ling in a narrow
circle over the scene of combat, and when it was vertically above the
deck Rodier flung down several bottles one after another among the
Malays. The effect was instantaneous. These novel missiles flung from
so great a height, acted like miniature bombshells, exploding with a
loud report as they touched the deck, and flying into myriad
fragments. Not even the most rage-intoxicated Malay could withstand
the shock. The noise, the prickly splinters of glass, peppering
their half-naked bodies like a charge of small shot, altered their
blind fury to dismay and panic. With screams of affright they rushed
to the sides of the junk. But the men left in the praus had already
begun to paddle frantically away, heedless of the fate of their
comrades. These plunged overboard, and swam after the departing
vessels, whose flight Rodier speeded with another bottle or two. In
less than a minute the junk was clear.

For some minutes Smith shepherded the praus toward the shore. Every
now and then he saw a swimmer disappear suddenly: without doubt the
sharks were gathering to claim their prey. Then, feeling sure that the
Malays were too much terrified to think of renewing their attack on
the junk, he again set his face eastward towards the open sea.

CHAPTER XI

AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY

Darkness was falling when the airmen came in sight of the chain of
small islands running from Java eastward almost to the Australian
coast. Knowing that these islands were very hilly, Smith rose to a
great height, using his flashlight every now and then to guard against
mishap. If he had not known the nature of the islands he could almost
have guessed it from the behaviour of the aeroplane, which now tended
to shoot upwards, now to sink downwards, irrespective of any volition
of his own. This proved to Smith that he had come into a region of
variable currents of wind, such as might be set up by the hollows and
ridges of mountain tops. The forcing of the machine upwards implied
that the pressure of the air ahead was increased, owing to a lull in
the wind behind; the sinking implied that the force of a contrary wind
was diminished, and that the inertia of the machine prevented it from
readily accommodating itself to the new conditions. During this part
of the voyage Smith had to be constantly alert to warp the planes
instantaneously when he detected the least sign of instability, and he
was very glad when he saw once more the reflect