110 
A FORMIDABLE 'WALKING-CANE. 
we soon found that our suspicions were totally unfounded : 
they were a village of the most harmless and friendly 
people that I ever saw, in spite of their being Malay’s. 
‘^After five minutes' walk we sighted the first house a 
few yards on our left, and just as this occurred a large 
dog made a rush at the interpreter and was driven off 
by our guides, 
‘ Take care, captain !” exclaimed the alarmed linguist. 
‘You'd better get sticks, gentlemen: these Chinamen's 
dogs are very fierce.' And, suiting the action to the 
word, he provided himself with a small log — a half- 
grown tree — and closed up to us, probably to afford us 
protection. (?) 
“ We found the village to contain a population of some 
eighty or a hundred souls, half of whom were Malays 
and the other half Chinese. They came out in crowds 
to meet us, — men, women, (very pretty women, some of 
them,) and children. We shook hands with spasmodic 
friendship, without regard to age or sex: — we were 
still in an unpleasant state of doubt as to their true 
character. We found two styles of houses looming up 
through the moonlight, one being built on the ground, 
as is ordinarily the case, and the other elevated on 
posts to the height of several feet. It was into one of 
the former of these that we were now ushered with re- 
spectful eagerness, and we soon forgot every feeling of 
distrust. 
“Our headman now left us in charge«of his Chinese 
friend and went out in search of his father, with whom 
he shortly returned and informed us that the wanderers 
would soon make their appearance. The old Malay 
