222 EAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. [Ch. XIV. 



necessary that the boats should be small and light, and the 

 crews numerous and skilful. My friend was provided with 

 eight men; I, owing to the short notice, only succeeded in 

 getting five, but these were strong fellows, who maintained 

 their ground creditably against double the number of slighter 

 lads. Their nationality was curiously varied — one was a 

 Javanese, a second from Macassar, a third a veritable Papuan, 

 with the luxuriant hair of the New Guinea race, the remain- 

 ing two were Bornean Malays. My companion had among 

 his crew two Loo-choo lads, taken as young boys from some 

 conquered junks after one of Mr. Brooke's great piratical 

 engagements, and thus saved from destruction. They had 

 been brought up to honest service, -and were very much at- 

 tached to their master. One of these lads, Sallee, attached 

 himself to me, and a more active and willing pair than this 

 and my Papuan I could not have wished for as attendants. 



Once fairly ia the stream, all our rowers, who sat with 

 their faces to the front, vigorously phed their paddles, and 

 our boats sped rapidly through the water, and I stretched 

 myself out on my mat for my night's repose ; but no sooner 

 were we in. motion than the men all began to sing a wild 

 air, keeping time with the strokes of their paddles. This 

 was amusing enough at first, and not without a spice of 

 savagery ; but as time passed on and they showed no signs 

 of fatigue iu their lungs, it became rather tiresome, for it 

 appeared that they coul^ not paddle without singing, and 

 as there was no reason to complain of the pace at which 

 the boat was going, I was fain to put up with the musical 

 accompaniment, but sleep was banished for the night. 



At dawn I was aroused from a shght doze by a pattering 

 rain, and a confused sound of voices, and peeping out from 

 my attap covering, I found we were in the midst of a fleet 



