JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 133 



remonious one it was), we had a puff of wind (enough 

 to keep up the favourite superstition of sailors) but at 

 night it died away again, and two days and nights had 

 lapsed lingeringly into the grave of Time spent by 

 all in an agony of suspense, starvation, and pain 

 before a black cloud burst over us, and cooled our 

 burning and bursting veins ; during this time the men 

 had about three thimblesful of boiled rice each day, 

 whilst we tasted nothing but the brown sugar and 

 pickles. 



It was now the fifth day, and things were begin- 

 ning to assume a most serious aspect ; so, holding a 

 council of war, we determined to turn the vessel's head 

 directly north, and the first land we saw to run for ; 

 then, disembarking with loaded rifles, to plunder the 

 place of all that was to be found therein, and having 

 found out our locality, to put to sea again. 



At last the south-west monsoon began to creep to- 

 wards us over the waters, till catching our sails, we ran 

 along before it at the rate of about six knots an hour. 



At noon there was a cry from the foretop- mast- 

 head of " land right ahead!" and in half an hour 

 every man was on deck and accoutred in readiness for 

 an expedition. 



The land lay so exceedingly low that at the time it 

 was first seen we must have been within six miles of 

 it, and as we neared it quickly and silently not a breath 

 or sound was heard on deck from a man on board ; 

 each stood fixed and noiseless as a statue, straining his 



