We entered Sourabaya in the evening, when the streets were still crowded
with the mixed population of the town, in their varied and picturesque
dresses, each speaking their own language, or uttering the various cries
of their respective trades. I directly rode to the hotel in the hopes
of finding Fairburn there, as I was eager to learn how he was
progressing with the schooner. He had not returned; and I was setting
off to the docks when I met him coming in.
"How do you get on?" I exclaimed, as soon as I saw him. "Are we likely
soon to be able to start?"
"We have gone ahead more rapidly than I expected," he answered. "What
by good wages and encouragement, and constant supervision, the
carpenters and riggers have got on so well, that I expect she will be
ready for sea in a few days. The more I see of the little craft, the
more I like her; for she is a beauty, I can assure you, and will sail
well too."
"I am delighted to hear it, and thank you for all your exertions in my
cause," I answered. "I long to be fairly under weigh. But have you
gained any more information about the _Emu_?"
"Nothing of importance," he answered. "A Dutch merchantman came in here
a few days ago, and she reports that some months since, on her outward
voyage, she was chased by a strange brig, which showed no colours; but,
by carrying all sail, she got away from her. If that was the _Emu_, it
shows that she has taken regularly to piracy, and that we must be
prepared to encounter her."
To this I agreed; but the thought that my sister and Mrs Clayton were
among wretches who were pursuing such a course made me feel very
wretched. The next morning I accompanied Fairburn down to the vessel.
I was indeed surprised with the appearance she presented. Indeed, she
required little more than to get her sails bent and her stores on board
to be ready for sea. She mounted four carronades, and one long brass
gun amidships, besides numerous swivels on her bulwarks, to enable her
to contend in every way with any piratical prahus we might encounter.
Besides these, her arm-chests contained a good supply of muskets,
pistols, and cutlasses.
"I have engaged also the best part of our crew," said Fairburn. "They
are all staunch fellows, or I am much mistaken. It is important that we
should be well manned. There are eight Englishmen, four Dutchmen, two
Americans, and six Javanese. The last are fine fellows, and, well
treated, will labour hard; and if well led, and they can see that they
may trust to their officers, they will prove as brave as any men in the
world. See how they all go about their work. If I was a stranger to
them, I should say they were the men to trust to. They have found out
already that I chose all good men, and that there are no skulkers among
them."
We were standing on the quay at the time, and as he spoke he pointed to
the schooner where all hands were actively employed in various
avocations, setting up the rigging, bending sails, and hoisting in
stores.
"And what sort or officers have you engaged?" I asked.
"Two; and both good. One is a Dutchman, and the other is English. I
had some difficulty in arranging the papers, and in getting permission
to carry arms but, thanks to the assistance of Mr Scott and the
kindness of the Resident, the affair has been settled. I cannot
however, go as master of the schooner."
"You not master!" I exclaimed. "Who, then, is to be?"
"The Dutchman, M. Van Graoul. He is a very good fellow in spite of his
name," he answered, laughing. "The fact is, he is nominally captain,
and is answerable for our good behaviour--that we will not turn pirates,
or commit any other little irregularities. I am to have charge of the
vessel, and he is to obey me in all things lawful; indeed, he is to act
as my mate except on certain occasions, when we are to change places.
The arrangement is perfectly understood between us, and is not at all
unusual."
I replied that I was satisfied if he was, and thought that the
arrangement would not inconvenience him.
"You are aware, also, that you must sail under the Dutch flag," he
continued. "It is better known than the English in these seas, and so
far that is an advantage; but I daresay you would rather, as I should
when it comes to fighting, have our own glorious standard waving over
our heads."
I agreed with him there also; but I found that I was much indebted to
the Dutch authorities, as so very strict is the government in all
matters of the sort, that it was only in consequence of the peculiar
circumstances of the case that I was allowed to fit out the vessel at
all, many regulations being relaxed in my favour. I forgot to say that
the schooner was called the _Fraulein_, which is the Dutch, or rather
German, of _young lady_; and I thought the name pretty and appropriate.
Behold me, then, the owner of the schooner _Fraulein_, Captain Van
Graoul, just ready for sea, and as complete a little man-of-war as ever
floated. I was going to call her a yacht; but she was fitted more for
fighting than pleasure, except that there was one cabin which, with a
confidence I scarcely had a right to, I had had prepared for Eva and
Mrs Clayton.
Our papers were all in order, and we had cleared out regularly. I had
taken leave of the Resident and other authorities, and thanked Mr Scott
to the utmost of my power for his liberality and confidence in me; and I
had wished all the other friends I had formed good-bye, except
Lieutenant Jeekel, who told me he intended to come and see the last of
me on board. I felt that I had at length commenced my enterprise; my
hopes rose with the occasion. There was an elasticity in my spirits, a
buoyancy in my step, which I had never before experienced, as I walked
the deck of the _Fraulein_, as she lay in the roads just before getting
under weigh.
"There is a loaded boat coming off, and I think I see Lieutenant Jeekel
in her," said Captain Van Graoul, who had been looking through his glass
towards the shore.
He was right; in a short time my friends came alongside in a boat laden
with provisions and fruits, and luxuries of every kind and description
which the country could produce. While I was welcoming him on board,
the things were being handed up on deck.
"Oh, you must not thank me for anything there," he exclaimed, with a
smile, as he saw me looking at what was going forward. "I have but
performed a commission for a friend of ours, who charged me to see it
executed, or not to venture into her presence again."
"Oh, I understand," I replied, laughing significantly. "Pray, whenever
you are tempted back to her neighbourhood, express my gratitude, and
assure her and Maria that I will not forget them, or the last mark of
their kindness."
I suspected that it would not be long before my message was delivered,
if the lieutenant could get leave from his ship, which was then
refitting. He gave me also a satisfactory piece of intelligence, to the
effect, that as soon as his brig was ready for sea, she was to be sent
to cruise in search of the _Emu_, should her piratical career not yet
have terminated.
I was very unwilling to have to go so far out of my way as Batavia; for
I felt certain that my search should be carried on among the wilder and
less frequented islands lying to the east of Java, where the pirates
would have little fear of being surprised. At the same time, I might
obtain important information at Batavia; and I knew the necessity of
beginning my search systematically.
Everybody on board was in high spirits, and they all having had the
object of the cruise explained to them, seemed to enter into it with a
zeal and alacrity which was highly gratifying to me. We had a complete
little Babel, as far as a variety of tongues are concerned, in the
_Fraulein_; but, thanks to Fairburn's admirable arrangements, aided by
Van Graoul, perfect harmony instead of discord was produced.
I have not yet described Van Graoul. He was a stout man with a placid,
good-humoured expression of countenance, and was content, provided he
could enjoy his well-loved pipe, and an occasional glass of schiedam, to
let the world take its way without complaining. He wore light-blue
trousers, with enormous side-pockets, into which his hands were always
thrust; a nankeen jacket, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, with a bright
yellow handkerchief round his neck. He was a very good seaman in most
respects; and was so perfectly cool in danger, that it was difficult to
believe he was aware of the state of affairs. He did not, however, make
a good master, as he was subject to fits of absence, when he was apt to
forget the object of his voyage. The junior mate was a young
Englishman, of the name of Barlow, a very steady, trustworthy person.
Then, there was a boatswain, a gunner, a carpenter, and other petty
officers; and I must not forget to mention Hassan, the young Malay, and
Kalong the Dyak, who considered themselves our immediate attendants,
while Ungka was a favourite with all.
As it was impossible to say where the _Emu_ might be, we were constantly
on the look-out for any vessel answering her description. It was agreed
that if we did fall in with her, we must endeavour to take her by
surprise, or to capture her by boarding, as, were we to fire at her, our
round shot might injure those we were in search of. We had a very short
passage to Batavia, and anchored in the roadstead. The town being built
on a swamp, and planted with trees, was entirely concealed from our
view. I immediately went on shore, my boat being tracked up the river
against a strong current.
I was struck by the immense number of alligators which infest the river.
They are held sacred by the Javanese, who will not destroy them; and it
is said that they treat their brown skins with equal respect, but have
no compunction about eating a white man. They live upon the number of
dead animals and offal which come floating down the river. They are
useful as acting the part of scavengers to the stream they inhabit. The
streets of Batavia run for the most part in a north or south direction,
are kept in neat order, regularly watered, and planted with rows of
trees in the Dutch style. Formerly canals intersected the streets in
all directions, rendering the city the most pestilential place within
the tropics; but by the orders of Sir Stamford Raffles, while the
English had possession of the island, they were all filled up, except
the Grand Canal and its tributaries. The city is still far from
healthy, and no one who can help it remains there; the government
officers and merchants all going out to their country houses in the
afternoon. My stay in Batavia was so short, that I had not time to make
many remarks about the place. In consequence of the recommendations I
had received from Sourabaya, the Resident forwarded my views in every
way, giving me passes to facilitate my search throughout all the Dutch
settlements I might visit.
Fairburn and Van Graoul were in the meantime making inquiries among the
masters of all the trading vessels in the harbour, whether they had seen
or heard of a vessel which might prove to be the _Emu_. They, however,
could only obtain rumours of her, and no one was met who had actually
been attacked by her. For some time past it appeared that she had not
even been heard of; and the opinion was, either that her career had by
some means or other been brought to a close, or that she had altogether
quitted those seas and gone to commit her depredations in another
quarter of the globe. This last idea was the most distressing, because,
if such was the case, I could not tell for what length of time my search
might be prolonged. As, however, Timor was the last place she had been
known to touch at, I determined to proceed there, and thence to steer a
course as circumstances might direct.
We were once more at sea. It is very delightful to sail over the ocean
when the breeze is fresh, and sufficiently strong to send the vessel
skimming along over the water, and yet not sufficiently so to throw up
waves on the surface. Many such days I remember, and many nights, when
the moon, in tranquil majesty was traversing the pure dark-blue sky, her
light shed in a broad stream of silver across the purple expanse, on
which the vessel floated, a mere dot it seemed in the infinity of space.
Had I been free from anxiety, the life I spent on board the _Fraulein_
would have been most delightful; but my mind was always dwelling on Eva,
and thinking how she was situated; and my anxiety to rescue her
prevented me from enjoying the present.
We had been two weeks at sea, having experienced chiefly calms and light
winds, when one morning at daybreak, while on the right of the island of
Lombok, the lofty cone of its volcano rising blue and distinct against
the sky, a square-rigged vessel was descried in the north-east quarter.
She was apparently standing on a bowline to the southward, so that, by
continuing our course, we should just contrive to get near enough to
speak her. There was considerable excitement on board, for we had not
spoken any vessel since we were out. She might give us some information
respecting the _Emu_; or it was just possible that she might be the
_Emu_ herself. We stood on till we made her to be a low black brig,
with a somewhat rakish appearance. This answered the description of the
_Emu_. We had now to consider how to approach the stranger without
exciting her suspicions. We first hoisted the Dutch ensign, and out
flew, in return from her peak, the stars and stripes of the United
States.
"He is not afraid of showing his colours," said Van Graoul, looking at
the brig through his glass. "But ah! see there! He does not like our
look. He has put his helm up, and away he goes before the wind."
So it was. The stranger altered her course, and away she stood to the
eastward, pretty briskly setting her studding-sails and royals; by which
we calculated that she had a good many hands on board. This behaviour
of the stranger increased our suspicions of her character; and we
accordingly made all sail in chase. We were now to try the speed of the
little _Fraulein_. The breeze freshened, and away she flew over the
water; but the brig was much larger, and soon showed us that she had a
fast pair of heels. Do all we could, indeed, we could only continue to
hold our own with her. Sometimes we even fancied that she was
distancing us, and then after an hour had passed, we did not appear to
have sunk her hull in the water.
"Oh that we could but come up with her!" I exclaimed. "My sweet little
Eva, we would soon liberate you from the power of these ruffians."
Van Graoul had his eyes upon the brig, as he said quite calmly, as if he
had been thinking over the matter, "Has it not struck you, Mr Seaworth,
that yonder stranger may have as bad an opinion of us as we have of her;
and that seeing a piccarooning little craft, no offence to the
_Fraulein_, standing towards her, she thought the safest thing she could
do would be to keep out of our way?"
This was one mode of accounting for the flight of the stranger; still I
did not like the idea of giving up the chase. Van Graoul's notion might
be correct; but yet it was possible that she was, after all, the _Emu_.
At last the sun went down; but the night was so clear that we could
still see the chase, and most perseveringly we followed her. The
morning dawned, and there she was just ahead of us; and so well defined
did every spar and sail appear in the clear atmosphere, that I could
scarce persuade myself that she was far beyond the range of our guns.
She had, indeed, rather increased than diminished her distance from us.
At the same rate, unless the breeze failed her, and favoured us, she
must finally escape from us. Approaching the evening, some low wooded
land appeared ahead, towards which she was steering.
"What can she intend to do now?" I asked of Fairburn.
"She intends to run between a number of low coral islands, which form
the land you see ahead, and so expects to escape us," he answered. "The
navigation is very difficult, and very dangerous for a stranger; but Van
Graoul knows them well, and if she goes in we can follow."
"By all means, let us follow them," I exclaimed. "Everything makes me
think that must be the _Emu_."
"I wish that I could be certain," said Fairburn. "We have a longer
cruise before us."
I asked Van Graoul the name of the islets scattered about in a long line
before us.
"They are called the Pater Nosters, because strangers are apt to say
their Pater Nosters when they happen to find themselves among them in
bad weather," he answered.
The day was clear and the sea smooth; but I could suppose that in thick
weather they must be very dangerous. The brig stood boldly on, with all
sail set; and as we saw her, she seemed about to run directly on shore.
Our glasses were continually fixed on her. One moment she was before
us--the next she had disappeared. An exclamation of surprise escaped
from many of the crew.
"Hello! where's the stranger?" cried one.
"Why, if she don't beat the _Flying Dutchman_!" exclaimed another.
"I thought no good of her when I saw her up-helm and run away from us as
she did," said a third, a Yankee, who was one of the oracles of the
crew.
Van Graoul laughed. "We shall soon get a sight of her again," he said;
"she will get becalmed among the trees, or will find the wind baffling,
when we, with our fore and aft sails shall have the advantage."
The breeze still held, and my heart beat quick at the thoughts of what
was going to occur. At last we approached the land, or rather the
islands. They stretched away for miles before us on either side, for we
appeared to be near the centre of the group. The highest were not more
than five or six feet out of the water; but the greater number were only
two or three feet, and some were scarcely as many inches above it, and
it seemed extraordinary that the waves should not wash completely over
them. That they did not do so, even in rough weather, was evident from
the thick groves of cocoa-nut, palm, and other tropical trees, which
grew on them, while a bright sand, on which were strewed numberless
beautiful shells, fringed their borders.
Van Graoul now showed some of his good qualities. Hands were stationed
at the bowsprit end, each fore-yard arm, and the mast-head, to keep a
bright look-out for the coral ridges, which had not yet shown themselves
above water, while he stood forward where he could be seen by the
helmsman, ready to direct him in the devious course we were about to
pursue. I had had too recent a lesson of the dangers of coral reefs not
to feel anxious as I found myself again among them. Coral islands have
always struck me as one of the most interesting curiosities of nature.
A minute marine insect builds up from the bottom of the sea the solid
foundation. The waves break the summit into sand. The birds of the air
come and rest there, and bring seeds, which in time spring up and decay,
till a soil is formed to give nourishment to more lofty trees, such as
we now saw before us. We shot in between a narrow opening with the
water of the deepest blue on either side. All hands were at their
stations. Fairburn acted as quarter-master, ready to repeat our pilot's
signals. It was a nervous time: now we seemed rushing on against a bank
of trees, and directly we turned to the right hand or to the left,
through another opening, the termination of which was completely hidden
from our sight; and had I not felt confidence in Van Graoul, I should
have fancied that we were running into a blind passage, without another
outlet. On looking out astern, I found that we had completely lost
sight of the sea, and thus were on every side surrounded by trees and
reefs. A stranger would, indeed, have found no little difficulty in
getting out of the place, had he ever by any wonderful chance managed to
get into it. Still on we flew.
"Now," exclaimed Van Graoul triumphantly, "we shall see directly; and if
I mistake not, we shall not be far astern of her."
Soon after he spoke we shot past a thickly-wooded point, and emerged
into open, lake-like expanse. I saw his countenance fall. The stranger
was nowhere to be seen.