WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 47 



blew from the S.E., and the yacht crept along the coast as far 

 as the Maykor Channel. Samuel White writes: "The names 

 and positions of these islands seem to be in much confusion, 

 and the charts are quite useless." 



After rounding the point of the supposed Maykor (accord- 

 ing to the chart), but which was in reality Tragan, a number 

 of canoes of various sizes were seen upon the shore. One was 

 a prau of considerable size (about 20 tons). Near this craft, 

 and close in shore, the anchor was let go in three fathoms of 

 water. It was not long before a canoe put off from the shore, 

 and came alongside the yacht. The crew, consisting of six 

 men, propelled the canoe by means of short spoon-like pad- 

 dles, chanting a song and beating a tom-tom. Besides the 

 crew, the canoe or prau contained a native teacher in a com- 

 plete suit of clothing excepting boots — he even wore white 

 cuffs, two others accompanied him, who seemed 

 subordinates. They could not speak a word of 

 English; but could converse fairly well in Malay 

 with the owner of the yacht. Referring again to my 

 father's notes he says. '"These men (the teacher and his assis- 

 tants) confirm the statements of the last natives in calling the 

 small nameless Islands on the chart Maykor. I asked them 

 into the saloon, and gave them some tea and bread, and the 

 three sat at the table and behaved in a most modest and be- 

 coming manner, but they are all great beggars. They wanted 

 tobacco, then grog, and to test the various reports I have read 

 upon this subject, I brought out a bottle of Rum 20, O.P., and 

 poured out about a third of a tumbler for the principal man, 

 who tossed it off without a grimace. I assisted the others to 

 a good nip, which they seemed to relish, the head man then 

 motioned to be permitted to give some of the crew a drop. I 

 began to assist them, but he was desirous to help them him- 

 self, and took the bottle out of my hand, gave some of the crew 

 a very tiny drop, passed the bottle over the side into the prau, 

 then after shaking hands all round, left with the bottle. Hav- 

 ing given orders to have a boat lowered, Samuel White went 

 over the large prau to see if he could get any information in 

 reference to the islands, and in his notes he says: "The Cap- 

 tain and owner of the prau and several of his crew came back 

 with me on board, they stayed iin hour or more while I showed 

 him the charts. He seemed quite familiar with all the 

 Islands and places between Sumatra and the New Guinea 

 Coast. He was a very intelligent man, and I was much taken 



