138 THE OUT-STATION; OR, 



treat at the time she was passing, that it was next to 

 a miracle she had not sailed by unnoticed. We 

 moreover learnt that we were on one of those very 

 small islands at the head of the Gulf of Manarr, and 

 not six hours' sail from our destination. 



As it was too late to embark at once, owing to the 

 dangerous nature of the coast and our ignorance of 

 the tides, we waited until daylight before the first 

 boat-load put off, and at 10 A.M. we were on our way 

 once more to the fishery, leaving the Bassein Mer- 

 chant (for such was the title of the tub that had got 

 us into this scrape), on the reef; but whether the 

 " merchant" ever resumed business, or became a 

 bank -(of coral)rupt, I neither know nor care. 



At five o'clock that evening we were received in the 

 open arms of our more fortunate comrades, who had 

 long given us up as having gone to the bottom, and 

 the feeling of delight at our preservation was such as 

 I never saw equalled ; the English soldiers vying with 

 the Malays as to who could show most attention to 

 the rescued Riflemen, and if the seductive voice of 

 John Bull, in the proffer of his wine-cup that night, 

 did cause certain transgressions of the commands of 

 " Allah," ah 1 I can say is, that Allah must be a much 

 more unforgiving and stubborn old deity than I take 

 him for, if he did not forgive the offence in respect of 

 the occasion. 



Reader, my good fellow, would you enjoy a dinner 

 in perfection ? if so, I'll give you a never failing re- 



