Among Malay Pirates

of this point, possibly it is only half a dozen. When you have found it, send Winthorpe back to me with the news. Take that long coil of thin rope that is in the bow,

pistols and cutlasses. You take the lantern, Winthorpe, and Harper, do you take the rope. Fast

obliged to take the lantern, for the darkness was so intense that he could not see an inch before hi

ans, making detours to avoid others, and cutting some of the smaller ones in two with his cutlass, he made his way forward, and was delighted

d in a low tone; "thank goodness

should have been torn to pieces. As it is, I aint sure whether my eyes aint gon

k; darken it as soon as you get through to the edge of t

n, and the lieutenant, the coxswain, and two bluejackets joine

hen turn off the light. You can walk on confidently, for there is no chance of any of these prickly creepers running across the path. When you see the

lantern close to the ground; the bottom was, like all jungle path

able to haul the guns along here at a trot; and the opening is wide enough

one of the men

e path, sir; it ends on the b

reaching the bank they found that the path ended, as they had expect

t whispered. "Now let us see whether we

obably to furnish firewood, for a distance of some fifteen yards from the b

off at once; we have found out all that we w

all on board the boat again. "Now, lads, row as noiselessly as you can to the mouth of the pool again, then turn, and lay on your oars,

d, Dick took the pole, and, standin

ven feet, sir,

the ship cannot get up here; stil

Dick said, thrusting the pole down

at that continued until they reached the entran

te that there is that shallow bar this side of the pool. And now, lads, you can lay out for ten minutes, and then we can f

hunks of cold meat and bread, and passed round the pannikins of grog, with grea

uarter of an hour's smoke. You must open the lantern in the bottom of the

was passed aft, and while the coxswain put hi

don't you,

p the river; the doctor said it i

hink we see our way now to getting rid of most of those piratical craft, which will not only be a benefit to traders on t

the pipes were laid down, and the boat proceeded at a stea

e about h

I noticed that tall tree rising above the gene

the grapne

e lieutenant filled a wine glass full and drank

is it,

t. Now, lads, you are each to take a glass of this; it will protect you against the effect of the mist on the

k his glass o

blankets, lads, and lie down

of the night to be sleepy, had volunteered to keep watch, and, lighting another pipe at the lantern, smoked till it was broad daylight. Then he ro

though we might have followed some of them, the others would have made off, some one way and some another, whereas, by laying the vessel across the mouth of the creek, we have a good chance of catching them all as they come down. There is no doubt a lot more fellows have arrived to help the rajah; we can see that there

council, advanced to the edge of the shore, which was but some fifty

ed out. The captain sent for the interprete

o you. You want to take his country; he will not let you have i

orse for him if he tries it. I came up here at his i

ed, walking in a qui

were shaking hands, cutting capers, and indulging in much joking and laughter. Half an hour later there was a sudden u

. Ferguson, and everything in readiness, bu

a few shots were fired from behind house

t lieutenant; "we have seen very few guns among them. I should doubt if there are a hundred in the town

stle had been observed fell outward, the lashings having been cut by a swarm

een expecting the order, ran to their stations. As they gained them the little battery on shore opened fire. Althou

ape," the cap

e guns send the Malays flying from their battery? I can see that there are large numbers gathered round it. Mr. Ferguson, will y

storm of grape swept away the whole of the buildings beneath which the guns were standing. Three of these were dismounted, and not one of the men who had

the men to load with shell, and to direct their aim in the first p

me the men were called from their guns on the port side, and the boats lowered. The marines and all the sailors, save those serving the starboard guns, took their places in them, the first lieutenant takin

e gathered. Port fires had been distributed among the landing party. As these were lost to sight as they entered the town, those on board ship

a stand now," t

aim? Let them watch the smoke rising among the houses, and aim a short distance beyond i

n facing the wood, and the fire of the guns was now directed against the edge of the forest, to which the Malays had evidently fled. In a few minutes smoke began to rise all round the place, showing that the men with port fires were at work, and in a quarter of an hour the bluejack

, krises, and other articles, some obtained from the huts, others thrown away by the Malays in their flight. There were, too, some articles of European manufacture, which had been carried off from the palace before the flames had obtained entire possession. These were in th

n?" the captain asked, as th

t only one of a serious nature; our

uppose their l

and at least as many must have fallen in the battery; the place was choked u

rders that whatever there is is to be fairly divided among all hands. Any articles more valuable than the rest

le. The only trouble we had was that some would shut themselves up in houses. It looked at first as if they really meant to fight,

Ferguson, and Sehi has had a lesson that he

for the two guns, and a store of long bamboos for the

un. You have got the sacks ready for forming the battery; that will be absolutely necessary for the protection of the men firing. Each of the prahus has probably got at least half a dozen small guns, and it would be hardly possible to work our pieces unless the men were protected from their concentrated fire. Tell the chief engineer that steam must be got up by six o'clo