Our work being over, we assembled to take our last meal on shore, and, as we sat round the fire we had lighted to dress our provisions, we looked more like a picnic party than a set of shipwrecked people. The ladies had recovered their spirits, and Mrs. Van Deck presided at the feast with becoming dignity. The captain then made the people a speech. He told them that they had behaved very well, and that he hoped they would continue to do so; and drawing the boats to shore, we finished loading them, and, stepping in, once more continued our voyage.

CHAPTER XII.

Continue the Voyage.-Future Plans discussed.-Discern the Pirate Fleet ahead of us. Our Measures to avoid being discovered. The Chances of escaping decrease.-A pleasant Prospect.-A Council of War, in which Mrs. Van Deck votes for submission, and carries her point.-I am in the Minority.— Description of a Sooloo or Illanon Prahu.-The Sun rises, and exhibits us to the Pirates.-We get on board the leading Vessel, and are made Prisoners.-Our Friends share our Fate.

THE breeze held favourable, though lighter than we required it; and the setting sun gave every indication, 'as we thought, of a continuance of the fine weather. The long-boat led the way, and the other two boats were stationed on either quarter, and, as the stars shone brightly, we had no difficulty in steering our course, while we should have been able to distinguish any coral reefs which might have appeared. We thus ran on all night, at the rate of from three to four knots an hour. Two people kept watch at a time, while the rest slept— one steered while the other looked out. I relieved Fairburn at the helm; for I had now gained so much practical experience in seamanship, that he had more confidence in me than in the crew, some of whom were careless about keeping the proper course. The boatswain had the first watch, Fairburn had the middle, and I was to take the morning one. The first passed away

as I have described. Soon after Fairburn took the helm

I awoke, and felt very little inclination to go to sleep again; indeed, the loud snoring of the boatswain, who was a Dutchman of the stoutest build, and my near proximity to him, contributed much to drive sleep from my eyelids.

"I have been thinking, Fairburn,” said I, that I will no longer trust to the chance means of getting about from place to place, but, as soon as we reach a port, I propose to look out for some small fast-sailing craft, which I shall arm well for self-defence, and then I shall be independent. What do you think of my plan?” "I like it much," he replied. You must get a good hand as a master, who knows these seas, or do you propose to go master yourself?"

“I am not so conceited with my seamanship as to trust entirely to myself," I answered. "The idea has occurred to me, that you might like to go as master, and I am sure you would make a good one.'

Nothing I should like better in the world," he exclaimed in a tone of delight. "I assure you I am most grateful to you for thinking of me. The life I have often had to lead under inferiors, often tyrannical, rude, and uneducated, has been very irksome, and has at times nearly driven me to desperation; but with you I shall have all the pleasures of a roving life, without any of the drawbacks I so much hate."

"Well, then, it is settled, Fairburn," I said, equally pleased with him. We will not lose an instant, when

we get into port, in up a good crew."

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looking after a vessel, and picking So we went on, hour after hour, talking on the subject till the watch was worn out, and daylight began to appear.

"We must get into port first, however, on the old

principle of catching a hare before cooking it," he remarked, laughing.

A hail from the long-boat interrupted us-we were some little way astern, and we saw her lower her sail, the jolly-boat doing the same. We stood on till we got up to her.

"Down with your canvass-down," exclaimed the captain vehemently. "Don't you see that ahead?

We had been quietly following the long-boat and had not looked beyond her. We now did so, and by the uncertain light of the coming dawn, we could see the dark sails of several large prahus standing directly across our course from the eastward. Had we been a little further advanced we should have been directly under their stems. If they were pirates our position was perilous in the extreme. The captain proposed that we should instantly put about and pull away from them to the northward and east; but then it was argued that the moment the sun got up the flashing of our oarblades in the water would inevitably betray us, and that our best mode of proceeding was to be perfectly quiet, so that they might pass without perceiving us. The last proposal was carried, Fairburn, whose opinion was always of weight, voting for it, The oars were accordingly laid in, and we all crouched down at the bottom of the boats, no one's head being allowed to appear above the gunwales. We hoped thus, if the Malays should see the boats that they would fancy they were without occupants, and would not think it worth their while to go out of their way to examine them. The canvas of the bulwark, at the bow, was lifted a little to enable one person to look through in order to watch the proceedings of the prahus. Our preparations were

made before it was quite light: and now came the most trying time, when the sun, as he rose from the water, should first shed his rays across its surface. That is the period when seamen of every nation are more particularly accustomed to take a steady scrutinizing glance round the horizon, to see what ships or land may be in sight. We could observe the sails of the prahus gliding by to the westward like silent phantoms in the cold pale light of the morning. We were to the eastward of the greater part of the fleet, and we began to hope that all might pass us, when Fairburn and I simultaneously perceived three others more to the north than the rest, and directly to

the eastward of us.

Being thus more to windward than

the rest, they came down rapidly towards us.

"What shall we do now?" I asked of Fairburn. "If we stay where we are they will scarcely miss us. If we pull on we shall be directly to leeward of them, and they will certainly see us, and we cannot escape them."

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To own the truth, I do not see that we have a chance of escape," he whispered. "In attempting to pull away out of their course to the northward we shall certainly be observed. We must make up our minds to the worst."

"What do you think that will be?" I asked.

"If they grant us our lives-abject slavery,” he answered, with a groan. If we could fight first, I should not so much mind; but to be picked up by those rascals without a struggle, as a worm is picked up by a bird, is very trying."

"But don't you think we might master one of the prahus, and escape in her?" I asked.

"A brave thought; but one I am afraid our captain is not a man to execute," was his reply. "I am thinking

K