ructed by the captain. "Do you want to
go any farther?"

The head man replied in his own language that they wished to go to
Simujan, or till they came to plenty of game. The Bornean said Bujang
was a great hunter, for he had killed fifty-three crocodiles that year.
The yacht, with the sampan still in tow, started up the river, keeping
in the middle of it. Just before sunset she reached the junction of the
Simujan and Sadong.

On one side of the branch stream there was a considerable Malay village,
backed by an abundance of cocoanut palms; and, of course, the houses
were built on stilts close to the water. On the other side was the
Chinese kampon, or quarter, consisting largely of shops and
trading-houses. Louis Belgrave had been presented to the officials at
Sarawak as the owner of the Guardian-Mother, and that established him as
a person of great distinction.

After the ship departed on her voyage to Siam, many attentions were
bestowed upon him; and when, after the return of the yacht from up the
Sarawak, they learned that she was going to the Simujan, one of the
officials had given him a letter of introduction to the Chinese
half-cast government official, who was the magnate of the place.
Figuratively, he took the "Big Four" in his arms, and there was nothing
he was not ready to do for them.

He conducted them to the government house, and insisted that they should
live there during their stay at Simujan. It had been erected to receive
such officials as might have occasion to remain there at any time. It
was well built and comfortable, and each chamber had a veranda in front
of it. It was set on posts six feet from the ground, like all the other
dwellings near it. It was the police station of the region; and the two
Malays collected eight or nine dollars for their game, which they did
not offer to share with the crew of the yacht--no Malay would do such a
thing.

The agent's tender of the rooms to the party was accepted, for the
members wished to sleep in a four-posted bedstead once more for a
change. The chief Malay of the place called upon them, and treated them
very handsomely. The Chinese official gave them much information as they
were seated on a veranda of the house.

"You may find the orang-outang up the Simujan; but I don't know that you
want such large game," said he.

"We have shot tigers in India, and Mr. McGavonty has shot more cobras
than all the rest of us. He has a talent for killing snakes."