Title: The Mate of the Lily - Notes from Harry Musgrave's Log Book
Author: Kingston, William Henry Giles, 1814-1880
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.


*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Mate of the Lily - Notes from Harry Musgrave's Log Book" ***


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 this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Mate of the Lily - Notes from Harry Musgrave's Log Book" ***

Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.