"Yes, and collecting botanical specimens. There will be no need now to
toil up a certain distance every day, and we shall stop at every
likely-looking collecting ground to go ashore, and certainly explore
every side stream or creek."
"And fish? Hamet says it would be capital if I could catch enough fish
for a dinner now and then; and I want to bathe."
"Of course, and you shall try; but there are crocodiles. I have seen
two within the past hour, one swimming, and the other lying on a
sandbank."
"Why, I saw that," cried Ned; "but it was so still that I concluded it
was all fancy, it lay so close, and looked so like the sand and mud.
Well, I may fish if I can't bathe, and--well, that does seem curious
just as I said that. Look, there are two of the black fellows at it."
"A dark brown and a light brown to be more correct," said Murray, as he
looked at a boat some fifty yards ahead of them, where it had just shot
round a bend of the smooth stream, with a Malay boy paddling; while
another in bright sarong and gay-looking baju or jacket, and a natty
little military-looking cap on one side of his head, leaned back
trailing a line for some kind of fish.
"I say, you sir," cried Ned loudly, as he noted that the brown-looking
boy was about his own age, and that he was watching the newcomers
eagerly, "what's the Malay for what you are catching, and how many have
you caught?"
For answer the boy gave his line a snatch in, and let it go again,
showing his teeth, and laughing heartily.
"Well, you might be civil," said Ned flushing. "I say, Hamet, ask him
how many he has caught."
The boatman asked the required question, and received an answer in the
Malay tongue.
"He says he has only just begun."
"Well, ask him what sort of fish he catches."
But before the question could be asked, the boy shouted something.
"He says, sahib, are you fond of fishing?"
"Yes, of course," shouted Ned, forgetful of the apparent need of an
interpreter.
By this time, the boats had passed each other and the distance was
increasing, when there came in good plain English: "I say, where are you
going?"
"Up the river," cried Ned in astonishment. "Know any more English?
Where do you live? How far is it away from here, and what's your name?"
The boy in the boat threw out his line again, and burst into a shout of
laughter, greatly to Ned's annoyance, for it sounded derisive; but there
was no opportunity for further attempts at communication, for their boat
swept round the bend, and it was plain enough whence the fishers had
come, for, beautifully situated in a lake-like curve of the stream, they
could see quite a pretentious-looking village with what was evidently a
mosque, and just beyond it, a strong-looking stockade. The houses were
of exactly the same type as those they had before passed, but in
addition there were several of considerable size, whose sides were woven
in striking patterns, while dense groves of cocoa, betel, and nipah
palms added to the beauty of the scene.
Along the shore a dozen or two of boats were drawn up, while floating
alone and doubled in the mirror-like water was a large prahu on whose
deck several men were lolling about. Just then a naga or dragon, boat
came swiftly from behind it, propelled by a dozen men in yellow jackets
and scarlet caps, and three or four showily-costumed Malays could be
seen seated and standing in the shade of the awning, which, like that of
their own boat, was of palm-leaves or attap, but far more neatly-made.
"What place is this, Hamet?"
"Don't know, sir," he said. "Never been so far. It must be Campong
Bukit, and that is one of the rajah's boats."
"What rajah?"
"Rajah of Dah. Great prince."
"Ah, well, we may as well stop and land, and I daresay we can buy some
fresh fruit and chickens and rice. What's that?"
"Ibrahim says don't stop--not good place," replied Hamet, for one of the
men had whispered to him.
"Oh, but Mr Wilson said this was an important village, and that there
were English people here."
The question of stopping or not was soon decided, for by a dexterous
turn the dragon boat was swept across them, their way stopped, and one
of the Malays beneath the awning shouted something imperiously to the
men.
Hamet replied in Malay, while Murray strained his ears to try to pick up
the meaning of some of the words, without success, and then turned
impatiently to Hamet.
"What do they want?" he said.
"To know who you are, sir, and where you are going."
"Tell him to mind his own business," said Murray, sharply, and to Ned's
great delight. "No; it would be uncivil. Tell him I am an English
gentleman travelling for my pleasure, and that we are going to land to
look at the place and buy provisions."
This was duly interpreted, a fresh answer made, and permission given,
the naga being kept close alongside as they all rowed for what proved to
be quite a respectable landing-place, that is to say, a roughly-made
jetty formed by driving bamboos into the sand and mud.
"Ask him if there are not some English people here," said Murray to
Hamet.
"No, uncle, don't. Look there, in front of those trees, there's an
Englishman with a white umbrella, and a lady with a parasol. Oh, I say,
what a shame; she's using an opera-glass--and you said we were coming up
into quite a savage place."
"So I did, Ned," said his uncle, rubbing his ear; "but I can't help it.
Civilisation crops up everywhere now, and they say you can't get away
from cotton prints and Staffordshire pottery without running up against
Sheffield knives."
"But it is so disappointing. I say, look, and there's another lady, and
they're going on to that jetty to see us come in. There'll be a
steamboat call next, and I daresay there's a railway station somewhere
among the trees."
"Never mind, Ned," said Murray, with a comical look of chagrin in his
countenance. "We'll only buy what we can and be off again directly. I
certainly didn't expect this. Why, there's another Englishman," he
said, more loudly than he had intended, for they were close up to the
jetty now, and the man of whom he had spoken, a red-faced youngish
fellow in flannel shirt and trousers and a straw hat, said loudly:
"Not a bad shot, sor. Make it Oirish, and ye'll be right."
"I beg your pardon," cried Murray, hastily raising his hat, and the
salute was returned. "What place is this?"
"Dirthy Bucket, sor. Campong Bukit they call it. Are ye from home
lately?"
"From England? Yes."
All this was said as the boat glided along by the bamboo posts, and
Murray added hastily: "Perhaps you would not mind helping us. We want
to buy some provisions--something to eat."
"Buy something to ate?" said the man, smiling. "Whisht, here's the
masther and the ladies.--Here's an English gentleman, sor."
There was rather an angry buzzing here from the dragon boat, as the
gentleman with the white umbrella came on to the jetty, the two ladies
with him remaining behind, while quite a little crowd of Malays began to
collect on the river-bank.
"English gentleman?" said the newcomer. "Glad to see you, sir. From
Singapore, I presume!"
"Not just lately; we have been staying at Dindong. We were on our way
up the river, and this place seemed a likely one to lay in a store of
fresh provisions. Am I right?"
"Perfectly. Come ashore, my dear sir. Your son?"
"Nephew," replied Murray, and Ned bowed stiffly.
"Just as welcome in this savage place. This way; my bungalow is a very
little way off."
"But my boat, guns, and the like?"
"Be safe? Tim, jump in and take charge, while the gentlemen come up to
tiffin."
"But, sor, there'll be nobody to--"
"Oh, never mind; we'll manage. My factotum, butler, footman, groom,
everything," continued the stranger. "Did those fellows bring you in?"
"Not exactly. They showed us the way."
"Hem!" said the stranger, with a dry cough; and he put up his white
umbrella again. "Mind the sun?"
"Oh, no; we are getting a bit acclimatised."
"You're lucky then; I'm not. My dears, gentlemen from home. Mr--
Mr--?"
"Murray."
"Mr Murray. My wife and daughter. Oh, by the way, forgot to introduce
myself: Barnes, Doctor Barnes, resident physician to His Highness the
Rajah of Dah, in whose capital you stand. My dear, Mr Murray and his
nephew have kindly consented to take tiffin with us."
"You are very kind," said Murray, hesitating.
"No apologies are necessary," said the elder of the two ladies, rather a
yellow, quick-spoken body; and she made as if to take the newcomer's
arm. "We are only too glad to see a fresh face--a white one, are we
not, Amy?"
"Indeed we are, mamma," said the bright-looking girl addressed, and in a
half-amused way, she took Ned's arm as her father went on in front.
"I little thought of seeing English visitors," she continued. "Shall I
be impertinent if I ask why you have come so far?"
"Oh no!" said Ned rather brusquely, for he resented the questioning.
"Uncle and I have come up on a sporting and natural history trip. We
are going on directly."
"Indeed! Then the rajah has given you leave?"
"What rajah? The man here?"
"Yes," said the girl, smiling.
"Oh no! We did not know it was necessary. Uncle will ask him then, I
suppose. Does he call it his property?"