ey sold them into
captivity, whence there was no hope of redemption. Since then, thanks
to the enlightened plans of Sir James Brooke, aided by the British ships
of war in those seas, their depredations have been somewhat lessened;
but much must be done before their destructive power is completely
destroyed, and the surrounding people can enjoy to the full the
blessings of unrestricted commerce. The night was sufficiently light to
enable us to see a considerable distance. Our captain walked the deck
with an uneasy step, his night-glass constantly to his eye, and he
declared that he could distinguish in the far distance the suspicious
prahus, as they were endeavouring to beat up to capture us. The more he
looked the more alarmed and agitated he became, till at last he appeared
to lose all command over himself. With a groan he rushed down to
console himself with a glass of his favourite schiedam. Taking the
telescope which he had left on deck, I looked towards the spot where the
Malay vessels were last seen. I looked for some time, but could make
nothing out on the dark horizon. I then handed the glass to Fairburn.

"I begin to doubt whether the prahus are there at all," I observed. "I
trust they are conjured up by the skipper's fears."

His answer was a low laugh; but he, notwithstanding, swept the telescope
carefully round the southern horizon.

"Whether the skipper's fears conjured them up or not, I don't know; but
there they are, sure enough," he quietly remarked, turning my hand in
the proper direction. His practical eye had discovered what I had
neglected, and as I now looked I saw what appeared a number of black
spots floating on the water.

"If the wind holds good we may laugh at them," he remarked; "but if it
should chance to fall calm, the rascals would very soon be up with us."

"But could we not fight?" I asked. "We have boarding-nettings, and
plenty of hands, and muskets, and two guns; surely we might beat them
off."

"From what I have seen of the captain, he is not a fighting man,"
answered Fairburn. "I trust the breeze will hold; but if not, we shall
run a very great chance of having our throats cut by those fellows, if
they do not think we shall make good slaves to their friends in Borneo."

"You surely are not serious," I remarked. "The captain would not yield
without a struggle for life and liberty. But if he will not fight, we
certainly have a right to make him; and I have no doubt