outhward. It was
intended, should a Dutch man-of-war arrive, to send her to watch their
proceedings. We were advised to keep a sharp look-out for the pirates,
and avoid them if we could. "If they think you are Dutch, they'll be
cautious how they molest you; but if they suppose that you belong to any
other nation, they are very likely to try and plunder you, as they are
aware that no men-of-war except those of the Dutch are accustomed to
cruise in these seas," said our friend, an English merchant residing in
the place.

Captain Haiselden thanked his informant, and replied that we had already
fallen in with such gentry, and knew how to deal with them.

"But these are larger and more formidable craft than those by which you
were before attacked. If they once get alongside your brig, you will
find it a difficult matter to beat them off," was the reply.

Wherever we touched we made inquiries about the "Amphion," but as yet we
had only the information gained through Ned from the Sanguir Malay to
guide us. She might have been lost at Gillolo itself, and yet the Dutch
might not have heard of it, as but very irregular intercourse is kept up
between the different parts of that little known island.

Proceeding south we passed between the islands of Bouro and Ceram,
calling at Amboina and Banda, spice islands belonging to the Dutch.

We were steering to the east when land was sighted from the mast-head on
the starboard bow. I went aloft. It was a small island, one of many
extending directly across our course. Intending to pass to the
northward of it we luffed up a little, when, after standing on some way
further, I was again sent to the mast-head, to see if I could discover
any intervening coral reefs or any others running out from it. I could
discover no variation of colour in the sea to indicate the existence of
hidden reefs in our course, but my eye fell on a dark object, a mile, or
it may have been less, from the shore. At the first glance I thought it
was a rock rising out of the water, but on descending to the cross-trees
and looking through my glass I saw that the object was a ship on a reef,
heeling over to one side, with, as far as I could make out, her
topmasts, if not her lower masts, gone; at all events she had no canvas
set. On coming down to the deck, I told the first mate, who had charge
of the watch, and he went aloft and had a look at her also.

"She's in a dangerous position, and I fear is wrecked,