course and try to +find out who the people are," answered the first mate. "Wake up Kalong, +and you and he jump into the canoe and paddle ahead until you have +discovered what they are about. Take care, however, that you are not +caught yourselves." + +Ned awakened the Malay and explained the object we had in view, when the +two hauling up the canoe alongside got into her and noiselessly paddled +up the river, keeping near the bank where we lay moored. + +We waited anxiously listening for any sound, but a light breeze rustling +among the trees prevented those we had before heard from reaching our +ears. + +"Ned, I hope, may have been mistaken, after all," observed the first +mate; "it would be a pity, having got this far, to have to give up our +expedition; but, as he says, it would never do to run the risk of an +encounter with those savage pirates. If he is right we must do our best +to avoid them and be ready for a start." + +All hands in both boats had been aroused, and we were prepared to heave +up our anchors and get out the oars at a moment's notice. We had not +only our own safety to think of, but that of our shipmates, if there +really was a fleet of pirates in the river, should they discover the +brig--ill able to defend herself as she was--they might attack and +capture her before we could get on board. We had brought the two boats +alongside each other, so that we could talk without raising our voices. +The first mate, who had been standing up on the after thwart that he +might the better be able to see any object ahead, at length observed, +"The canoe ought to have been back by this time. Can she have been +taken by the savages?" + +"If so, Kalong and Ned may for the sake of saving their lives have told +them about the brig," observed the boatswain. "If there is another +channel the pirates will go down it and attack her before they look +after us." + +"I feel very sure that Ned will not prove treacherous, though I cannot +say how the Malay will act," I observed. + +"At all events we will get up our anchors and be ready for a start," +said the first mate. + +He gave the order accordingly. Just as they were up to the bows, I +caught sight of a small object ahead, which I trusted was the canoe. I +pointed it out to the first mate. + +"No doubt about it. I hope that we shall find that we might have saved +ourselves the trouble of weighing," he observed. + +It approached rapidly. In little more than a minute it dropped +alongside us and Ned and Kalong leapt into our boat. + +"Not a moment to lose!" exclaimed Ned; "there's a whole fleet of prahus +in the next reach. Some of the people were ashore, and that we might +find out who they were, we landed some way below where they lay and +crept up close to them until we could hear them speaking. They know of +the brig, and, we found, were just about to get under weigh hoping to +surprise her." + +"We must be on board first, then, or they'll murder the whole of us. +Out oars, lads, and pull as you never pulled before," cried the first +mate. + +The crews required no further orders, the boats were got round and away +we went with the current, the men pulling with all their might. + +"We must go on board and fight for our lives, for if we are taken +they'll not be worth much," said the first mate. + +"My poor father, what will become of him?" I exclaimed. + +"We have no proof that your father is among the white men spoken of, +Harry. If he is, he will not be worse off than he would have been had +we not gone up the river. We must, however, try and ascertain the truth +of the report, and make another attempt to rescue him should we find +that he is really there." + +We had not much time or inclination for talking; while the first mate +steered, I kept looking astern to ascertain if we were pursued. We +rapidly shot by the places we had slowly passed coming up; we were +thankful that we had the tide in our favour. We had got to the end of a +long reach, when I saw rounding the further end of the point we had last +passed a number of dark objects stretching across the stream. I had no +doubt that they were the piratical prahus, though whether they had +discovered us or not we could not ascertain. They were swift craft, I +knew, and might possibly overtake us before we could reach the brig. +There was no use in telling the men to give way, as they were pulling as +hard as they could lay their backs to the oars. They saw the enemy too, +and knew the horrible fate which would be ours should we be overtaken. +We, of course, however, had no intention of yielding as long as we could +defend ourselves; we had our arms therefore ready for instant use. Hard +as our crews pulled, the prahus appeared to be coming up with us. Every +instant they became more distinct, and we had little doubt that they +must see us. I had begun to despair of escaping when the first mate +raised our spirits by announcing that he saw the light in the brig's +rigging in the distance. It was to be hoisted on the fore stay that in +case we should return at night we might know where to find her. It was +indeed fortunate that this arrangement had been made, or we might have +run out to sea without observing her. We now altered our course, hoping +that the Malays might possibly shoot by the brig before they discovered +that the light was on board her. The first mate hailed the brig as we +approached. + +"We are pursued by a fleet of pirates. Stand by to hoist in the boats, +and to make sail as soon as we are on board." + +The captain hailed in reply, "We are on the alert. Pull up one on each +quarter." + +The moment we got alongside the falls were slackened and we swarmed up +them, each man running to the tackles as he got on deck. The boats were +quickly hoisted in, when the crew ran aloft to loose the sails. The +wind was blowing down the river, but there was barely enough of it to +give the vessel steerage way, and without a stronger breeze we should +run the risk of drifting on shore. The cable, however, was hove short, +and we were ready at a moment's notice to stand out to sea. The dark +line of prahus were, however, in the meantime approaching, evidently, by +their appearance, with hostile intent. + +As they drew nearer the pirates suddenly broke forth into loud cries, +sounding their trumpets and beating their gongs and tom-toms, apparently +with the intention of frightening us. We had our guns pointed at them +and the matches ready to fire the instant the captain issued the order, +but he was unwilling if it could be avoided to commence the fight, and +waited until they should show their hostile intentions. Of these we +were not long left in doubt. They had probably expected to surprise the +brig, but now, from having seen the boats ahead, they knew that we +should be on the alert. Again bursting forth into shouts and shrieks, +and making all the noise they could with their musical instruments, they +opened a fire from their gingalls and muskets, followed up by a shower +of darts. Although we could hear the missiles come rattling on board, +being sheltered by our high bulwarks, no one, as far as I could tell, +was hurt. + +"Now give it them, lads!" cried the captain. We let fly with all our +guns, those having muskets firing them also. We quickly reloaded, to be +ready for the enemy should they attempt to board us. When I saw the +number of prahus which had assembled on all sides, I could not help +fearing that we might be overpowered at last. Still the first dose we +had given them seemed to have produced a good effect. + +"Fire, my lads, and load again as fast as you can," cried the captain. +"We must keep them off until we can get the brig under weigh. Hurrah! +Here comes a breeze. Quick, quick, give it them!" + +We fired another broadside. "Now heave up the anchor and sheet home the +topsails," he shouted. + +The order was obeyed, and before the pirates had recovered from the +dismay into which our last broadside had thrown them, the anchor was +hove up to the bows, and the topsails being sheeted home and the +mainsail set, we were gliding out towards the mouth of the river, not, +however, without being accompanied by our persevering foes. + +We had several on either side of us blazing away with their gingalls and +hurling darts and spears on our decks. At last one more daring than the +rest ran alongside just as we had discharged our two guns, and her crew +began climbing on board. The first mate and boatswain and several of +the men were ready to receive them, and beat them back with pikes and +cutlasses. The rest of our crew were employed in defending the other +side, though it was sharp work to keep them back. Several of the +pirates were cut down as they showed their heads over the bulwarks, but +others climbed up after them. Blyth and I, seeing how hard pressed the +first mate was, sprang to his assistance, while the captain was +everywhere, now at the helm, now on one side, now on the other, +encouraging the crew, slashing away at the pirates, and seeing that the +man at the helm was steering as was necessary. + +The chief part of the fighting took place between the main and fore +chains. Several heads appeared abaft the main rigging, though quickly +driven back again by the captain's untiring cutlass, aided by Blyth and +me. Every moment we expected other prahus to come up on the opposite +side, but they kept away, waiting perhaps until their chief had gained a +footing on our deck. Meanwhile our long gun and the two carronades, +besides several muskets--with which we kept up a hot fire--contributed +to keep them at a respectful distance. The cabin windows had been +battened up, but another prahu attempted to throw some men on board by +getting under our stern. The captain, however, who was on the watch for +this, caught sight of her, and calling to Blyth and me, we used our +cutlasses and pikes with such good effect that the enemy was driven back +and their prahu fell astern. I was springing off the poop when I caught +sight of a man just creeping in through an after port. I was on the +point of running at him with my pike, when he cried out-- + +"A friend, a friend, don't strike!" + +It was with the greatest difficulty I avoided doing so. "Whoever you +are, get in quickly, that I may close the port, or others will follow," +I exclaimed. + +He did as I advised, and assisted me in lashing down the port. "I'll do +it," he said, "for I don't want to be caught again," and with the +quickness of a seaman he secured the port. + +"If you give me a cutlass I'll fight for you," he said; and as I handed +him mine he sprang to the side and soon made good use of it by cutting +down a couple of fellows who had at that moment shown themselves above +the bulwarks, while Blyth and I with our pikes drove back two more who +were climbing on board. The next instant I heard the first mate singing +out-- + +"They are sheering off! Now give it them, lads! Fire low and we shall +send the shot through her bottom." + +It took some little time, however, to load the guns, and before they +could be fired the prahu had got some fathoms off. The shot, however, +took all the better effect, and went crashing through her thin sides. +Almost in an instant she filled, when the survivors of her crew +attempted to gain the other prahus, which kept on our beam, and now +again began to discharge their guns and other missiles at us as before. +The breeze, however, was freshening, and we could see that our shot had +taken effect on several of the other prahus, which sank as we watched +them. Our crew uttered a loud cheer, to show the enemy that they might +expect as warm a reception as before should they again attempt to board +us. Having now time to set the foresail and topgallant-sails, fast as +the Malays pulled, we had every reason to hope that we should get clear +of them. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +The pirates, though so roughly handled, continued hovering on every +side, making way with their oars, perhaps hoping that the wind might +fall, and should the brig be becalmed that they might attack us with +greater advantage than before. Happily, however, the breeze freshened, +and we kept up so continuous a fire from our long gun and carronades +that they were afraid of approaching nearer. + +"Keep it up, my lads," said the captain, "we shall soon give them the +go-bye. They'll not wish to pay us another visit." + +Soon after this, looking eastward, I saw the first bright streaks of the +dawn appearing in the sky. The light rapidly increased; we could now +clearly distinguish the prahus dotting the smooth ocean. There were a +dozen of them at least, and we had sent two, if not more, to the bottom. +I had hitherto been so busily employed in working one of the guns that +I had been unable to make any inquiries of the stranger as to who he was +or where he had come from. He had been assisting at the aftermost gun +until, overcome with fatigue, he had sunk down on the deck just under +the poop, where he had remained unnoticed. As our crew saw the pirate +fleet dropping astern out of range of our guns they broke into loud +cheers, joined in even by those most badly wounded. At the same time +the sun, appearing like an arch of fire, rose from behind the distant +land, suffusing the whole eastern sky with a ruddy glow, and then +rapidly shooting upward, the entire circle made its appearance. I now +hurried off to the stranger, followed by the first mate, hoping that he +might give us tidings of my father, yet almost dreading to hear what +those tidings might be. He tried to rise as we approached, but had +scarcely strength left to do so. His countenance was pale, his clothes +wet and blood-stained. + +Uncle Jack lifted him up and seated him on a gun. "You are hungry and +knocked up, my man. When you have had some food you shall tell us where +you came from, and how you got on board the brig." + +"Thank you, sir. I do want food, and should be glad to get a wound I +have in my side looked to, as it is beginning to hurt." + +Uncle Jack told me to go and forage in the cabin for such food as I +could lay hands on, while he did his best to bind up the man's wound. +The second mate and steward, I should have said, were engaged in +attending to the hurts of the other men. Strange as it may seem, +notwithstanding the numbers of shot, spears, and bullets sent on board +us, no one had been killed. + +The captain was on the poop, attending to the steering of the brig and +watching the proceedings of the enemy. + +I soon returned with some ham and bread and a mug of water, and I got +from the steward some bandages and salve. While Uncle Jack carefully +bound up his wound, the stranger eagerly took a draught of water, and +was then able to swallow some of the food I had brought. + +We had hitherto restrained our eagerness; but as soon as he appeared +somewhat recovered, my uncle told him how much we wished to hear the +account he had to give of himself, adding that we had gone up the river +to search for some Englishmen said to be prisoners to the natives. + +"We expected to find my father, Captain Musgrave, who lately commanded +the `Amphion,'" I observed. + +The stranger's answer at once dispelled my hopes. + +"I was one of the Englishmen you heard of, but we were not prisoners. +There was another man with me; we belonged to a vessel from Sydney +trading with the natives, but having had a quarrel with our skipper, we +were left behind. We thought that we could establish a trade with the +natives, as my mate had once done in one of the South Sea islands, and +we were waiting until another vessel should come up the river. We had +been there three years or more, and were becoming accustomed to the +life, though we had made up our minds to go away if any vessel appeared. +Two nights ago we were sleeping in our house close to the bank of the +river, when we were awakened by fearful shrieks and cries. Looking out +we saw a number of prahus brought up along the bank, and hundreds of +fellows, whom we knew to be pirates, with swords in their hands, rushing +about setting fire to the houses and cutting off the heads of the +unfortunate people as they tried to escape from the flames. They had +not yet discovered our house, but as a party of them drew near we sang +out to them, saying that if they wished to be friends with us we were +ready to be friends with them; but if not, we were determined to fight +to the last, besides which we threatened to set fire to the house and to +destroy all the goods within it, but which we offered otherwise to make +over to them. We took aim as we spoke at their chief, who appeared at +their head. They seemed to think that they might obtain our heads at +too high a price if they attacked us; and having held a palaver, the +chief promised that if we would come out of our house our lives should +be safe. We, knowing very well that though we might kill two or three +of them--should they not value our goods they would burn us out in a few +minutes--thought it wise to agree to their terms. We told them, +however, that we must think over the matter, and if they would leave us +in quiet a short time we would give them an answer. As they had killed +all the people they could catch, the rest having escaped into the woods, +they were perfectly satisfied, I suppose, with their night's work. +Leaving a guard to watch us, the rest employed themselves in embarking +all the booty they had collected. At last the chief came back, which +made us believe that he intended to act fairly--he knew that we could +have shot him if we had been so disposed. He now shouted out to us that +as he wanted to be off we must make up our minds either to accompany him +or be killed. We replied that if we were killed our countrymen would +hear of it and punish him some day or other pretty severely. He had +heard, I doubt not, of the punishment the pirates had received in the +neighbourhood of Sarawak. He swore by the prophet that no harm should +happen to us. + +"`Well, Charley,' said my mate, Pat Tandy, `there is no use making more +ado about the matter. We shall only put the fellow out of temper. It +is our only chance.' + +"I agreed with him, and opening the door of our house, we went down the +steps, holding our muskets in our hands ready to have a last shot if we +saw that the pirates intended to play us a trick. We walked straight up +to the chief and took his hand to show him that we were not afraid. As +soon as we were out of the house, the people rushed in and soon carried +away the goods, the result of our trading--mats, skins, nuts, and other +things. The chief told us that we must give up our muskets, as he +wanted them; and as there was nothing said about them in our agreement, +we handed them to him, not feeling very sure but that the next moment we +might find our heads off our shoulders. However, he was a more honest +man in that respect than we took him for. + +"He now marched us down to the bank, put Tandy on board his prahu, and I +was ordered on board another. We had been so long with the natives that +we understood their language. They were pretty free and easy in +talking, but we could not make out what they intended to do with us. I +suspected, however, that all was not right when they kept us apart, so I +made up my mind to escape on the first opportunity, and I had no doubt +that Pat would do the same. + +"We remained where we were until news was brought that an English +merchant vessel had anchored in the mouth of the river, and they, having +held a counsel, determined to attack her. I tried to escape, hoping to +warn you of your danger, but I was caught, and was threatened if I made +another attempt that I should lose my life. You know most of the rest. +If the pirates had found you napping, they would have murdered every one +of you and plundered your brig. I felt sure, from the way you defended +yourselves, that you would gain the victory. I took the opportunity +while the Malays were engaged in fighting you to jump overboard and swim +to you. Just as I reached the water, a fellow catching sight of me +pounded me with his spear, and very nearly hooked me back; but diving, I +came up some distance off, and he thought probably that I was drowned. +As I could find no means of getting up your side, I clambered on board +the prahu, and from her got through the after port, which I found open. +What has become of Tandy I cannot say; he may have attempted to follow +my example and has lost his life, or, poor fellow! They will kill him +when they find I have escaped." + +Charley Bell's account of himself was very wonderful, but we had no +reason to disbelieve it. + +As he was much hurt, the first mate, who was always ready to sacrifice +his own comfort for the good of others, placed him in his own berth that +he might the better attend to him. We then went to assist my uncle in +looking after the other wounded men. Two were unfit for duty, but the +rest managed to get about with bandaged arms and heads, and a somewhat +ghastly crew they looked. The second mate and boatswain were slightly +hurt, and Blyth had received two wounds, but neither were of much +consequence; while the captain, though three bullets had gone through +his clothes, was uninjured, as were the first mate and I. On going to +the mast-head, I discovered through the spy-glass the pirate fleet far +away astern. On hearing this the captain determined to stand out into +the sea of Celebes to avoid another encounter with them. + +It seemed surprising that although our good captain had been almost +confined to his cabin up to the time we entered the river he should have +been able to exert himself as he did when the brig was attacked, and +still more so that he suffered no ill consequences, but rapidly +afterwards regained his health and strength. + +Bell told us that had any English vessel been wrecked on the coast he +thought he should have heard of it, so that we were tolerably well +satisfied that the "Amphion" had not been cast away on the east shore of +Borneo. + +Captain Haiselden had heard at Singapore that the Dutch sent out +numerous men-of-war to cruise round Celebes and the Spice Islands for +the purpose of putting down piracy, and as they would have heard of any +vessel cast away near the places they were accustomed to visit, he was +convinced that the "Amphion" must have been wrecked on some island shore +to the northward. He therefore resolved, instead of running through the +Straits of Macassar, to continue eastward across the sea of Celebes and +ultimately rounding the Moluccas, to sail down the coast of New Guinea. +The weather continued remarkably fine, the air was pure, though not +cool, and the wounded men, who were on deck as much as possible, rapidly +recovered. + +The first place at which it was arranged we should touch was at the +northern end of the curiously shaped island of Celebes. A strong +southerly wind, which afterwards shifted to the south-east, springing +up, compelled us to keep more to the northward than we should otherwise +have done. + +It was night, we were steering to the eastward but intended soon to put +about, expecting on the next tack to reach Menado, when just at daybreak +we found that we were close to an island with a lofty conical peak and +lower ground to the southward of it. The chart showed us that it was +the island of Sanguir. A current must have set us towards it, for we +supposed that we were some distance off. We at once put about, when the +wind dropped and we lay perfectly becalmed on the mirror-like deep. I +could not perceive the slightest swell, nor did even a cat's-paw play +over the surface. I threw some chips into the water, and when I looked +some hours afterwards there they were, floating like little boats +alongside. The smoke from the galley-fire curled upwards in a thin blue +wreath, growing thinner and thinner until it became invisible far over +head. Now and then a flying-fish would break through the glassy +surface, or some monster of the deep show us his snout, leaving a circle +of wavelets as he quickly descended. It was even hotter below than on +deck, and every piece of metal felt as if just taken from the furnace. +The seams of the deck spluttered and hissed, and as we walked about the +pitch stuck to our feet. There was nothing, however, in the sky which +betokened a hurricane, while the barometer continued as high as usual. + +"I believe it is only an ordinary calm," observed the captain to the +first mate, as they stood under the shade of the mainsail, which hung +down without giving a single lazy flap. + +"It might, however, be better to take in our light canvas in case a +sudden squall should strike us," observed Uncle Jack. "It will give the +hands something to do, and we can easily make sail again should a breeze +spring up." + +"I hope that we may get one before long, for we are drifting in faster +than I like to the land; we will get the cable ranged ready to bring up +should it become necessary. The wind when it comes may blow off shore, +but it may blow on it and we shall be compelled to anchor." + +"If we can find sufficiently shallow water outside the breakers," +observed Uncle Jack, as he stepped out from under the shelter of the +sail to give the orders he had received. + +Having sprung aloft, I had just assisted in furling the +main-topgallant-sails and had returned on deck, when I felt the brig +give a heave and suddenly tremble throughout her frame for several +seconds. We cast inquiring looks at each other, wondering what could +have happened. The first mate, taking a lead-line, hove it overboard, +thinking it possible that the vessel had struck a reef. + +"No bottom!" he exclaimed in a tone of satisfaction. "What can it be?" + +"Little doubt about that," observed the captain, "an earthquake is +taking place, see what's happening there," and he pointed to the island. + +As he spoke a dense volume of smoke, followed by ruddy flames, was seen +to ascend from the summit of the cone, while the whole island--from +which a dull rumbling sound came off--seemed for a moment to heave. We +turned out glasses towards it. All was quiet, but presently we saw the +trees waving to and fro, as if shaken by a hurricane, while vast masses +of rock rolled down from the summits of the hills into the valleys +below. Every instant the eruption from the volcano was increasing. In +a short time the sky became shrouded by a dense black cloud. Showers of +fine cinders fell on our decks, covering also the hitherto blue ocean +with a black scum. A red mass of lava bubbled up, as if from some +mighty cauldron, above the edge of the crater, and fiery streams began +to flow down the sides of the mountain, some taking a course towards the +ocean, others making their way in the direction of the valleys, +threatening to seize in their course on the tall trees, those near the +summit being quickly ablaze. With fearful rapidity the conflagration +spread, up the hills, across the plains, sweeping over the plantations +and destroying the dwellings of the unfortunate inhabitants. It seemed +impossible that a single human being could escape. For some hours we +watched the dreadful scene. + +"If you will give me leave, sir, I'll go in and try to save some of the +poor people," said the first mate. "It seems to me that we might +approach yonder point without risk. I see a village a short distance +inland, and that cannot long escape destruction, so that the people will +try to escape to the point, and we might take off some of them. Others +may be saved on board their own craft lying in the harbour to the +southward. As far as I can make out there are no boats abreast of us." + +"Be quick about it, then, Radburn, for we must not leave the brig +short-handed," said the captain. + +Blyth and I at once volunteered to go, as did Ned and Bell, thus leaving +the vessel with her full complement of men. A boat was lowered and away +we pulled. The ashes continued to fall, and the oppressive heat made it +difficult to breathe. We pulled on, anxious to save as many of our +fellow-creatures as we could. As we approached the point we saw a +number of persons rushing towards the end, carrying all sorts of +articles on their backs, and others following. Good reason they had to +hasten, for the woods at the back of the village were already blazing +furiously, and in another minute it would be in flames. + +"We must allow only a dozen to enter the first boat," said Uncle Jack; +"if more are taken on board we shall run the risk of being swamped. It +seems cruel to those left behind, but we must be determined, and try to +make another trip." + +As we got nearer, so heavily did the surf break on the extreme end of +the point, that it seemed scarcely possible we ourselves should escape +destruction. On getting in closer, however, we discovered a bay into +which we could run. As soon as the people saw the boat, they rushed +towards us holding out their arms. We told Bell to shout to them and +say that we could take only a few at a time, but would return for the +rest, and that we must save the women and children first. The men did +not seem to understand this, and we literally had to drive them back, +while we dragged in the poor women, mostly with infants or young +children in their arms. With these we could carry many more, and we got +on board upwards of twenty. Those who remained shrieked and cried, +wringing their hands and pointing to the flames as we shoved off. + +We bent to our oars as well as we could, crowded as the boat was, and +made our way back to the brig. The crew stood ready to haul the poor +people upon deck. + +"You might venture to send another boat, sir," cried Uncle Jack; "there +is no sign of wind, and many more might be saved." + +He did not stop, however, for the captain's answer, but the moment the +women and children were out of the boat away we pulled again for the +land. We had not got far when, to my satisfaction, I saw that another +boat had been lowered, and before we reached the shore she overtook us, +under the charge of Mr Crowfoot. + +Uncle Jack warned him not to overload his boat. We followed the same +plan as before, taking in this time several men, which brought the boat +down deep in the water, although we had fewer persons on board than on +the first trip. It was piteous to hear the cries of the poor wretches +we were compelled to leave behind. Their village had disappeared, and +the flames were seizing on every tree and bush up to the inner part of +the rocky point. At any moment a fiery shower might come falling down +and envelope them. The heat was greater than ever, and the dust and +ashes, which came showering down upon upon us, almost overpowering. +Uncle Jack, thinking only of saving life, scarcely heeded this. Again +we pulled back to the brig. + +"You have done enough, Radburn. Your lives will be endangered if you +return," cried the captain. + +"Only one more trip! Just let me take one more trip, sir," answered the +first mate. + +The captain could not refuse. The boatswain followed us. We reached +the little bay in safety. As I looked up at the mountain I saw that the +eruption had become more violent than ever. The lurid flames, casting a +light over the whole bland, enabled us to see objects as clearly as in +the day-time. We were engaged in taking the people in, our boat was +almost full, when Uncle Jack cried out, hauling in another poor man as +he did so. + +"Shove off, pull away for your lives, my lads!" + +Looking up for an instant I saw that a fresh outbreak of the mountain +was taking place. Stones, cinders, and ashes came bursting through the +air, and crashing down not many hundred yards it seemed from where we +lay. The ocean, too, was fearfully agitated, and wave upon wave with +loud roars rolled towards the beach. The people on shore stretched out +their arms imploring us to take them in, but we could not save them. +Had we attempted it our destruction would have been inevitable. The +boat's head had been got round, and we pulled as we had never pulled +before. The fearful shower rapidly increased. A boiling sea washed +over the point, and the hapless beings who stood there disappeared. Not +a cry was heard, their death had been instantaneous. Even those who had +endeavoured to escape by swimming must have been in a moment +overwhelmed. Fast as we pulled, the shower of ashes from the mountain +seemed to be following us still faster, and we could see that the shower +stretched away even towards the ship. + +Happily the calm continued, and we succeeded in getting on board. The +poor people we had rescued, while profuse in expressing their thanks to +us, gave vent to their grief at the loss of their relations and friends. +We understood also from them that there were other villages in the +interior, which, with all their inhabitants, must have been utterly +destroyed. + +We afterwards heard that two thousand persons perished. The people on +board were of the Malay race, and, except through our interpreters, Ned +and Charley, we could not understand a word they said; indeed, the two +seamen could only partly make out their language. We ourselves were not +altogether satisfied with our position. A strong wind might spring up +and drive us on shore, and we were still so near the volcano that it +might cover us, not only with ashes, but with huge masses of rock and +stones, which might come crashing down upon us and send us to the +bottom. All hands were on deck ready to trim sails the moment the wind +should come. We had not long to wait. A loud rushing sound was heard. +The canvas gave several loud flaps. The captain had feared that the +heat from the burning island might draw the wind towards us. So it did, +but, happily for us, it came from the north-west, though we could not +tell to what quarter it might suddenly shift. + +The yards were braced up on the starboard tack, and we stood away from +the island, with the blazing forests on our port-quarter. + +The captain's great object now was to get a good offing from Sanguir. +He did not intend to bear up for Menado until daylight. It was +important that we should reach it without delay to land our passengers, +as they would soon exhaust our water and provisions. We did our best to +attend to the poor people, but they would not be comforted. They +thought of their homes and relatives destroyed, and knew not what +hardships they might have to endure. As we got to a distance from the +island we could see far away to the southward another bright blaze which +rose from the volcano of Sias, also in a state of eruption. On looking +at the chart we saw that there was a line of many others, some in the +northern end of Celebes, others in Gillolo, extending northward and all +the way round to the west through Java. We could only hope that those +in the direction to which we were steering might not also burst forth. +The wind continued favourable and moderate. When the people heard from +Ned where we were going they were in a great fright, declaring that the +inhabitants were "head hunters," and that they should all be killed. + +When Ned told me this I inquired of the captain if they had any +foundation for their fears. He replied that formerly the inhabitants of +that part of Celebes were as savage as those of other portions, but that +the Dutch have used every possible means to civilise them by giving them +employment, introducing commerce, establishing schools, and sending +missionaries among them, and that thus a wilderness, inhabited by naked +savages, who were wont to garnish their rude houses with human heads, +had been converted into a smiling region, with a civilised community. + +The next day we made the northern end of Celebes, for which we were +steering, and before dark anchored off the pretty little town of Menado. +As we looked at it from our anchorage we could see rows of rustic +houses, with broad paths between them forming streets, mostly at right +angles with each other. + +In several directions roads branched off towards the interior, also +lined by a succession of cottages surrounded by gardens and plantations. +The captain and Blyth immediately went on shore to visit the President +or Governor, who, on hearing what had happened, allowed us to land our +passengers, promising to look after them, and give them plenty of +employment if they were inclined to labour. We were thankful to get +them out of the brig, and their fears being dissipated when they saw the +civilised state of the country, they thanked us for the kindness shown +them, and we parted good friends. + +We afterwards called on an English merchant long settled here, who +assured us that the people would be well cared for and sent back should +they wish it to Sanguir, when information could be received that the +volcano was once more at rest. The chief production of the district is +coffee, of which we shipped a considerable quantity as freight. We +found the account given by the captain in no way exaggerated, and we +could easily believe, as asserted, that the inhabitants are the most +industrious, peaceable, and civilised, that they are better educated, +better clothed, better housed, and better fed of any of the natives of +the vast archipelago. Commerce, a paternal, though somewhat despotic +Government, and education, combined with Christian missionary effort, +has worked the wonderful change in less than forty years. Our friend, +who had a house in the country, took Mr Blyth and me up to see his +plantations, as also a menagerie which he had formed. In passing a +piece of open ground we caught sight of a number of animals, which I +supposed to be dogs. They were making their way towards an orchard. + +"The rascals!" exclaimed our friend, "they are on a predatory +expedition, intending to steal the fruit from yonder trees." + +Jumping off his horse, and taking his gun, which his servant carried, he +ran towards them. They did not appear to notice him until he was within +shot of them. He fired, when one fell and the rest took to flight, +quickly scrambling up the trees of the forest, which extended towards us +to within a short distance where they were lost to sight. On examining +the creature he had killed I found it to be about the size of a spaniel, +of a jet black colour, with the projecting dog-like muzzle and +overhanging brows of a baboon. It had large callosities, and a scarcely +visible tail, not an inch in length. + +Our friend told us that these creatures were monkeys, though more like +baboons, that descending from the trees where they live, they often +invade orchards and gardens, and commit great havoc. Our friend's house +was something like an Indian bungalow, though of rougher materials, and +was surrounded by a fine garden and orchard, with extensive plantations +in the rear. I cannot describe more than two of the animals in his +menagerie. One was the Tapiutan, which from its appearance I could not +say whether it should be called a cow, a buffalo, or an antelope. It +was of the size of a very small Highland cow, and had long straight +horns, which were ringed at the base, and sloped backwards over the +neck. + +The strangest animal he showed us was called the Babirusa, which +resembled in general appearance a pig, but it had long and slender legs, +and tusks curved upwards so as to look like horns. Those of the lower +jaw were long and sharp, but the upper ones grew upwards out of bony +sockets through the skin on each side of the snout, curving backwards to +near the eyes, and were ten inches long. Our friend told us that it is +found over the whole island. He supposed the object of the curling +tusks was to preserve the eyes of the animal when searching for the +fallen fruits on which it lives among the tangled thickets of spring +plants. Though the female does not possess them, perhaps the male +gallantly clears the way for her so as to render them unnecessary. +However, I must not stop to give a longer description of this +interesting place, or many others we saw; I indeed made only two trips +ashore, as I had to be on board attending to my duty. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +Once more the anchor was weighed, and we were about to stand out of the +picturesque bay of Menado the moment a boat, in which Mr Blyth had gone +on shore to bring off a supply of fresh provisions, returned. + +Ned, who had been one of the crew, as soon as the sails were set, came +up to me. "I've just heard something, sir, which may or may not be of +importance," he said. "I was talking to one of the men we brought off +from Sanguir, when he confessed to me that he had been on board the +prahu which took me off the shore where we were wrecked. I think he +spoke the truth when he told me how I kicked when the pirates made me +take an oar and pull with the black fellows they had, I suppose, made +slaves of. I asked him if he could tell me where the place was. He +answered that it was on the shores of a large island--a very large one, +I should think, and away somewhere to the eastward, for he pointed in +that direction, though I could not make out exactly how far off it was." + +I was deeply interested, and told him that he ought to have brought the +man on board that we might have examined him more particularly with the +aid of Bell and Kalong. + +"He would have been afraid to trust himself, sir," answered Ned; "as he +owned that he had been a pirate, he was afraid that the captain or the +Dutch might punish him." + +I immediately communicated what I had heard to the first mate, who told +the captain. They sent for Ned, who, as he said that he had got all the +information he could out of the Malay, they did not propose putting +back, as I fancied they would have done. I do not think that the +captain was sanguine about finding any of the "Amphion's" crew, though +Uncle Jack kept up his hopes and mine. + +"It may be like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay; still, if we +search long enough, the needle will be found," he remarked. "As long as +the captain will agree we will continue the search." + +Rounding the northern end of Celebes, we crossed the Molucca passage for +Ternate, where we were to call. It is a small island off the coast of +the large but little known one of Gillolo. As we approached we saw +rising out of the sea in a line several conical-shaped mountains, four +thousand feet in height, one of which the captain said was Ternate, for +which we were bound. Passing between that island and Tidore, of even +greater height, we anchored before the town which stretches along the +shore, while the mountain overhanging it was clothed to a considerable +height with trees and spice plantations. The scenery was truly +magnificent, but as we thought of the eruption of Sanguir, we saw in +what a moment the whole town and neighbourhood might be reduced to +desolation should an eruption burst forth from the mountains which rose +so grandly above our heads. We remained here four days, during which an +earthquake--an event of frequent occurrence--took place. + +I grudged every moment's delay, and was thankful when we once more were +steering southward. We were sailing on with a light breeze through a +perfectly smooth sea, when a dull roaring sound was heard, like a heavy +surf astern. The roar rapidly increased, and we saw a white line of +foam rolling on. Thinking that it might be the precursor of a +hurricane, we clewed up the topsails, but as the wave passed we rode +easily over it with the same sort of movement which is felt when +entering a river across a bar. It was followed with a short interval by +another of similar character, succeeded with greater rapidity by ten or +twelve more, when the sea became as smooth as before. The captain had +no doubt that these waves were caused by an earthquake occurring at some +distance to the northward. While at Ternate we heard that a suspicious +fleet of large prahus had been seen steering to the southward. It was +intended, should a Dutch man-of-war arrive, to send her to watch their +proceedings. We were advised to keep a sharp look-out for the pirates, +and avoid them if we could. "If they think you are Dutch, they'll be +cautious how they molest you; but if they suppose that you belong to any +other nation, they are very likely to try and plunder you, as they are +aware that no men-of-war except those of the Dutch are accustomed to +cruise in these seas," said our friend, an English merchant residing in +the place. + +Captain Haiselden thanked his informant, and replied that we had already +fallen in with such gentry, and knew how to deal with them. + +"But these are larger and more formidable craft than those by which you +were before attacked. If they once get alongside your brig, you will +find it a difficult matter to beat them off," was the reply. + +Wherever we touched we made inquiries about the "Amphion," but as yet we +had only the information gained through Ned from the Sanguir Malay to +guide us. She might have been lost at Gillolo itself, and yet the Dutch +might not have heard of it, as but very irregular intercourse is kept up +between the different parts of that little known island. + +Proceeding south we passed between the islands of Bouro and Ceram, +calling at Amboina and Banda, spice islands belonging to the Dutch. + +We were steering to the east when land was sighted from the mast-head on +the starboard bow. I went aloft. It was a small island, one of many +extending directly across our course. Intending to pass to the +northward of it we luffed up a little, when, after standing on some way +further, I was again sent to the mast-head, to see if I could discover +any intervening coral reefs or any others running out from it. I could +discover no variation of colour in the sea to indicate the existence of +hidden reefs in our course, but my eye fell on a dark object, a mile, or +it may have been less, from the shore. At the first glance I thought it +was a rock rising out of the water, but on descending to the cross-trees +and looking through my glass I saw that the object was a ship on a reef, +heeling over to one side, with, as far as I could make out, her +topmasts, if not her lower masts, gone; at all events she had no canvas +set. On coming down to the deck, I told the first mate, who had charge +of the watch, and he went aloft and had a look at her also. + +"She's in a dangerous position, and I fear is wrecked," he observed. +"We must get up to her, and try to render her assistance. If she's not +to be got off, we shall have to take her people on board." + +"Has she been driven by a gale on the reef, do you think?" I asked. + +"No; I should say that she was brought up by it, and that the tide has +since fallen, leaving her in her present position, so that when it rises +she may be got off." + +While we were speaking the sails gave several flaps against the masts, a +sign that the wind had suddenly fallen, and we lay becalmed. This was +the more tantalising as we were anxious to go to the assistance of the +ship. + +I went below to inform the captain, who at once came on deck, and, after +looking round the horizon, said that he thought a breeze would soon +again spring up, and that we would then stand towards the ship and see +what we could do, adding, "in the meantime, as the tide rises she may +probably haul off without our assistance." + +"I should like to take one of the boats and pull on board her," observed +Uncle Jack. + +"As it must be several hours before you could be back again, the weather +might in the meantime change; so that I cannot consent to your going," +answered the captain, in a tone which prevented the first mate from +making a reply. + +Still Uncle Jack, not satisfied, walked the deck uneasily. He wished at +once to relieve the anxiety of those on board the ship by letting them +know that assistance was near should they not have observed the brig. + +Hour after hour passed by, darkness came on, and still no breeze ruffled +the surface of the ocean. All night long the calm continued. + +As soon as daylight broke, I was again aloft looking out for the ship. +There she lay in the same position as before; it was evident that +whatever exertions had been made to get her off, they had been +unsuccessful. I was about to come on deck again, when, sweeping my +glass round to the northward, I made out another island of large size +apparently. Between it and where the ship lay I fancied that I could +distinguish a number of small black dots, so faint, however, that had I +not steadied my glass, which was a very good one, I should not have +observed them. Recollecting what we had heard about the pirate fleet, a +fear seized me at once that they might be prahus, and that they were on +their way to pillage the wreck, which they must have discovered while +lying off the northern island. Whether they had discovered us it was +impossible to say, but they certainly would do so when the sun rose and +shone on our canvas. + +I at once came down and told the first mate, who took a hurried glance +round the horizon in the hopes of discovering the signs of a coming +breeze. + +"I must get the captain to let me take a boat to warn the crew of the +ship of their danger, and to assist them if they are attacked," he +exclaimed. "We may get there before the prahus, which do not pull as +fast as they can sail, and a few well-armed men may turn the scale +against them; but I'll have a look at them first." + +Taking the glass he sprang aloft. Directly afterwards the captain +appeared and asked him what he was looking at. I told him. + +"I hope we shall get a breeze, for if the pirates, as I suppose they +are, see us boldly standing towards them, they will hesitate before they +meddle with the wreck," he remarked, now apparently as anxious about the +vessel on shore as we had been. "It may have a good effect if we hoist +a pendant and the Dutch flag and fire a gun. They will take us for a +man-of-war, and probably be off again as fast as they can pull; but it +is the breeze we want, the breeze! Without that we are helpless." + +The first mate soon came down from aloft and again proffered his +request. + +"I dare not give you leave," answered the captain. "What could one or +even two boats do against those prahus, with twenty or thirty well-armed +men in each? You might be cut off, even before you could reach the +wreck; and if you were on board, you would be able to do but little to +defend her, as in the position she lies she could not work her guns if +she had any." + +I was almost surprised at the way Uncle Jack pleaded to be allowed to +go. + +"It is impossible," replied the captain, "I could not reconcile it to my +conscience. We might lose half the ship's company, and be unable to +defend the brig ourselves." + +I never saw the first mate so put out as he was at this answer. He +turned away and continued walking the deck with uneasy strides until he +seemed almost beside himself. He again went aloft and stood watching +the prahus through his glass, occasionally turning his eye round the +horizon, and then he shouted, "A breeze! A breeze coming up from the +south-west!" The next instant down he slid on deck. + +The vessel's head, which had been turning now to one point of the +compass now to another, was fortunately just then turned in the right +way. + +The captain kept a sharp look-out in the direction from whence the wind +was coming, to judge whether it was likely to be a strong or a light +breeze. + +"Set the royals, Radburn. We need not be afraid of it." + +The order was quickly obeyed. Scarcely were the sails sheeted home than +they blew gently out. The topgallant-sails did the same; the topsails +soon filled. The brig gathering way steered a little to the northward +so as to intercept the prahus. + +We were thankful for the breeze, but we would rather have avoided a +struggle. + +"You'll have the studding-sails set, sir?" said Uncle Jack, scarcely +waiting for an answer before he gave the order, and sprang forward to +assist in carrying it out. + +We soon had the studding-sails below and aloft, still the brig did not +move along as rapidly as we wished. By this time the pirates might have +seen us, as the sun was shining brightly on our royals and +topgallant-sails, though we could not make them out except from aloft. + +We were not long in manufacturing a Dutch pennant, which was run up to +the main-royal mast-head. It was doubtful, however, whether it would be +seen, or, if seen, have the effect we hoped for. The pirates, observing +how light the wind was, would know that they could pull away beyond our +reach. + +Again and again Uncle Jack went aloft, until we got near enough to +distinguish not only the ship on the reef but the prahus from the deck, +which were approaching fearfully near her; the guns were loaded and the +small arms got ready for immediate use. Most of the men were ready +enough for a fight, if a fight was to take place, but the second mate +looked downcast as usual, and I heard him muttering-- + +"We have enough to do to look after ourselves, without fighting for +other people." + +This was said for the first mate to hear, but Uncle Jack turned away +without making any observation. + +The prahus, although we must have been seen, still continued their +course. Sometimes the hope came across me that they might not be +intending to attack the ship ashore; but it was scarcely to be thought +that they were going to render her assistance. As we examined them +through our glasses, we could see that they were large war prahus with +numerous crews. The breeze filled our sails, but continued light as at +first, and we had done all that was possible to make the brig move +through the water. + +Two prahus, apparently the fastest, were leading, and were already +scarcely more than two miles off, while we were at a much greater +distance. They would be up to the ship in twenty minutes or so, and it +would take them but a fearfully short time to perform their work of +murder and pillage if they were so minded. Still we hoped that the crew +would fight, and, at all events, keep them at bay until we could come +up. The pirates were calculating, it was evident, on the wind falling, +of which there appeared every probability. Several times the lower +canvas had given some ominous flaps against the masts, while the +studding-sails hung down from the booms emptied of wind; still the +royals filled and forced the brig along. + +Our glasses were constantly turned, now towards the ship on shore, now +towards the pirate fleet. It showed great hardihood on the part of the +Malays that they should still continue their course, while our vessel, +which they must have supposed to be a man-of-war, was so close to them. +They were trusting, we thought, to their numbers, and to the rapidity +with which they could make their escape among the coral reefs, where no +sailing vessel could follow them. They were getting closer and closer, +while we were making scarcely two knots an hour through the water. What +means of defence the ship might possess we could not tell. Even if she +had guns she would, as the captain remarked, be unable to work them with +her deck inclined as it now was. We could only hope that the tide was +rising, and that if so she might get on an even keel, although her crew +might not be able to haul her off. + +We carried, I should have said, a light whale boat, remarkable for her +speed; she pulled four oars, and held three persons besides. The wind +provokingly tantalised us, now it filled the sails and then again +allowed them to hang loosely down from the yards. + +I had gone forward with the first mate that we might watch the ship and +the headmost of the prahus. He several times sent me aft that I might +take a look astern to see if there were any signs of the breeze +increasing. On each occasion I had to make the same report. + +"She's lifting, she's lifting?" exclaimed Uncle Jack, at length; "see, +she's making signals. Run, Harry, and get the signal book, we will try +and learn what she is saying." + +I quickly returned with the book, but the wind was so light that the +flags did not blow out. "A breath of air for a single moment would +enable us to see what they are," observed the first mate, watching them +through his telescope. Just then one flag flew out, it was to signify +that the others made the number of the ship. I turned to the right +place in the signal book; presently all the flags flew out together, it +was but for an instant. The first mate rapidly turned over the pages. + +"I feared so from the first," he exclaimed; "the captain cannot refuse +to let me go, she is the `Iris.' The pirates have a current against +them, or they would have made faster progress. We'll get on board +before them yet. Who will volunteer, lads?" + +Several of the men replied, "I'm ready!" + +We hurried aft, and he entreated the captain to let him have the whale +boat. At first I thought the captain was going to refuse. + +"We may still hope to be up in time to attack the prahus, and they will +not long stand the fire from our guns," he answered. "I don't like to +risk your life and those of the people you may take with you." + +"I'll take care that we are not caught by them, and I hope that we shall +get on board before they can reach the ship," said the first mate. + +"Remember, Radburn, the lives of the boat's crew are committed to your +charge, and though I shall be glad to help Captain Bingley, you must +turn back rather than risk an encounter in the boat with the pirates." + +"I will do as you order, sir," answered Uncle Jack, eagerly springing to +the falls and singing out for volunteers. + +The captain, however, would positively allow only four hands to go, +including Ned and Bell, another Englishman, and a Malay. I entreated +that I might accompany him, and Blyth volunteered. The captain gave me +leave, though Uncle Jack hesitated. Several more of the men came aft. + +"It cannot be," said the captain, "we must keep hands enough to fight +the brig." + +While the boat was being lowered, arms were collected; each man stuck a +brace of pistols in his belt, and we had muskets, cutlasses, and several +pikes. The captain would not allow us to take more, observing justly +that they might be required on board the brig. We really had no reason +to complain of his readiness to assist out friends. Not a minute had +elapsed before we were ready, and getting out the oars away we pulled, +the first mate, of course, steering. + +We steered slightly to the south as the current was setting north, which +of course made the distance longer. I could not help confessing to +myself that it was very doubtful whether we should reach the ship before +the prahus. + +While the mate steered, Blyth and I employed ourselves in loading the +arms. Our men pulled as hard as they could bend their backs to the +oars. They believed that if we could once gain the ship's deck, that we +should succeed in driving back the pirates as well as we had done on +board the brig. We could not tell whether we had been seen from the +prahus, but those on board the ship would, we hoped, make out the signal +hoisted at the mast-head of the "Lily," that a boat was coming to their +assistance, and that this would encourage them to defend themselves +should they be attacked before we could reach them. I had never before +felt the intense anxiety I now experienced, and I knew how Uncle Jack +must be feeling. + +We were now rapidly nearing both the leading prahus and the ship, and we +could even distinguish the fighting men on the decks of the former, with +their gingalls and muskets or spears in their hands, though we could not +make out whether they had any guns in their bows. + +Captain Bingley had laughed at our carrying so many guns, and Uncle Jack +said that when the "Iris" sailed she had only two six-pounders for +firing signals. Whether others had afterwards been shipped he could not +tell; even the two small ones it was possible might have been hove +overboard to lighten the ship. + +As I before said the tide was rising, and we remarked that the "Iris" +had lifted considerably since we left the brig. I need not say that I +very often turned my eyes towards the "Lily" to see if she was moving +faster than before. Though still gliding on through the smooth water, +it was at a slow pace. Already the leading prahus were within a quarter +of a mile of the ship, when their crews ceased rowing. In a short time +we saw that it was only to allow some of the others to come up, +apparently that they might make their attack together. The delay was of +advantage to us. We were near enough to see our friends, who had been +anxiously watching us, waving signals from the forecastle. They of +course knew who we were. I thought I saw two female dresses. I could +hardly be mistaken. But presently they disappeared; probably Captain +Bingley had ordered his wife and daughter below to be out of the way of +any missiles the pirates might discharge. + +"We shall do it, we shall do it. Give way, my fine lads!" cried Uncle +Jack; and the crew pulled until I feared they might spring their oars. + +We had another danger to encounter, that of running on any intervening +coral reefs, and the first mate stood up that he might obtain as far a +view as possible ahead. I had been so engaged in watching the prahus, +that I had not for some minutes looked at the brig. + +"Hurrah!" I shouted, "she's got the breeze at last, and is coming on +bravely." + +"Thank heaven!" exclaimed Uncle Jack. + +At that moment the fighting men on board two of the prahus, which had +again got ahead of the others, began firing away at the ship. Not a +shot was returned from her. This made me fear that she had no means of +defence. On we dashed; even now we might be on board before the prahus +got alongside. We were, it should be understood, approaching on the +port bow, towards which, for obvious reasons, the mate had steered. The +next instant we had hooked on, ladders and ropes were lowered down to +enable us to get on board. + +"Hoist in the boat, or the pirates may get her!" I heard Captain +Bingley shout out. + +She was dropped under the davits. We found only, besides Captain +Bingley and the mates, half a dozen of the men with firearms, the others +had either pikes or boat-hooks, or such weapons as might serve for a +hand-to-hand tussle, but could not have prevented the pirates from +boarding. We had no time to ask questions, for two of the prahus were +almost alongside; hurrying across the deck, we stood with our muskets +pointed at them, telling Ned to shout in a loud voice and threaten them +with a fearful retribution should they attack us. As they still came on +we fired a well-aimed volley at the two nearest, bringing several of +their warriors to the deck, while we quickly again loaded. In another +instant they might have been attempting to clamber up the sides of the +ship, when the people on board the other prahus saw the approach of the +brig, which almost immediately opened fire with her long gun run out +through her bow port. A panic on this seized most of the fleet, and +pulling round away they went, leaving their leaders to their fate. The +latter seeing themselves deserted, cast off and pulled away with all +their might, their object being to avoid the which continued firing her +long gun as fast as it could be loaded. We and the crew of the "Iris" +raised a loud cheer as we saw that we had driven off our foes. Though +we had had happily but little fighting, Uncle Jack had no doubt by his +promptitude saved the ship from being boarded, when in a few minutes +every one belonging to her might have been put to death. + +Captain Bingley, hurrying up to Uncle Jack and grasping his hand, +exclaimed-- + +"You have saved our lives, Radburn. I thank you from my heart, and +there are those below who desire to thank you too." + +He then thanked Blyth and me, and our boat's crew, who undoubtedly +deserved it from the way they had pulled. + +I found that a cable had been carried out astern, and that preparations +had been made for hauling off the ship at high water, which, as the sea +had remained perfectly calm, the captain hoped to do without her having +suffered material damage. She was now rapidly regaining her +perpendicular position, and in a few minutes would be on an even keel. +The brig, after following the pirates for a short distance, had hove to +Captain Haiselden had no fancy for running in among the rocks. + +Jack Radburn was soon on deck. "They are all right, I am thankful to +say," he observed to me; "they want to thank you and Mr Blyth as soon +as you can go below, for coming to their assistance." + +By this time, the tide having risen, the ship was once more perfectly +upright. The capstan palls were shipped, away we tramped round and +round, straining every nerve. In vain we hove, the cable was strained +to its utmost, but not an inch did we move. I saw the captain and his +mates making long faces as if they thought that the ship was +irretrievably lost. Uncle Jack cheered on the men. Already all the +water had been started, and some of the heavy part of the cargo. + +"Never fear, lads," he shouted, "we must heave a few more packages +overboard if we don't move soon; but try again, lads, try again." + +We pressed against the capstan bars with all our might. Just then I +felt her start. + +"She moves, she moves!" burst from every mouth. + +I shall never forget the delight we felt. Round went the capstan bars. +Again and again we cheered. + +We were dragging her off, it must be understood, stern first, exactly as +she had come on, so that had any coral points existed they must have +been torn away. By persevering, in a few minutes she was afloat; and by +means of a hawser secured to the cable, it was brought round to the +bows, and the ship rode safely at anchor. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +On finding the ship afloat the crew in their joy shook hands all round. +There was enough work, however, to be done. The carpenter first sounded +the well. + +No more water than usual was found in her. It was hoped, therefore, +that she had not received any material damage. We had, however, to get +up the topmasts and topgallant-masts, the yards across, to weigh the +anchors and guns, which had been hove overboard, and no end of other +work to accomplish. + +We had not been long at anchor before the "Lily," furling sails, brought +up a short distance outside of us, and Captain Haiselden with a boat's +crew came on board. In spite of the hot sun, we worked hard all day, +Uncle Jack, as may be supposed, setting us a good example. Grace, +though pale from the alarm she had endured, was as blooming as ever. +"Why, I shouldn't have known you," she said, looking at me and coming up +to shake hands; "Mamma and I are so grateful to you for the assistance +you brought us." + +She also thanked Mr Blyth in the same way, I saw that her eye was +ranging over the deck in search of Uncle Jack, who was working as hard +as any of the men to get the ship to rights. + +As the weather was fine we remained at anchor during the night, keeping +a very bright look-out lest the pirates might come back; but impressed +with the idea that the brig was a Dutch man-of-war, without dreaming of +again attacking us, they were probably making the best of their way to +the northward, to escape the pursuit they expected. By evening the next +day the ship was all _ataunto_. Captain Haiselden, who had returned to +the "Lily," again came on board to hold a consultation as to our future +proceedings. The "Iris," having started most of her water, had before +she could venture any distance from the land to procure a fresh supply. +The island on which she had been so nearly wrecked afforded none. The +nearest places at which it certainly could be obtained were either at +Banda, to the west, or the coast of New Guinea to the east, which was +still much nearer. + +Captain Bingley proposed sailing west for Banda, but when Captain +Haiselden told him that we had on board a man belonging to the +"Amphion," who stated that she had not been wrecked in the way described +by Howlett and Trinder, but had been driven on the shore of a large +island to the eastward, he exclaimed-- + +"Then, after all, that may have been the remains of the `Amphion' +herself, which we fancied we saw not a week ago, driven in among the +rocks on the coast of New Guinea." + +He told us that the current had carried the "Iris" in with the coast +much closer than he intended to go; while endeavouring to haul off, +under a press of sail, one of the hands aloft declared that he saw what +looked like a vessel with her masts gone, inside a reef over which she +must have been driven. The mates had both gone aloft. The one agreed +that the man was right, the other, who looked as the first had done, +through a telescope, declaring that "although very like the shattered +hull of a ship, it was only a rock of a peculiar shape." As the safety +of the "Iris" depended upon her clawing off the shore, it had been +impossible to make any further examination, and he had been inclined to +think that those who fancied they had seen a wreck were mistaken. At +all events, if any of her crew had escaped on shore, he was not in a +position to render them any assistance. I watched Uncle Jack's +countenance as Captain Bingley was speaking. I guessed what was passing +in his mind, though he said nothing then. + +"I wouldn't have passed a spot where I thought our countrymen were in +slavery without trying to help them," he remarked to me shortly +afterwards. "We must go there, Harry, if Captain Bingley refuses to +come; our captain will I am sure do his best to visit the spot. I don't +blame Captain Bingley, with his wife and daughter on board, for not +making the attempt to ascertain if that was really a wreck, though he +might have got a safe offing and then sent in a boat." + +When Captain Bingley heard of the possibility of the wreck being the +"Amphion," he at once agreed to accompany the "Lily" to the +neighbourhood of the spot, and to make every effort to try and rescue +any of the crew who might be found on shore. + +I rather suspect Grace and Mrs Bingley being present greatly influenced +him. Not to run the risk of remaining at anchor in so dangerous a place +another night, we returned on board the "Lily," when both the brig and +ship made sail to the north-east, a course which would carry us close to +where the wreck had been seen. + +According to the charts, not far off was a bay which had been visited by +ships, where abundance of good water could be found. It was agreed, +should we discover a harbour, where it was said one existed, that we +would anchor within it and send the boats along the coast to the +neighbourhood of the wreck. + +On the morning of the fourth day after the "Iris" had been got afloat, +land was sighted on the starboard bow, as also right ahead, extending +from the east a considerable distance to the west, forming apparently a +point running out from New Guinea. + +Captain Bingley made a signal that the wreck was somewhere abreast of +us, but he advised that we should stand into the harbour as proposed. +Approaching nearer we made out several channels apparently between +islands, inside of which we might at all events find good anchorage. +Captain Haiselden offered to lead the way, and shortening sail, with the +lead going, we stood on. + +The water was deep, the hills rising on either side of us covered with +the richest vegetation. Rounding a point we presently found ourselves +in a beautiful land-locked harbour, from the sandy shore of which rose +heights, covered like the island with fine trees of varied foliage, +while a glittering cascade falling from above formed a bright stream +which made its way into the bay. + +Having brought up as agreed on, we fired a gun, and Uncle Jack pulled +off in the whale boat to pilot in the "Iris," which had hove to outside. +In a short time we had the satisfaction of seeing her rounding the +point, and she brought up near us. As she by this time had almost +exhausted her stock of water, her boats and ours went in to obtain a +supply. Hitherto no natives had been seen, but in case any should make +their appearance, we had a guard with loaded muskets ready to protect +the watering party. It occurred to us that had there been any natives +in the neighbourhood the sound of our gun, which reverberated loudly +among the hills, might have kept them at a distance. The operation of +watering occupied us for the greater part of the day, and it was agreed +that it was too late to set off in the boats until the following +morning. In the meantime every preparation was made for the proposed +expedition. + +The chart, which was very imperfect, helped us but little, but by +Captain Bingley's calculations the wreck was about twenty miles to the +southward, which might take us, should the weather continue favourable, +five or six hours to reach. We were to go on shore at the most +convenient landing-place we could find to the northward of the spot, and +try and open up a communication with any of the natives we might see, +not knowing whether they might prove utter savages or semi-civilised, +like the Malay tribes inhabiting many of the islands in the +neighbourhood. We were to carry goods of various descriptions, axes and +knives and coloured cloth, as well as beads and rings and +looking-glasses. + +I scarcely slept a wink during my watch below, thinking of the +possibility of meeting with my father before the next day was over. I +was to accompany Uncle Jack in the whale boat, in which as usual Ned and +Bell were to pull. Our jolly-boat, under the charge of the boatswain, +with Blyth, was also to come, and Captain Bingley agreed to accompany us +in his long boat with a well-armed crew of six hands. We should thus +muster pretty strong, and we might hope should the natives not prove +friendly to keep them in awe. At daylight the following morning we +started on our expedition. As there was a light breeze in our favour we +were able to make sail, and to run down the coast, keeping within half a +mile of the shore. It was generally rock-bound, but here and there were +sandy bays, beyond which appeared a dense vegetation, a number of lofty +trees rising above the brushwood. Sometimes we caught sight of bright +streams making their way to the ocean, showing that the land was well +watered. In the distance rose hills, many of considerable elevation, +covered with trees almost to their summits. Altogether the country had +a most attractive appearance. We wished that it could become the abode +of civilised people, instead of the debased savages who were now said to +inhabit it. After we had stood on for about twenty miles we began +eagerly to look out for the wreck, but dark rocks alone met our view, +some at a considerable distance from the land, others apparently joined +to it. + +"I fear that Captain Bingley must, after all, have been mistaken, for I +see no signs of the wreck," I observed. + +"We will stand on to the southward, however; he may easily have been +deceived as to distance," answered Uncle Jack. + +We had run on another mile or more when, looking back, I saw an object +which seemed to me like the shattered hull of a ship. It had been +previously hidden by the rocks along which we were coasting, and in a +few minutes it would again have been concealed by a high ledge. + +"Can that be the wreck?" I exclaimed, pointing it ought to Uncle Jack. + +"No doubt about it," he answered, and he hailed Captain Bingley and +Crowfoot. + +We lowered our sails, and held a consultation as to how we could best +approach the wreck, for such all hands agreed that it was. Uncle Jack +accounted for the probability of its not having been seen by passing +prahus, by its being concealed by the ledge, although visible over it +from the mast-head of a ship. As there appeared to be an opening +between the northern and southern ledges with clear water, Uncle Jack +proposed to pull in, while the other boats, should he discover a +passage, might follow. This was agreed to, and we steered in for the +opening, Ned standing up in the bows, with a boat-hook in his hand, to +watch for any sunken rocks, and to shove off should we come suddenly +upon one. We found the water deeper than we expected, which accounted +for the ship being driven in thus far without striking, while the ledges +outside afterwards protected her from the seas which, during +south-westerly gales, must have beaten on the coast. We found, however, +that we could not get nearer. + +"That's her; I have no doubt about it," exclaimed Ned, as we came full +in sight of the wreck. + +"I believe he is right," said Uncle Jack, as he surveyed the remains of +the ship--"she is, I should judge, about the size of the `Amphion.'" + +We first tried to pull up towards her on the western side, but it being +low water, so many rocks over which the boat could not pass intervening, +we attempted to get round the south-eastern end of the ledge on which +she lay, in the hope of finding deep water inside, between her and the +land. In this we were not disappointed, and we found that there was a +channel, an eighth of a mile wide, of deep water running between her and +the beach. On ascertaining this, we pulled back near enough to the +entrance, and made a signal for the other boats to come in. The whale +boat again leading, we rounded the point and were not disappointed in +finding that we could get sufficiently near the wreck to enable us, by +scrambling over some rocks, to climb on board. Her masts were gone, the +greater part of her upper works had been torn away, and I should not +myself have recognised her as the once trim ship my father had +commanded. Ned, however, who visited the forecastle, declared +positively that she was the "Amphion," pointing out several marks on the +bunks and the heel of the bowsprit. + +She had been completely gutted, not an article remaining in her, while +attempts had been made apparently to set her on fire. This made us +conjecture that she had been visited by Malay pirates, or perhaps by the +Papuans from the neighbouring shore, though we saw no canoes by which +they might have crossed over. The important point was thus settled, we +had found the wreck of the "Amphion." We had next to ascertain if any +of the crew survived. + +We could see, however, no natives nor habitations of any sort. This +might be accounted for from the fact that, for some distance inside the +rocks the country was destitute of streams, and that the vegetation was +much less luxuriant than in other parts we had before passed. We had +now to determine whether to go further south, or to pull back and land +as we had before intended, at the first place where native or other huts +could be seen. As we had met with few habitations to the north, and had +the greater part of the day before us, it was finally settled to sail +further south. From Ned's account he had, after being cast on shore, +been carried in that direction. We got out by the way we had come in, +and then again making sail glided on for six or seven miles, when we +came off the mouth of a river. Ned at once recognised the place, and +said that he remembered a village a short way from the entrance. +Accordingly, lowering our sails we pulled towards it. As the water was +smooth, we had no difficulty in entering the river. Mangrove trees +lined the shores on either side, but after pulling for about a mile, we +came to openings, when trees of various sorts appeared. Shortly +afterwards we saw on the right bank a number of huts, perched, like +those of Borneo, on the tops of high poles, with ladders leading up to +them. These, however, stood not on the shore, but on a level bank +actually in the water. They were connected with each other by long +bridges. The roofs were shaped like boats, bottom upwards. The poles +were very irregular, some being twisted, others forked, while the +buildings themselves had a dilapidated appearance. The walls were +composed, as far as we could judge, of large mats, which, from the way +they were secured, must have allowed a free circulation of air. Under +the eaves of many of the houses we saw hung up several human skulls, +which we supposed were those of enemies killed in war, but were, we +afterwards found, the craniums of deceased relatives. Access to the +shore from the village was obtained by a single wooden bridge. Hitherto +we had seen no inhabitants, though we had no doubt some must have been +in their houses, for we observed three or four canoes made fast to the +posts below. Not to alarm them, we landed at a little distance where +the depth of water enabled us to approach the bank, and taking ashore +several of the articles we had brought for bartering, placed some before +us, and held others up in our hands. As we kept our weapons concealed, +our proceedings had the desired effect. In a few minutes a man's face +with a huge mop-like head of frizzly hair appeared from behind one of +the mats, then another and another. The first made his way along the +bridge leading to the bank, stopping every now and then as if he doubted +his own discretion in thus approaching us. Our friendly signs +encouraged him, and he came on with less hesitation, followed by women +of all ages, who now came out of the huts. The men were fine-looking +fellows, their heads frizzled out in the most extraordinary manner. +Most of them wore in their belts a knife and axe, besides smaller knives +and a skin pouch, with a bamboo case containing betel root, tobacco, and +lime. Most of the women were very unattractive, their dress consisting +of strips of palm leaves worn tightly round the body, reaching to the +knees and very dirty. The men were employed while watching us in +"forking out"--for I cannot call it combing--their heads of hair with +large wooden forks having four or five prongs. They wore earrings and +necklaces made of white beads or kangaroo teeth. The earrings consisted +of thick silver-wire hoops, some of the women having the ends of their +necklaces attached to them, and then looped up into a sort of "chignon" +behind. The men wore a great number of ornaments composed of the teeth +of small animals, and they had finger rings as well as necklaces and +bracelets. Some wore bands round their arms, ornamented with bunches of +varied-coloured feathers. Others also had on anklets in the form of +hoops made of shell, or brass wire, below the knee. + +Ned and Charley were now told to try if they could make themselves +understood, and to say that we had come as friends to trade with them +and to give them all sorts of articles in exchange for the productions +of their country, and then to inquire whether they had no white men +among them. First Ned addressed them, then Charley. It was pretty +evident, however, that the Papuans did not understand a word that was +said. We therefore tried what signs would do, and succeeded much +better. Having come up to us, they examined the articles we had placed +on the ground, when the chief man among them sent back several of the +others to the village, who returned laden with mats and baskets, some +empty, others full of a white flour, which on examination we found to be +sago. + +Also baskets of yams, taro, bananas, and other roots, cocoa-nuts, +fruits, and oranges. We saw, indeed, a large number of cocoa-nut trees +growing in the neighbourhood. We now offered them such of the goods as +we had brought as we considered equivalent to the various lots. + +Our trading had hitherto gone on well, and we hoped soon thoroughly to +gain the confidence of the natives, and be able to make the inquiries we +desired. + +Kalong had come with us, and as he could not understand us, we told Ned +to get him to try what he could do. + +We watched him eagerly. After a time the Papuans appeared to understand +what he was saying, they replied. He then turned and repeated what they +had said to Ned, who told us that the Papuans acknowledged that some +white men had been living with them for some time, but that they had +been carried off by another tribe, who had come far away from the +northward, at some distance from the coast. Before this they had made +several attempts to escape, and were building a canoe for the purpose, +when the enemy came down and made them prisoners. + +Kalong was then directed to inquire what sort of people they were. I +listened eagerly for Ned's interpretation; at last he said-- + +"One was a chief, who notwithstanding worked as willingly, or more so, +than any of the rest, and seemed more anxious than they were to get +away." + +This description made me hope that it was my father of whom the Papuan +spoke, but I was bitterly disappointed to hear that he had been carried +to a distance, as it might still be long before we could find him. +Uncle Jack felt as I did. + +"We must, notwithstanding, keep up our spirits, Harry," he said; +"there's no proof that he has lost his life, and as these savages don't +move far from their locations, we may soon have a chance of +communicating with him. We must try and get our friends here to help +us, and the promise of a large reward may incite their wits and courage. +Having succeeded thus far we will not give up the search, and if we can +get one of these frizzly-pated gentlemen to act as our guide we will set +off at once to look for him." + +Uncle Jack explained his plans to Captain Bingley. + +"I should like to make every effort in my power to recover my friend +Musgrave, but I dare not risk the loss of any of my people in making the +attempt," he answered. + +"Then with your leave, Captain Bingley, I will go alone!" exclaimed +Uncle Jack. "Who will volunteer? Ned, I am sure that you will be ready +to go and look after your old captain." + +"Aye, aye, sir," was the answer, "with all my heart." + +"And I'll go too," said Bell, who had an eye to trade, and an idea that +he might establish an intercourse with the natives, as he had done in +Borneo. + +Kalong, on being asked, expressed his readiness, provided that we all +went well-armed. + +"I'll join you," said Blyth; "I am sure Captain Haiselden will not +object." + +The next point to be arranged was, in the event of our finding my +father, where should we rejoin the brig. + +Captain Bingley, after some discussion, promised, concluding that +Captain Haiselden would agree with him, to run down the coast, and to +stand off and on, so as to be ready to take us on board. The appearance +of the two vessels would, he hoped, produce a favourable effect on the +natives. Uncle Jack thanked him heartily, and agreed that the plan was +the best that could be devised. I had hoped that Captain Bingley, on +hearing of the possibility of my father being in the neighbourhood, +would have marched with our whole force to rescue him, but he observed +that so large a party might make the natives suspect that we had come as +enemies, whereas a small force would show that we had no hostile +intentions, and induce them to behave in a friendly manner towards us. + +Blyth now told Ned to inform the natives, through Kalong, that we should +be ready to purchase all the sago they could obtain, as well as a small +quantity of cocoa-nuts, yams, and other roots or fruits, promising to +call for them before we left the coast. The natives, who seemed fully +to enter into the spirit of trade, were highly satisfied, and undertook +to do as they were advised. + +Blyth said that if we could open up a trade with them it might lead to a +commercial intercourse with other tribes along the coast, and +ultimately, he hoped, to the civilisation of the country; observing, "If +we can show the natives that we wish to be friendly, and treat them with +justice, we shall render them service while we benefit ourselves." + +As Captain Bingley was anxious to get back before nightfall, his and the +boatswain's boats started on their return, leaving Uncle Jack, Blyth, +and me with the three men to carry out our proposed undertaking. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +We felt pretty well satisfied of the friendly intentions of the natives, +but Uncle Jack considered that it would be prudent to be on our guard, +and directed us all to keep close together. We feared, from the long +discussion held by the natives, that we should find a difficulty in +obtaining guides, none of them being willing to encounter the dangers +they expected to meet with. We told Kalong to offer a handsome payment +to each man who would accompany us, and at length two fine young fellows +stepped forward and agreed to go. They would not, however, consent to +start until the following morning at daybreak. They offered one of +their huts that we might rest in it at night. We selected one which +overhung the stream, so that we might secure our boat beneath and +retreat to it if necessary. The inhabitants of the hut, who had no +heavy articles of furniture to remove, at once cleared out and gave us +possession. + +As evening approached we saw them cooking in large earthen bowls. +Supper consisted of yams, vegetables, fish, and pork, some dishes being +seasoned with cocoa-nut, finely shred over them, and all very well +cooked. This showed us that the natives were not the savages they have +so generally been represented to be, and the hospitable treatment we +received gave us confidence that they intended to act honestly. + +Night passed away quietly, and the next morning, after a further supply +of cooked provisions had been brought us, our two guides said that they +were ready to start. They told Kalong that they intended to row along +the coast some distance to the eastward, where there was a bay in which +we could land, and from thence proceed directly towards a village +perched on the side of a mountain, where the white men had been living +when last heard of. + +We agreed at once to embark. Pulling down the river, for there was no +wind for sailing, we steered as the natives directed. The shore, as far +as we could see, was densely wooded, with high hills, also covered with +trees, rising in the far distance into lofty mountain ranges. Here and +there were openings in the forest through which we could distinguish +villages, but the natives either did not see us, or supposed that the +whale boat was one of their own canoes. + +At all events we were not followed. We had rowed fifteen and twenty +miles when our pilots pointed to an opening on the shore, off which we +had arrived. A short distance ahead we saw lying off the coast a small +island thickly covered with trees. Eager to land, scarcely giving it a +second glance, we pulled in for the bay the natives pointed out. As we +approached we observed near the beach a number of houses similar to +those of our friends, and fully expected to encounter fresh difficulties +with the natives, but on getting nearer we saw no one moving about. + +We told Kalong to ask whether the people were likely to prove friendly +or not. After consulting with our guides he answered that the huts were +deserted, the whole of the inhabitants having been carried off by a +fleet of prahus which lately visited the coast. + +On landing we found that this account was correct. Looking out for some +thick underwood we dragged up our whale boat on the beach, and so +concealed her that she could not be seen by strangers entering the bay. +We now prepared for our march. We each of us carried, besides our arms +and ammunition, some biscuits, tea, and sugar, a small bale of goods +consisting of coloured cloth, axes, knives, beads, and glittering +ornaments likely to suit the savage taste. + +Ned and Charley had, besides, our simple cooking utensils. We felt sure +of obtaining game enough and wild fruits to enable us to fare +sumptuously. + +Blyth and I were in high spirits, for I felt sure ere long that we +should find my father, and I was surprised that Uncle Jack did not +appear equally confident. We found the woods as we proceeded full of +birds of magnificent plumage, parrots, cockatoos, lories, and others of +exquisite form and colour, which Blyth at once declared were birds of +paradise. They, however, kept at such a distance that we were unable to +shoot any of them had we been so disposed. Looking up at the top of a +lofty tree we saw a large number flying backwards and forwards from +branch to branch, so that the trees appeared filled with waving plumes. +We stopped for a moment to admire them. Their wings were raised +directly over their backs. Their heads were stretched out, while their +long hinder feathers, being elevated and expanded, formed two superb +fans. The heads of the birds were yellow, their throats emerald green, +but we could scarcely distinguish the tints amid the rich golden glory +which waved above them. Magnificent butterflies, also of the most +gorgeous colours, flew round us, and glittering beetles, of equally +beautiful tints, crept along the ground or up the stems of the trees. +In one or two open spots we startled several kangaroos of a small +species which went hopping away, looking back curiously at us every now +and then. Suddenly also we came upon a cassowary, a wingless bird, the +body of which is about twice the size of a large turkey, but its long +legs raise it to the height of five or six feet from the ground. It is +covered with long close black hair like feathers. The skin of the neck +is bare, and it is of a bright blue and red. Instead of wings it has on +its sides a bunch of horny black spines like porcupine quills. There +are several species which differ in appearance from each other. + +Mr Blyth told me there must be at least eighteen species of birds of +paradise, inhabiting different localities. The commonest is yellow with +a long tail of the same colour. We saw numerous pigeons also, and a +curious animal called the cuscus, something like an opossum, with a long +tail, small head, large eyes, and a dense covering of woolly fur. We +observed traces also of other animals, but what they were we could not +make out--perhaps some large species of kangaroo or deer. I mention +these creatures together to show the abundance of animal life in Papua. +But, as may be supposed, we had no time to attend to natural history, +our great object being, as soon as possible, to meet the tribe among +whom our countrymen were said to be living. We travelled on until night +approached, when our guides signified that we must form a camp. They +set to work by first clearing away the grass and examining the +neighbouring bushes to be satisfied that neither snakes nor savage +animals lurked within. They then told Kalong to cut a quantity of +bamboos which grew on the banks of a stream a short distance off. With +these they quickly formed a hut, to which they fixed a floor at some +distance from the ground to serve as a sleeping-place. It was thatched +with large leaves, and was of sufficient size to hold all the party when +somewhat closely packed. Uncle Jack, Blyth, and I kept watch by turns, +though our guides did not seem to consider this necessary. We were not +disturbed with the various sounds which came out of the forest, +produced, however, I believe, rather by insects and birds than by wild +beasts. + +Next morning, after cooking several birds which we had shot and taken +our breakfast, we recommenced our journey. We had marched on five or +six miles up a gradual ascent, differing, however, very little from the +ground we had left, when our guides informed us that we were approaching +the village for which we were bound. Soon after we saw in the distance +a large number of leaf-covered huts stretching over a considerable +extent of ground. It was agreed that our guides should go forward, each +provided with some of the articles we had brought to present to the +chief, and to say that some white strangers had arrived who desired to +become friends and to trade with him. We told Kalong that they must not +fail to hint that we were well-armed and able to defend ourselves, but +at the same time that we were peaceably disposed. Observing a rock a +short distance off, partly covered with trees, from which we could +command a view of the country around us, we climbed to the top of it to +wait there in the shade until the return of the two Papuans. We +employed part of the time in making a meal off the provisions which we +had cooked in the morning. How eagerly I looked out for our guides, +expecting to see them perhaps accompanied by my father. We waited and +waited, but still nowhere could we discover them. At length, a large +portion of the day having passed, we saw a person hurrying towards us, +and as he began to climb the rock we perceived that he was one of our +Papuan friends. His countenance showed that he was greatly agitated. +We anxiously waited until Kalong and Ned could interpret for us. + +"He brings bad news, sir," said Ned, at length; "from what I can make +out, the savages have seized his companion, and he had a hard job to get +away from them. He says that some of the white men are dead, and that +the others, not long ago, made their escape. This made the people very +savage, and he fears if we go near them that they will seize and keep us +instead." + +"But, my father! Do you make out that he has escaped?" I inquired +eagerly. + +"It is a very difficult question to answer," said Ned; "our friend here +thinks that the man whom they call the `White Chief,' and who I take it +was the captain, did get away, and that makes them so angry. It seems +that they had been very friendly with him up to that time, only they +would not let him go because he was teaching them all sorts of things. +I don't suppose if they were to make us prisoners they would kill us, +but we should lose our object in coming, and may be they would keep too +strict a watch to let us escape." + +We had no reason to doubt our guide; indeed, his story appeared so +probable that Uncle Jack at once resolved to beat a retreat. If the +white men had escaped, they were now probably on the coast, and we might +fall in with them. + +This hope greatly softened the disappointment we should otherwise have +felt. Our native friend seemed satisfied with our resolution. We +inquired what he intended to do with regard to his companion. He +replied that he would not lose his life, and that he would probably some +day make his escape, and when we told him that he should have the +promised reward notwithstanding the failure of the expedition, he was +evidently highly satisfied. + +There was no time to be lost, as we wished to put as great a distance as +possible between ourselves and the villagers before they discovered that +we had begun to retreat. We had the advantage of knowing the way and of +a beaten track to traverse. Our loads, too, were lightened somewhat by +the presents we had sent; at the same time Uncle Jack thought it would +be imprudent to throw the remainder away, lest they should fall into the +hands of our pursuers, who would consequently be less likely to come to +terms with us, should we be overtaken. It was dark when we reached our +camping-place. As our guide undertook to lead us back to our boat +during the night, we continued our journey without waiting to rest. We +could see the stars through the opening of the forest, and we knew that +we were going in the right direction. Without our native guide, +however, we could not have ventured to make the attempt. With due +thankfulness we at length caught sight of the ocean, on which the light +from a crescent moon was glittering brightly. + +Our boat was safe, but it was a question whether we should launch her at +once, or remain on shore until the following morning. As we were all +pretty well tired, Uncle Jack determined on turning her bottom up, so +that we might sleep beneath her while one of us kept watch in case any +natives should approach. We dragged her out from among the bushes, +therefore, down to the beach, just above high water mark, so that we +might be able to put off quickly should it become necessary. Of course +we could think and talk only of one subject. What had become of my +father? + +We must of course continue our search for him, and we all hoped that, +unless he had escaped on board some passing vessel, which was not at all +likely, he would not be far off. + +It was arranged that Blyth should keep the first watch, Uncle Jack the +second, and I the third. + +I never slept more soundly in my life, as I was very tired with our long +tramp, for it seemed but a moment after I lay down before I was aroused +by my uncle giving me a pull by the leg I crept out from under the boat, +and shouldering my musket began to pace up and down close to the boat to +keep myself awake, while my uncle took my place. + +The stars were shining brightly, and a light wind rustled the leaves of +the neighbouring trees, while the water lapped gently on the beach. No +other sounds reached my ears. I still felt so drowsy that I was sure, +should I sit down, that I should go to sleep. Occasionally I extended +my walk to the borders of the forest. + +I had made several turns, and calculated that I had been half an hour or +so on watch, when it appeared to me that the night was growing darker, +and looking up I saw that the stars overhead were obscured, while the +murmuring sound in the trees had increased in loudness; though sheltered +as we were by the forest we did not feel the wind, which was blowing off +shore. The clouds continued gathering until the whole sky was obscured. +I fully expected before long that there would be a downpour of rain, +but as we were on a weather shore I did not think it necessary to call +my companions. I continued my walk, occasionally approaching the forest +and then returning to the boat. + +I looked out anxiously for the approach of day, but even had the sky +been clear, the trees would have prevented me from seeing the first +streaks of dawn, and as it was the sun itself would probably not be +visible. + +At last I knew by the light that the day had broke. I had gone back to +the forest, and intended to arouse my companions at the end of the next +turn, when I fancied that I could distinguish the sound of human voices +amid the soughing of the wind in the branches overhead. Stooping down +to the ground I listened attentively--I was sure I was not mistaken. + +The voices might be those of the natives, who finding we had retreated +had pursued us. Hurrying back to the boat as quickly as I could, I +roused up Uncle Jack, telling him what I had heard. + +"Very likely you are right, Harry," he answered, "though we might drive +back the savages, we could not do so without bloodshed, and our safest +plan will be to get our boat off and hold a parley with them from her. +If they show hostility, we can keep them at bay until we get to a safe +distance." + +Without a moment's delay we called up our companions. We quickly turned +the boat on her keel and ran her down into the water. We two held her, +while the rest carried our goods on board. + +Just as we were jumping in we saw a number of savages, armed with spears +and bows, emerging from the forest, and they, catching sight of us, +rushed forward, others following, until a formidable band was collected +on the beach. + +"Shove off, lads!" cried the first mate, seizing an oar, and the rest of +us imitating his example, aided by the wind, we speedily drove the boat +away from the shore. + +The savages, seeing us about to escape them, bent their bows and let fly +a shower of arrows, which came whistling about our ears, some falling in +the boat and others on either side. + +The first mate steered, Blyth sat by his side with a musket in his hand +ready to fire, while our Papuan guide crouched down in the stern-sheets. + +"Shall I fire?" asked Blyth, "I can knock over one of those fellows; the +chief, I suspect, who seems to be leading them on." + +"No, hold fast, I would not injure the poor wretches if it can be +avoided," answered the first mate. "We shall be out of their reach in +another minute. We can then settle how to treat with them." + +A few strokes took us beyond the range of their missiles. He was right, +for their bows were comparatively small, intended rather to shoot birds +than for war, while their javelins could not be thrown to any great +distance. + +He now directed Ned to tell Kalong to address them, and to say that we +had come with friendly intentions to trade, and to recover some +countrymen who had been wrecked on their coast. + +The chief, on hearing this, invited us on shore, observing that we could +talk more easily there, and that he would hear what we had to say. + +The Malay and our native guide talked together. + +"Kalong says we had better not trust them," observed Ned; "if we land +they may shoot us for the sake of getting our goods. They don't know +how far our firearms can reach. Better give them a volley to show +them." + +This Uncle Jack was unwilling to do, though we might have shot down half +a dozen of them at least, had we fired as Ned proposed. + +While this palaver was going forward I took a glance seaward, when what +was my astonishment to see the "Iris" and "Lily" standing along the +coast, under close reefed topsails, as if coming to look for us. I +could judge by the way they heeled over that a pretty strong breeze was +blowing in the offing. + +If we were to get on board there was no time to lose; indeed, it seemed +very doubtful whether we could reach either of the vessels. They were +too far off to see us, and it was doubtful whether they could hear our +muskets. Uncle Jack directed Blyth and me to fire at the same time, but +neither the ship nor the brig altered their course. They had good +reason for not wishing to approach the land, as the wind, rapidly +increasing, was shifting to the north-west, and they might at any moment +find themselves on a lee shore. They had also got so far from the +harbour they had left that it was evident that they could not manage to +get back. + +"They'll not desert us, lads, depend upon that," said Uncle Jack, as we +saw them standing away from the coast; "we can neither overtake them nor +land while those fellows on shore show so unfriendly a disposition. We +must try and get back to the village where we procured our guides, +though I don't know what sort of reception we shall meet with when their +friends hear that we have lost one of them. It will be a long pull and +a heavy one, for we shall have a head sea as soon as we get clear of +this bay." + +"Why not then make for yonder island to the eastward?" I observed. +"These savages, who don't appear to have any canoes, cannot follow us +there, and we shall be able to remain in safety until our friends come +to take us off." + +"We may have to follow your suggestion, Harry, but we must first try to +get back to the river to land our guide according to our promise. He +has proved faithful, and we will supply him with goods with which he may +be able to ransom his companion." + +This was said as we were pulling out of the bay, but no sooner did we +get beyond the point than we met so heavy a sea that it was impossible +to pull the whale boat against it, and we were in danger of being +swamped. Our only alternative was, as I proposed, to run for the +island. Even now we had to pull hard to avoid the following seas which +threatened to poop us. We saw the savages on shore dancing, shouting, +and gesticulating when they discovered that we had escaped them. On +finding, however, that we were steering for the island they rushed along +the beach in the same direction, which made us fear that they might +possess the means of crossing over to it, and that after all we should +have to fight for our lives. We had not much apprehension, however, as +to the result. Uncle Jack intended to pull round to the lee side of the +island, and then, should they persist in attacking us, we could shoot +them down from the boat while we kept out of range of their arrows. + +As we pulled along we watched the two vessels which were getting further +and further from the coast, although the ship had only her fore and +mizen topsail set, and the brig was under equally snug canvas. + +Aided by the wind the boat went faster than the savages could run, and +they were out of sight when we reached the passage between the island +and the main land. We could see no canoes on the shore, and this made +us hope that we might at all events avoid an attack until the gale was +over, and we could resume our search for my father. + +We did not doubt for a moment that the "Lily" would come to look for us, +and by hoisting a signal on the outer end of the island we hoped to +attract her attention. Passing through the channel, which was about a +mile wide, we rounded the eastern point of the island where the water +was perfectly smooth, when discovering a small bay with a sandy beach we +at once pulled in. As we saw no huts or plantations we calculated that +the island was uninhabited. We therefore landed without hesitation, and +hauled up our boat. From a rocky elevation on the northern side of the +bay we could command a view of the main land along the whole length of +the strait. + +Uncle Jack sent Blyth and me to watch should any natives appear, but +sharp as were our eyes we could discover neither canoes nor human beings +moving about. + +The savages therefore supposing we had escaped had, we concluded, +returned to their village. As there was some probability that we should +have to remain several days on the island, Uncle Jack proposed that we +should build a hut, which would be a pleasanter sleeping-place than +under the boat. We at once therefore set to work. + +The Papuan showed himself an adept at the use of the axe, and +understanding clearly what we wanted was of great assistance. A bamboo +thicket and some large palm leaves afforded us materials, so that in a +short time we had a well built hut erected capable of containing all the +party, the upper floor affording us a sleeping-place, while the lower +would shelter us during the day should it come on to rain. We naturally +felt much anxiety about the vessels, though we trusted that they would +avoid any of the dangers which lay to the westward. + +Night passed without any adventure. The gale raged with unabated fury, +though we felt it but little in our sheltered cove. We had brought a +good store of provisions and a breaker of water in the boat, but that, +from the frequent applications to it, was almost exhausted. It was +necessary to search for a fresh supply. Uncle Jack was unwilling to +leave the beach in case the natives might find the means of crossing. +Blyth and I therefore undertook to go in search of water. We hoped, +although we might not discover a stream--which from the size of the +island was unlikely--we might find a spring, or ground by digging into +which fresh water might be reached. As soon, therefore, as we had +breakfasted we set off. As we had pulled along it the previous day we +calculated that the island was between three and four miles long and +about two miles broad. + +Besides our guns we each carried a long bamboo stick, one end pointed +and the other formed like a gouge to serve as a spade, with which we +might dig for water, should we fail to find a stream. + +So thick was the jungle immediately at the back of the cove that we had +to proceed along the shore some distance before we could make our way +inland. In several places we found it lined with the pandanus or screw +palm, which looks as if it had branches at both ends, the lower being +the roots which had lifted the trunk into the air. In other places +there were cocoa-nut trees with nuts hanging from them, so we knew that +even were we to be kept there many weeks we should have an ample supply +of vegetable diet. + +"We shall find other food too," said Blyth, pointing to some trees which +grew in a hollow at the foot of a hill. "Those are sago trees; if hard +pressed we might manufacture sufficient sago from them to last us for +months, or even years. They require moisture, and I have little doubt +that by digging we shall find water not far from their roots. But we +will search further, perhaps we may discover a spring which will give us +a more ample supply, so that there is no fear of our starving. What a +number of birds there are! Many of them, too are birds of paradise. I +cannot tell you their names, but they seem to be the same as are found +in the Aru islands away to the southward. We shall have no difficulty +in shooting them, or some of those magnificent pigeons when we want +them, but it would be a pity to expend our ammunition unnecessarily. We +can kill a few as we return to serve us for dinner." + +The whole of the island indeed appeared to be a perfect garden, and yet, +as far as we could discover, not a single inhabitant did it contain. We +made our way on, not without great difficulty, sometimes having to cut a +passage for ourselves through the underwood until we reached the +southern end, or rather western shore, where we could see the ocean +still covered over with raging foam-topped seas, which made us fear that +for many days to come our friends could not return, and until the brig +did come back I was sure that Uncle Jack would consider it his duty to +remain on the island, whence he could communicate with her. + +As we were more likely to find a spring inland than on the coast we +continued our course up the centre of the island. "We shall have to +dig, I suspect, after all, in the sago grove," said Blyth, as we at last +began our return. "However, we may as well carry some game with us; I +intend to shoot the first fine pigeon I see. You can try your luck, +although I would advise you not to fire unless you feel sure of your +aim." + +In a short time Blyth, who was a good shot, killed three or four +pigeons, and I had shot a parrot and a bird of paradise, but I felt +ashamed at having deprived so beautiful a creature of life, yet +thousands were flying about unseen by human eye, which they are formed +to delight. We went on a little further, when I again fired and brought +down another parrot. Just as I pulled the trigger I caught sight +between the trees of a face watching us. At the first glance I thought +it must be some huge baboon, but still it looked human though covered +thickly with hair. I was a little in advance of Blyth. Supposing that +if not a baboon it was a savage, I was hurriedly reloading, ready to +defend myself, when a man stepping forward exclaimed-- + +"Who are you mates, and where do you come from?" + +For a moment my astonishment at the sudden apparition prevented me from +answering. The man, however, advanced without fear. His dress, though +in tatters, was that of a seaman, fastened together by all sorts of +contrivance, while a roughly-formed palm-leaf hat covered his head. + +"I heard your shots some time ago, and have been long hunting for you, +for I was sure no natives could have fired as you have done." + +Without answering his inquiries, I with intense eagerness put the same +questions, "Who are you? And where do you come from?" + +"I am an Englishman, who was cast away out there, and who was kept a +prisoner for many a long year by a set of savages up the country, until +about six months ago, when the captain and I got free from them and +crossed over here, where we have been ever since, hoping that some craft +would appear and take us off." + +"What ship did you belong to? Who is your captain?" I asked, with +intense eagerness. + +"The `Amphion,' Captain Musgrave was my captain," he answered. + +"He is not, then, living?" + +"Yes, he is alive, but he is in a bad way, I fear. He kept up his +spirits until yesterday, when we saw two English vessels run past us to +the southward. Then it seemed to him, and to me too, for that matter, +that all hope was gone, and that we might have to remain here for years +more for what we could tell, since all the time we have been here we +have never seen a vessel." + +At that moment Blyth came up, and in a voice choking with agitation I +told him what I had heard. + +"Lead us at once to your captain," he said, turning to the seaman; "we +came here expressly to look for him, and are expecting the vessels back +as soon as the weather will allow them to return to the coast. If your +father is ill, Harry, there will be a risk in agitating him by +presenting yourself suddenly to him. Let our friend here first tell him +that he has found some Englishmen on the island, and then I will go in +and tell him that his son and brother-in-law have come to look for him. +Where is he living?" he asked of the sailor. + +"In a poor enough place, sir, close on the sea shore. It is a cave, +inside a rock. We thought it safer than a hut, where the natives, if +they had come to the island, would be more likely to find us." + +I begged the seaman to hurry on. "What! Are you the captain's son?" he +asked, as I ran by his side. "Often and often he has talked about you. +If anything will set him on his legs the sight of you will." + +We soon reached the beach, when scrambling for some distance among the +rocks the seaman pointed to the entrance of a cave at the side of a hill +which sloped up from the water. + +As agreed on the seaman went first, followed by Blyth. I stood outside +eagerly waiting to be summoned. It seemed so long that I was afraid my +father had been overcome with the news. + +At length Blyth appeared, and beckoned me in, and the next instant I was +kneeling by my father's side, as he lay stretched on a bed of leaves and +matting, which Dick Meade, his faithful follower, had arranged for him. + +"What! Are you Harry, really my son Harry?" he exclaimed, throwing his +arms around my neck; "I was sure that you and my good brother Jack +Radburn would come to look for me if you thought I was alive, and not +until yesterday, when God in his mercy had sent you to this island, did +I lose hope. Ungrateful I was, after having been preserved from so many +dangers; but your appearance has brought me back to life." + +"What the captain wants is some good food," I heard Dick observe to +Blyth; "if you'll let me cook one of those pigeons it will do him all +the good in the world." + +As Blyth carried a flint and steel they soon had a fire lighted in a +sheltered spot, just outside the cave. While I sat by my father I was +thankful to see that he appeared stronger as we conversed. + +Blyth soon again came in and volunteered to carry the joyful +intelligence to Uncle Jack. During his absence the pigeon was cooked +and eaten. Dick brought in a shell full of water from a spring, which +he said bubbled out of the hill side close at hand. + +Soon I heard Uncle Jack's voice. I need not describe the meeting +between him and my father. He had left Blyth with directions to bring +the boat round should the sea have gone down sufficiently to enable her +without risk to reach a little cove which we found not far from the +cave, where she might be hauled up if necessary. Uncle Jack, with his +usual forethought, had brought tea and sugar and biscuit, luxuries to +which my poor father had long been a stranger. They appeared to benefit +him much. In a few hours he was able to sit up and converse freely with +us. Before nightfall we had the satisfaction of seeing the boat, and +Dick ran down to pilot her into the cove. Some of the party spent the +night in the cave, which was of considerable size, and others under the +boat. + +The first thing all hands did in the morning was to cut down the tallest +trees we could find to form a flag-staff, which we placed on the highest +part of the hill overlooking the ocean. We then fastened together the +two flags we had in the boat with a number of our handkerchiefs, which, +combined, formed a flag of a size which could be seen at a considerable +distance; eagerly we watched day after day for the appearance of sail. + +I had never seen Uncle Jack so anxious, he could not help reflecting +that during the gale some accident might have happened to the "Iris," +and that his dear Grace might be among the sufferers. + +"Cheer up, brother Jack," said my father, when he saw him thus cast +down; "I have learned more than ever to put confidence in God's loving +mercy during my exile. Had I not been able to trust Him, I should have +sank long ago. I have known Haiselden and Bingley all their lives, and +they are not the men to desert their friends." + +Still another and another day passed. At length, one morning, I was +awakened by a shout from Dick Meade, and running out of the cave, I saw +the rising sun shining on the white canvas of a brig in the offing. +That she was the "Lily" I had no doubt, but where was the "Iris"? What +would be Uncle Jack's feelings at not seeing her? + +Dick was hoisting up the flag which he had just bent on. The breeze was +from the south-east, which would enable the brig to approach the island +without risk. She was standing on farther to the northward, and I began +to fear that she was not the "Lily" after all. I was expressing my +doubts to Dick, when I found Uncle Jack standing by me with a telescope +to his eye. + +"Yes she's the `Lily,' no doubt about it; she'll see our signal before +long, as she will be looking out for us." + +In another minute the whole of our party were on foot. I ran in to tell +my father, who insisted on coming out to have a look at the object for +which his eyes had so often ached in vain. + +In the meantime our men had lighted a fire, believing that a long pull +would be before them. Fortunate it was that they did so. My father was +not in a fit state to go off without breakfast. The meal was scarcely +over when the brig tacked, and the "Lily's" flag was run up at the +mast-head. + +Not a moment was lost in launching the boat. My father was assisted +down to the beach. We waited a few minutes, when the "Lily" hove to. +Our last act was to lower the signal flag, and we then, getting on +board, with hearty strokes pulled away for the brig. + +"We have found him, we have found him!" I could not help calling out as +we approached her side. + +My father was helped on board, and warmly welcomed by our kind-hearted +captain. Uncle Jack's first inquiry was for the "Iris." + +"She's all safe at the Aru islands, where I promised to rejoin her as +soon as I had recovered you," answered Captain Haiselden; "and as she +has received some damage in the gale, she is likely to be detained there +several days." + +The only person who looked unhappy was our Papuan guide; but he was +reassured when the captain promised to land him at his own village, +towards which we stood, as soon as the whale boat was dropped astern. + +In a couple of hours we were off the mouth of the river, when we once +more pulled off, with the same party which had before landed in the +whale boat. + +As we approached, a shout of joy arose from our companions. The cause +was soon explained. One of the first persons we saw standing on the +platform in front of the hut was the lost guide who had, we afterwards +found, made his escape, while his captors were pursuing us. + +The natives were delighted with the things we brought them, and we could +have laden our boat up to the gunwale with the articles they offered in +return. + +Wishing our friends good-bye, and promising that we would as soon as +possible pay them another visit, we pulled back to the brig. + +In three days we reached the Aru islands, seldom visited by English +vessels, and brought up before the chief town Dobbo, which is, however, +only a collection of huts such as those described in Papua and Borneo, +though of a more substantial character. The population of the islands +are mostly Papuans, though people from various other parts of the +Eastern seas have settled there. The islands are generally level, and +thickly wooded, the forests containing amongst other birds two or three +of the most beautiful species of birds of paradise. + +The "Iris" was almost ready to sail, so that we remained there but a +couple of days, when, threading our way among the coral reefs, we once +more got into the open sea. + +I should have been happy to give a further description of our voyage and +our visit to Timor, where we anchored to obtain fresh provisions. We +then shaped our course along the south coast of Java, and then, crossing +the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope; after which we had a +remarkably fine passage home, and, strange to say, did not once lose +sight of the "Iris." + +Whether Uncle Jack had anything to do with this I can only guess. I +know that he told me to keep a bright look-out for her whenever he was +below, and report to him any change in her position. The "Iris" led the +way up the Thames. Immediately she dropped her anchor, before going +into dock, Uncle Jack and my father went on board and arranged a plan +with Grace for breaking the news of his return to my mother; she and +Mrs Bingley at once went on shore promising to act with due discretion. +I have every reason to believe they carried out their duty well, for +when I arrived at home a few hours after my father, I found my mother +looking the picture of happiness, and almost as calm and composed as +usual. + +I have not entered into the trading particulars of the voyages of the +two vessels, but both were considered highly satisfactory. It was the +first of several I made on board the brig to the same region, the mate +of the "Lily" being now her captain. + +In the next voyage my Aunt Grace, now Uncle Jack's wife, accompanied +him. He has since retired from the sea. I served with him as his +second, and then his first mate for some years, until I got the command +of a ship. I must acknowledge that I greatly owe my success to having +followed the good example set me by my excellent uncle once The Mate of +the "Lily." + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Mate of the Lily, by W. H. G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MATE OF THE LILY *** + +***** This file should be named 21469.txt or 21469.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/4/6/21469/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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