eauties and a vivid sense of its countless
undeveloped riches of every kind. Pleasant reminiscences of almost
everything did we carry away with us, except of the intense heat,
which I believe has been rather unusual this year, even the oldest
inhabitant complaining nearly as much of it as we did. Just at the
last moment the steam-launch 'Madai' arrived from Sandakan for Mr.
Crocker and Mr. Treacher, bringing letters and presents of flowers, as
well as things which we had accidentally left behind. She appeared to
be a frail little conveyance for a voyage of so many miles under such
a broiling sun, and a good fast vessel something like the Rajah's
'Lorna Doone' seems needed to maintain regular communication between
the various ports of North Borneo, Brunei, Labuan, and Singapore.

We got under way at 8.45 A.M., and were much relieved when, at about
ten o'clock, the cutter was descried in the distance, and still more
rejoiced when we picked her up between the isles of Timbu Mata and
Pulu Gaya. Tab came on board directly, looking very well, but
tremendously sunburnt, as were also his four companions; but all were
in great spirits. They brought with them two deer, of which the meat
was too high to be used. It seemed that the shooting party had not
been able to reach the island on the day they left us, for the 'Gleam'
draws a good deal of water, and the passage was intricate and shallow.
They therefore slept comfortably in the boat, and in the very early
morning, seeing deer grazing, they landed, ascended a hill, and shot
two of them. They also saw a good many pigs, but could not get any.
Soon afterwards the Sulu chief and his followers, whom we had sent to
look after the sporting party, arrived; the chief waving the letter,
of which he was the bearer, in his hand, in order to allay the
apprehensions which his appearance might naturally arouse. He and his
people quickly spread themselves over the island, shouting, and waving
white flags, in complete disregard of all the usual rules of
civilised deer-stalking. Of course no more game could be got that day,
for it was impossible by signs to stop the noise. While two of our men
were out in search of deer, they were alarmed by the appearance of
some canoes from the mainland, containing thirty or forty natives.
They proved, however, to be only harmless fishermen in search of the
great tepai mother-of-pearl shell and smaller black oyster-shell, in
which pearls are found, and which a