A TWO MONTHS' LEAVE IN THE MALAY PENINSULA. 17 



over us, were at one time in considerable danger. Fortunately 

 the boat was very solidly built and the wind, instead of in- 

 creasing, soon lulled a little, and we were able to let go the 

 anchor, which, with the cable, we had insisted on being new 

 before hiring the tongkong. For a long time it did not hold, 

 but at last something caught it when we had drifted to within 

 half a mile of the shore ; and keeping our head to the wind 

 we were able to ride out the storm. At daylight it had ceased, 

 and we contrived to rig up some sort of sail and coast along 

 towards Singapore, which, the wind being fair, we reached 

 yesterday. So ends our two months' leave to the Malay 

 Peninsula; a pleasant exchange for the heat and fever of 

 Hong Kong. 



