92 



BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. 



[chap. 



any appreliension, and left in the cutter for a cruise in search of 

 natural history and photographic objects. 



On our return we found that the captain and owner of our 

 vessel, as well as others who had accompanied hun, was fast becoming 

 hilarious. We had hardly finished dinner before it became evident 



BULUDUFI HUTS, SIGALIUD KIVER. 



that the Vigilant had taken the ground — a proceeding that was in 

 no way necessary, as we had carried three fathoms of water the 

 greater part of the run up, and had still a depth of twelve or 

 fourteen feet in mid-stream. It was soon apparent that the affair 

 might become serious for the owner of the craft, as she careened 

 over more and more, her list being unfortunately towards the centre 

 of the river. If the tide only fell low enough her fate was merely 

 a matter of time, for the banks sloped at an angle of many degrees. 



