mias was
of the larger species, many being under four feet high, and some of the
females not more than three feet six inches.
We saw a frog, with large web feet and inflated body, fly from the top
of a tall tree. It was about four inches long, the back and limbs of a
shining black hue, with yellow beneath. Our friend had promised us a
rich treat at supper, and he produced a fruit which he told us was the
Durian. It was of the size of a large cocoa-nut, the husk of a green
colour, and covered all over with short stout spines. It grows on a lofty
tree, somewhat resembling the elm. It falls immediately it is ripe; but
the outer rind is so tough that it is never broken by the fall. There are
marks which show where it may be divided into five portions; these are
of a satin whiteness, and each one is filled with an oval mass of
cream-coloured pulp, in which are two or three seeds about the size of
chestnuts. This pulp is the eatable part. Its consistency is that of a rich
custard. As to describing its taste, that is more than I can do. It is not
acid, nor is it sweet, nor juicy, but yet, as we ate it, we agreed that none
of these qualities were wanting, and that it was the most delicious fruit
we had ever met with. The Mangosteen, which comes to perfection in
Borneo, is another splendid fruit of a sub-acid flavour, better known
than the Durian. But I must not stop to give long descriptions either of
the animals or fruits we met with. Blyth and I had to return, as we
could not long be absent from the brig.
Often had the now smiling plantations through which we passed been
plundered by blood-thirsty pirates, and the heads of their inhabitants
carried off. A visitor on board gave us dreadful accounts of the
atrocities committed by the pirates in the seas through which we were
to sail.
"We will show them that they had better not attack us," observed
Captain Haiselden, pointing to our guns. "The `Lily' is a match for all
their fleets put together."
"Not if the `Lily' is caught at anchor or in a calm; you may then find
that they are too much for her," was the answer. "These prahus often
carry sixty men or more, with guns and small arms, and you would find
it no easy matter, were you to be attacked, to beat them off."
"They'll not stop us; but we will keep a bright look-out for them,"
answered Captain Haiselden.
We had a fine breeze as we ran along the coast of Borneo, and although
we saw in the distance not a few long suspicious-looking prahus, we
sailed too fast for them to overtake us. We saw one of these crafts lately
captured, which had been brought to Kuching. She was about ninety
feet in length, and of proportionate beam. In the bow she carried a long
twelve-pounder gun, and six swivels on each broadside, besides which
she had thirty or forty rifles or muskets on board, and other small arms,
swords, pistols, and pikes. She pulled eighty oars in two tiers, and had
had a crew of a hundred men. Over the rowers, extending the whole
length of the vessel, was a light flat roof composed of fine strips of
bamboo covered with matting, which, notwithstanding its lightness,
was very strong. This deck served as a platform, on which the fighting
men stand to fire their muskets or hurl their spears, while the rowers
below them sit cross-legged on a shelf projecting outwards from the
bends of the vessel.
The Dyak piratical vessels are called "Bang Kongs." Although they are
a hundred feet in length by ten in beam, they draw but little water, and
are both light and faster than the Malay prahus. They have long
overhanging stems and sterns, are propelled by eighty paddles, and are
as swift as any craft afloat. Some mount a few small swivels, and each
carries a certain number of Malays armed with muskets, besides which
they have their regular crew of Dyaks, whose weapons are spears. From
drawing so little water they are much dreaded, as they can run up the
shallowest river, when their savage crews, landing, commit most
horrible atrocities on the inhabitants living near the banks.
We had left Sarawak about three days, when it fell almost calm; still
the vessel was making some way through the water. I was stationed
forward to keep a look-out. As I turned my eyes around the horizon
ahead I fancied that I could distinguish what appeared just like a small
number of black dots rising above
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