do so with
much good grace, and they reminded me strongly of two dogs who have just
been gnawing away at each other's throats, being brought together to
make friends by their peaceably inclined masters. At last, being
convinced that our intentions were good, they began to talk to each
other, the fishermen asking the prisoners whence they had come, and the
latter giving them an account of their adventures. The result of the
conversation raised the Dutch in the estimation of our new acquaintance,
who learned to appreciate their power, and wished to serve those who
trusted them.

We asked the young fisherman his name; and he made us understand that it
was Kalong. His eyes sparkled with animation whenever any one addressed
him; and with wonderful rapidity he seemed to comprehend our signs, and
was never at a loss to answer us. To show us the course of the river,
he knelt down on the deck, and, taking the end of a rope, he twisted it
about to show the various reaches in it; then seizing a handful of chips
of wood from the carpenter's bench, he quickly formed one to indicate
the brig, with two strips stuck perpendicularly into it to serve as
masts. Holding this rough model in his hand, he tossed it about off one
end of the rope, to show that there was the sea where we had been tossed
about in the storm, and then he made it move slowly up the rope, to show
how the brig had glided calmly up the river till she reached the spot
where we then were. He next stuck several chips together, evidently to
show that they were intended to represent a Dyak habitation, and these
he placed further up the rope; and then touching himself and the other
men, showed that he lived there. The rest of the rope he twisted about,
and placed other houses alongside it, till he shook his head, showing
that he knew nothing further of the country. We had now a very good
chart before us of the river we were in, which Captain Cloete had
forthwith copied on paper, to the infinite delight of the designer.

His success seemed to sharpen his wits; and taking another bit of rope
which was given to him, he knelt down some way from the first, and
twisted it about to form a river. He also placed some houses on it, and
rushing up to the Dyaks, he touched them all severally, to show that
they were to represent their habitations; and then taking several small
chips in his hand, he moved them up rapidly towards the houses, several
of which he knocked over. We