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?"