nut, salt, dried fisli, onions, and other private stores for
the voyage. As soon as they saw me, however, they came
running down, and we all went on board. Altogether
our craft was heavily laden; but as these native boats
are generally carefully built, we saw nothing to fear.
At 3.30 we bade our friends, who had kindly come
down to see us start, “ g o o d -b y e a n d , amid the cries
of “ Salaamat jelan ! ” from the men’s friends on shore,
we hove anchor, and sheered off with a tolerably good
wind. We soon got our large mat-sail hauled up, and
with the Union Jack astern (we carried the “ mails ” for
Tampassuk by the way), glided out of the harbour, and,
rounding the old flagstaff-point, steered nearly due north.
We did this, intending to stand out, and make “ Pulo
Tiga,” an island lying about forty miles northward of
Lahuan, by the morning. In this, however, we were
doomed to disappointment; for after an hour or two of
indifferent sailing, a hit of a squall arose, and the wind
having changed, we hove in shore, towards Lumhedan,
intending to anchor under the shelter of a little islet of
the same name for the night, and start away in the early
morning.
This was now the only judicious course left us, since
we were close in-shore, on a dangerous coast, and the
squall of wind and rain was coming down on us like a
hurricane. Our men pulled in around the island, and
were approaching the shore, to enable us to land, when
the boat rose a little on the surf, and the next moment
her hows came down on a rock, and this knocked a large
hole in her bottom. We subsequently found out that all
her lower timbers were rotten. Happily we were not far
from the land, and could make ashore, or the consequences
might have been serious. As it was we suffered
enough, being drenched with rain and surf; and1 as the
boat rolled about, and filled rapidly, most of our things
got drenched likewise. As is usual with Malays on
such occasions, there was a great deal of excitement,
and everybody shouted orders or instructions to his
neighbour.
However, Smith, an excellent fellow Mr. Boosie had
allowed to accompany me, and one or two natives, handed
out our clothes and personal effects, which others carried
ashore, after which we got out the bags of rice, and other
stores all safely, and having emptied the craft of all
her loose gear, we hauled her up on the smooth sandy
beach, and then, as it was getting dusk, set about preparing
ourselves a habitation for the night. Some of
the men were sent to cut firewood, others to cut timbers
for our h u t; others went to search for water, while my
“ hoy,” hastily securing a few dry sticks, lighted a fire,
and began preparing our evening meal.
We had with us plenty of the common “ kajang”
mats, which may he purchased in Labuan for a few
pence each, and serve admirably for roofing boats, or the
little jungle-houses, for which a Malay will cut and fix
timbers in a few minutes. We had also a good oil-cloth,
twelve feet square; and in less than an hour after our
shipwreck we had a roomy tent erected in which to eat
and sleep. We soon got on some dry clothes, and then
had our bedding placed at one end, with our baggage
piled up behind, and at the other end our rice and dried
fish, goods for barter with the natives, and other stores,
were arranged. The guns, rifle, and the tower-muskets,
carried by the men, together with our revolvers, &c.,
were cleaned, and oiled, and suspended overhead; and
the lamp being lighted, and hung in the centre, we began
to look quite cheerful.
We had our dinner about seven o’clock, and then a