the middle watch and
got well within Java Sea by morning. Next day we passed through Banca
Strait by the Lucepara Channel, keeping to the Sumatra coast to avoid
the dangerous reefs and rocks on the east side, until we sighted the
Parmesang Hills. After that we steered north by east, by the Seven
Islands into the China Sea.

So far no incident had happened on our nearing land, which all of us
were glad enough to see again, as may be imagined, after our now nearly
three months confinement on board without an opportunity of stretching
our legs ashore, the only terra firma we had sighted since leaving
England having been Madeira, the Peak of Teneriffe, and the rocks of
Martin Vas; but now, as we glided along past the lovely islets of the
Indian Archipelago, radiant in the glowing sunshine, and their
atmosphere fragrant with spices and other sweet odours that concealed
the deadly malaria of the climate, a new sensation of peril added
piquancy to the zest of our voyage.

On passing the westernmost point of Banca, as the channel we had to
pursue trended to the north-east, we came up to the wind and then paid
off on the port tack; when, just as we cleared the group of islands
lying at the mouth of the Straits of Malacca to windward, we saw a large
proa bearing down in our direction, coming out from behind a projecting
point of land that had previously prevented us from noticing her.

"Hullo!" I exclaimed to Mr Mackay whom I had accompanied from aft when
he went forward on the forecastle to direct the conning of the ship,
motioning now and again with his arms this way and that how the helmsman
was to steer. "What a funny-looking vessel, sir. What is it?"

"That's a Malay proa," replied he. "They're generally ticklish craft to
deal with; though, I don't suppose this beggar means any harm to us in
such a waterway as this, where we meet other vessels every hour or so."

"Do you think it's a pirate ship?" I asked eagerly, "I should like to
see one so much."

"More than I should," said he with a laugh; "but I don't suppose this
chap's up to any game like that, though, I think, all the Malays are
pirates at heart. He's most likely on a trading voyage like ourselves,
only he's going amongst the islands while we're bound north."

However the proa did not bear away, either to port or starboard, nor did
it make for any of the clusters of islands on either hand; and, although
it was barely noon when we had first noticed her