LABOAN AQAm. 



ground ; and that groat step towards civilisation, a good 

 road, had been made to the buildiugs on the plain, vthwh 

 were now only usod as offices. 



Tlic fcroopis were comfortablo and contented. 



Mr, Low, whom we had left in an apparently dying state, 

 had under tlie care of his amiable ^yifo so far recovered 

 as to be able to superintend the cultivation of the portion 

 of ground allotted to him ; and, although Uie soil w.as not 

 superior^ enough had been accomphahed to prove that it 

 was capable of producing all tropical fruits and 

 vegetables. 



Deer and wild hog were plentiM ; few, however, had 

 been killed ; althoEghj in Captam llamiltOUj the garrison 

 contained one of the keenest and best gportsmon in the 

 East. 



The commiimcation witJi the coal district^ which was 

 tlie great attraction, was still by water only. Until coded 

 to tke Eastern Archipelago Compatiy, the coal seam had 

 been rented by an adventurer named Miles, once Lloyd, 

 who had maimged to enrich himself by picking merely 

 the smface of the scam eloso to the water's edge, and 

 Belling it for the use of the Government steamers at the 

 rate of £1 per ton. 



On the 30th, we sailed for Sincaporc. 



Oil tlie 2nd of February, in running between the 

 Anambas Islands, of which we had in our poisscssion a 

 recent French survey, we suddenly observed breakers 

 a-hoad* and had barely time to shcor dear of a small and 



