The proposition of Captain Scott was certainly an astounding one, not unlike the daring of those men who have crossed the Atlantic in a dory or in small sailboats; and so it struck the other members of the cabin party. Scott was not a reckless navigator; and his companions had voyaged with him on stormy seas several times in the Maud, though she was a better sea-going craft than the Blanchita. She was decked over her entire length, so that she could be closed as tight as the inside of a barrel, while the steam-launch was an open boat.
Scott did not regard the venture as an extremely perilous one, though he would not have thought of such a thing as crossing the Atlantic in a craft like the Blanchita, principally because she could not carry coal enough to render the trip a prudent risk. The distance from land to land was about five hundred miles, and the little steamer could easily make this distance inside of three days. But the captain must speak for himself.
"Now, fellows, you can study the chart for yourselves," said he, as he put the point of his pencil on the mouth of the Sarawak River. "If the Blanchitawere a sailing-craft instead of a steamer, I should not have a moment's hesitation; for though she is not heavy and clumsy, she is very strongly built. I have looked her over several times, with this trip in my head."
"But she can be rigged as a sailing-craft, and has a short mast and a sail," interposed Morris. "I talked with the rajah about her, and he told me that he had been out to sea in her. He said he had never had occasion to use the sail, but he carried it in case anything should happen to the engine."
"That betters the situation very materially," replied the captain. "If we have anything to depend upon if the engine should break down or the coal should give out we should be all right."
"There must be heavy seas out in the China Sea," added Louis, as he looked over the chart.
"We haven't seen any very heavy seas in any of these waters. The south-west monsoons prevail at this season of the year in these waters. I don't find any decided ocean current laid down on the charts of the southern and western portions of the China Sea. They strike in at the eastward of Java, and flow to the eastward of Borneo, through the Macassar Strait," said Scott, pointing out the direction on the chart.
"That looks favorable; and if there is any current to speak of, it runs in the direction of the monsoons, and therefore will not be likely to cause heavy winds."
"If I thought the trip was a very dangerous one, I certainly should not propose to make it," added the captain.
"Fish!" shouted Clingman at the wheel.
In spite of their interest in the discussion, all the party rushed forward at this cry. The captain ordered the wheelman to stop her, though her headway kept her moving for some minutes after the screw ceased to revolve. The men baited the hooks as soon as fish were indicated. The boat had reached the locality where the catch of the day before had been obtained, and all hands were on the lookout. The lines were thrown over, and the fish bit quickly as soon as the steamer was at rest. In half an hour they had taken seven.
"Keep her moving, Clingman," said Captain Scott, as the party hurried back to the cabin to continue the discussion.
Pitts dressed the fish, and put them in the ice-chest. Achang had completed the skinning of the orang, and the skin was now drying in the sun. The voyage to Siam or Cambodia looked very much like an adventure, and the young men were deeply interested in it.
"I don't think we are likely to encounter any very heavy weather in the western part of the China Sea," said Captain Scott, as he put his pencil on the chart again. "We may be overhauled by a typhoon."
"And what is a typhoon?" asked Felix. "Iknow it is some sort of a storm, and that is all I do know."
"There are different names for a storm in different parts of the earth," replied Scott. "What is a hurricane in the West Indies is a cyclone in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, and a typhoon in the China Sea. They are all alike in substance, being revolving storms, in which the wind whirls around in a circle, and at the same time has a forward movement as a whole towards some point of the compass. But there are various signs which indicate the approach of a typhoon or a hurricane; and in these seas the barometer has to be watched constantly."
"I suppose we should be out of sight of land about all the time on the passage," suggested Morris.
"Not at all, my lad; for the first two hundred miles of the course we should not be out of sight of land half of the time, or only for a few hours at a time. Now look at the chart, all of you. Here we are at the mouth of the Sarawak River. About a hundred miles west of that is Cape Datu, the most western point of Borneo. Then for two hundred miles there is a chain of islands extending to the north-west, which is our course. These are the Natuna Islands; the largest one takes the same name, and is forty miles long. There are several other small islands north of this one, and if the weather came on very bad we could make a lee under one of them."
"Channel, sir!" shouted Clingman.
"I think you have got an idea of the whole thing, and we have a couple of days to think of it," said the captain, as he rose from his seat. "I will leave the chart here, and you can all study it."
Scott went forward to the wheel. He had caused a red rag to be tied to the top of a screw-pine while the sampan was looking for a channel through the lake, and Clingman had stopped the boat abreast of it. The captain took the helm himself; and he had carefully observed various marks, and obtained the bearings of the mountain, and other prominent objects which might assist him in taking the steamer through the shallow lake. He started her at once, and rang the speed-bell confidently, as though he had been through the lake a dozen times before.
It was sunset when the boat entered the narrow river, and they were called to supper. Clinch was placed at the wheel. It was a good moon, and the boat continued on her course till she came to the Dyak village where they had visited the long-house. She had been seen or heard as she approached; and the whole village was on the shore, including Mr. Eng.
"We are not going to lie up to-night," said Captain Scott when asked to land. "We are somewhat in a hurry to get back to Kuching, and we shall run down to Simujan this evening."
"I am going in the morning, Captain," added the agent.
"I will tow you down, and you can sleep on board if you wish."
"Thank you; my men will come down with the sampans to-morrow, and I gladly accept your offer," replied Mr. Eng. "But I must first go over to thepangah."
"To what? Will it take long?" inquired the captain.
"The pangah, or head-house of the village. I left my portmanteau there, and must get it."
"The head-house! May we go with you? for we did not stop to look at it when we were here before."
"Certainly you may go with me; I will have some torches so that you can see it as well as in the daytime," replied the agent, as he started with the cabin party, attended by four Dyaks who had come to the river with torches. "No head-hunting has been done for many years, as you are aware, and not many heads are on exhibition. In some villages you will find them by the hundred, though the people here were never much given to the barbarous practice. It was not necessary in this part of the island that a young man should get a head before a girl would accept him as her husband. Here it is."
It was a circular building not far from fifty feet in diameter, with a conical roof. In the centre was a place for a fire, which was perhaps required in cleaning the abominable trophies of war or individual murders. All around the apartment was a sort ofdivan, or bench, while over it were hung up the skulls, all nicely cleaned in the first instance, but now darkened by the smoke.
"This is the public building of the village, and the council when it meets has its place here for deliberation and action," said Mr. Eng, when he had pointed out what was to be seen in the building.
"Rather a sombre place, I should say, for such a purpose," suggested Louis.
"When you got used to the skulls you would not mind them any more than you would any other dry bones," laughed the agent. "I slept here last night, and the young men and boys lodge here. If you were to remain over night, young gentlemen, you would be quartered here; for it is the home of the stranger who visits the village."
"Then, I should be very thankful that we had a cabin in our steamer," replied Louis. "But there is no accounting for tastes."
The agent gave his baggage to a Dyak, and the party returned to the boat. A bed in the cabin was prepared for Mr. Eng, who said he was very tired, for he had walked a great distance that day, and he retired at once. The captain took the first watch, with two of the men. It was plain sailing, and in the middle of the night the Blanchita was anchored in the river in front of the kampon. Scott turned in then, with one of the port watch on duty.
In the morning they could not be induced to accept Mr. Eng's pressing invitation to remain a dayor two at Simujan. He promised to take them to the coal and gold mine if they would remain; but all of them were so full of the great project that the invitation was declined. Three of the fish were presented to the agent, who told them something about it, and declared that it was the finest fish on the island.
A quantity of ice was obtained at the town; and Pitts carefully packed the rest of the fish, which were still hard and in nice condition. The captain desired to present a couple of them to Rajah Brooke, and some of the others to officers who had been very kind to them, and had assisted them in many ways. In the early morning they bade a grateful adieu to the agent, and departed on the trip to Kuching.
The tide was going out, and they made a quick passage to the sea. On their arrival there they found a stiff south-west wind blowing, and the bay covered with white-caps. They had not tried the Blanchita in anything like a heavy sea, though the rajah had declared that she was a very able and weatherly sea-boat. Captain Scott was very glad of the opportunity to test her behavior in rough weather. He went to the helm himself as the boat came out of the Sadong. The very first wave that broke on her bow scattered the spray from stem to stern.
The boat rose gracefully on the billows.The boat rose gracefully on the billows.Page 132.
Page 132.
Scott ordered the men to batten down the curtains on the weather side. But the boat rose gracefully on the billows, and did not scoop up any water indoing so. Boxes, barrels, and other movable articles were secured, and the captain was delighted with the working of the boat.
"I don't want any better sea-boat than the Blanchita," said he with great enthusiasm. "I doubt if we get it any rougher than this on the voyage to Cambodia Point."
"Unless we run into a typhoon," said Morris, who was observing the conduct of the boat with quite as much interest as his superior officer.
"We won't run into a typhoon," replied the captain.
"How can you help yourself? As sailors we must take things as they come."
"If navigators have a thousand miles or more of ocean ahead of them, they must face the music. But among these islands, if the weather looks typhoony, we can get under a lee, or make a harbor in some bay. But don't try to cross the bridge till we get to it, Morris."
"Sail, ho!" shouted Clingman.
It was a steamer about as far off as she could be made out. The two craft were approaching each other, and the steamer from the west went into the Sarawak ahead of the Blanchita. She was a small vessel, apparently of not more than three hundred tons. It soon became evident that she was not a fast sailer, for the Blanchita held her own with her all the way up the river to Kuching.
The Blanchita moored as usual in front of the town, while the steamer anchored in the river. She proved to be the Delhi, from Calcutta; and it was ascertained when the party went on shore later, that she was to sail for Saigon the next day. The first care of the cabin party was to send the fish to Rajah Brooke and two officers whose acquaintance they had made.
Pitts overhauled the ice-chest, and found them in excellent condition; and Achang was appointed to be the bearer of them, with the compliments of the Americans, to the gentlemen who were to receive them. Two native porters were to carry them; and the party knew that the fish were a rarity in the town, and they were in season for the dinner of that day.
The four went on shore together just as a party from the Delhi landed with a boat. The captain of the steamer hailed them in the street in front of the government house, and asked if they belonged to the steam-launch which had just come up the river. He was curious to know something more about the explorers, and Captain Scott told him what they hadbeen doing in the island. He was invited on board of the Blanchita, and was much interested in the young men.
They showed him over the boat; and he was greatly pleased with the craft, and with the excellent accommodations for sleeping, eating, and making the voyagers generally comfortable. They came to the ice-chest, in which two of the choice fish still remained; and Scott presented one of them to their guest.
"We intend to sail for Point Cambodia to-morrow to rejoin our ship," said the captain of the Blanchita, after the fish had been sent on board.
"In this little tub of yours?" asked the commander of the Delhi with a smile of incredulity.
"Is this part of the China Sea subject to violent seas?"
"Not at just this season of the year. With the south-west monsoons smart squalls come up sometimes, but they are not very bad. I don't think you will find it any rougher than we had it outside the river to-day on your passage to the Point," replied Captain Rayburn, who stated then that he had seen the Guardian-Mother when she was at Calcutta.
"You are bound to Saigon, I think you said."
"To Saigon, but a portion of my cargo goes to Kampot. If I found a sailing-vessel here that was going up the Gulf of Siam, I was ordered to reship my freight for Kampot in her; if not, I was to take it there in the Delhi. I find no such vessel here."
"Then you will make your course direct for Point Cambodia, Captain Rayburn?" said Scott.
"Precisely so; and if you can keep up with my steamer, we need not part company on the voyage."
"I think we can keep up with you," replied the captain of the Blanchita with a smile.
The party went on shore again, and arrangements were made for taking in a supply of coal early the next morning. Everything on board of the yacht had been stowed very carefully on the passage from Simujan, in order to make all the room possible for coal; but the boat could carry a supply for four days, and Scott was not at all afraid that he should come short of this needed article. Pitts purchased all the provisions and stores needed for the voyage.
After dinner the four paid their respects to the rajah, and visited the two officers whose acquaintance they had made. They were heartily thanked for the welcome gift of the fish, which the officers declared were a great luxury; and Governor Brooke said that he should make a trip to the lake where they were caught, in the government steam-yacht. These gentlemen thought the young men were rather venturesome to undertake the voyage before them in so small a craft; but the best wishes of all of them went with the party.
At daylight in the morning the coaling was begun; the provisions and stores were all looked over, and all deficiencies were supplied. By nine o'clock everything was in readiness for sailing. Captain Rayburnsent word that the Delhi would sail at ten o'clock, and afterwards went on board of the Blanchita.
"You seem to be well supplied with coal," said he, as he looked about him.
"I think we have a five-days' supply on board," replied Scott. "As I figure it up, we shall make the run to the Point inside of three days."
"The Delhi's time is sixty-three hours," added her commander. "If your coal should come short, I can help you out; but I think you won't need it."
"Thank you, Captain Rayburn; that kind offer removes the only doubt I have in regard to the voyage," replied Captain Scott.
"The Delhi, as you have seen for yourself, is not a fast steamer; but the only fear I have is that you will not be able to keep up with her," added Captain Rayburn. "I am obliged to sail in the interest of my owners, and I must make the best time I can. The south-west monsoons prevail at this season; and by carrying sail I may add half a knot, or perhaps a knot, to her speed. I should be sorry to run away from you, but I must do my duty."
"Certainly; that is understood. If you run away from me, I shall still wish youbon voyage. But suppose I should run away from you?" suggested Scott, laughing.
"You will be quite welcome to do so. The Delhi is an old steamer, and not up to modern-built ones; but with a breeze I have made nine knots in her."
"I shall try to keep up with you, for I should bevery sorry to have to part company with so pleasant a captain as you are."
"Thank you, Captain Scott; and if we part company on the voyage, I hope we shall meet again. I am liable to be detained some time in Saigon; for mine is a tramp steamer, and I have to look up a cargo for some port," said Captain Rayburn, as he shook hands with the four, and went into his boat alongside.
The first thing Scott did was to look up the mast and sail of the Blanchita. It had not been covered up with coal, as he had feared; for Clingman had suspended it inboard under the rail. The sail had been stowed away in the bow of the boat, and it was brought out and overhauled. It was nearly new, and needed no repairs. It was a lug-foresail, with a gaff, but no boom. It was stepped just abaft the galley, and the sail could be set in two or three minutes when it was required.
The statement of the captain of the Delhi that he could gain a knot or less in a good breeze had stimulated Scott to be ready for such an emergency. The wind would be on the port quarter during the whole voyage, and the sail would certainly add something to the speed of the yacht. In the crowd that collected at the government storehouse were the rajah and most of the officers of the place. The handshaking was all done over again, and pleasant wishes were extended to the "Big Four" as the Blanchita cast off her fasts.
The Delhi was already under way, and going at full speed down the river. Clingman was at the wheel, and Scott went aft to the engine-room, as it was called, though there was no such room, and the word applied simply to the locality; and the same was true of the galley. The boat had been delayed a little while the party were making and receiving the parting salutations of their friends, and the Delhi had a lead of nearly half a mile.
"Give her a spurt, Felipe," said the captain. "I want to know if that craft has the ability to run away from us."
The engineer threw more coal into the furnace; and in a few minutes he "let her out," as the captain called it. It was very soon perceived that the yacht was gaining on the old steamer, and Scott became correspondingly happy. She was farther down in the water than usual on account of the extra quantity of coal in her bunkers, and all along her sides, to trim her properly.
"I don't believe the Delhi will run away from us, Louis," said the captain as the millionaire joined him, curious to know what he was doing. "She isn't loaded for her best sailing, but she is doing first-rate for her present trim."
"This is smooth water, Captain; what will she do when we get out to sea?" asked Louis.
"We had a chance to try her yesterday in more than half a gale, and she behaved like a lady on a dancing-floor."
"But she was not loaded down with coal then as she is now."
"The extra weight will not disturb her; on the contrary, I think it will make her steadier."
"I talked with the rajah on board, who has used her for over a year, and has made a trip to Rangoon in her. He said she was usually run at eight knots an hour; but on his return voyage, when he was in a hurry, she made nine knots for twelve hours together," Louis explained.
"That is all I want of her; but I shall not drive her up to that unless the Delhi is likely to run away from us; and not then till after I have added the sail to our power of locomotion. We are coming up with her now, and probably Captain Rayburn's fears that his steamer may run away from us are beginning to abate," said the captain, rubbing his hands in his delight at the performance of the Blanchita.
Rather for the occupation it gave him, Scott took the wheel himself, directing Clingman to call the men, and remove the stanchions and connecting-rods on the starboard side of the boat from the galley to the length of the mast aft, so that the sail might not be obstructed when it was set.
Then, while the Blanchita was still making her nine knots, he ran her alongside the Delhi on the port side, keeping at a safe distance from her. Then he called to Felipe to reduce the speed to eight knots. He had gained nearly half a mile in going half-waydown the river to the sea; and this fully satisfied him.
"Bully for you, Captain!" shouted Captain Rayburn from the quarter-deck of his steamer.
"I won't run away from you!" returned Scott, as the noise of escaping steam when the engineer reduced the speed must have reached his ears.
"Wait till we get out to sea!" called the captain of the Delhi.
"All right."
The two craft kept abreast of each other till they had passed the mountain at the mouth of the river. The captain laid the course north-west half-west; and this was to be the course for half the distance to Point Cambodia, as he remarked to Louis, who was at his side observing the progress of the yacht.
"How do you spell that word, Captain Scott?" asked Louis.
"Just as I spelled it when I went to school, and it is so put down on my chart; but I noticed in Black's "Atlas" that it was spelled Camboja instead of Cambodia," replied Scott. "I am a sailor, and I stick to the chart."
"I see that Captain Rayburn has laid his course; how does it agree with yours, Captain?" inquired Louis, when they were a mile off the mountain.
"I should say that it was identically the same. I will hail him."
"North-west half-west," was the answer returned by the captain of the Delhi.
"I make it the same," replied Scott.
The cabin party were summoned to dinner at this time, and Clingman was called to the wheel.
"What's the bill of fare to-day?" asked Scott as he took his seat at the table.
"Baked fish and roast venison," replied Pitts, "with plum-duff."
"Very good," returned the captain. "We don't get so much breeze off here as we did yesterday, Louis."
"It does not look at all rough off at sea," added the captain. "But when we get Cape Datu on the beam, we may feel it more."
The Delhi had not yet set her foresail, for she was schooner-rigged, and there was not wind enough to help her much; all the rest of the day the two craft kept abreast of each other, as they had in coming down the river. After supper the watches were arranged for the night. The captain, with Clingman and Lane, had the first, or starboard watch, while Morris, the mate, had the port watch, with Wales and Clinch.
Louis and Felix were appointed second engineers, as the seamen on board relieved them from duty as deck-hands; and the three in that department were to keep four-hour watches, like the officers and seamen. Achang wanted something to do; and he was given the berth of second mate, and as such he served in charge of the captain's watch.
Everything worked as smoothly on board of the Blanchita as though she had been in commission for years, for there was not a green hand in the cabin or forecastle. The experience obtained by the "Four" in the Maud had made them proficients in the duties of their present positions. Louis and Felix were not trained engineers or machinists; though they were familiar with the machine, which was of very simple construction. Both of them were competent to run the engine, and had served their watches in the Maud. If there was any trouble, the chief engineer was close at hand.
From eight to twelve it was the captain's watch. Achang, who had been the master of a vessel, had been regularly installed as second mate, and was in charge of this watch; though Scott remained on deck all the time, for he was anxious to observe the movements of the Delhi. Clingman and Lane had their two-hour tricks at the wheel, and there was no hard work for anybody.
The breeze was good, though not heavy from the south-west; but the Delhi had not yet set a sail. The Blanchita passed Cape Datu at ten in the evening,and the second mate made a note of it on the log-slate. Both craft were still making their eight knots, and remained abreast of each other. The wind increased slightly in force, but the conditions were about the same all night. At twelve the watch was changed, and Morris came on duty, with Louis in the engine-room. The captain turned in at this time.
At three in the morning the yacht was off the island of Sirhassen, of which a note was made on the log-slate. Morris had studied the chart enough to enable him to recognize the island, distant as it was, at six bells, or three o'clock in the morning. Of course he could not identify it by its looks, never having seen it before; but the captain had given him the distances between the islands on the course. Sirhassen was forty sea miles from Cape Datu, or five hours as the yacht was running; and when land was reported on the beam, bearing about west, he knew what it was. The chart gave the island as one of considerable size compared with the multitude of small ones in that locality; and this indication afforded him a further clew to the identification.
At eight bells, or four o'clock, the morning watch came on duty, with Achang as its officer. Captain Scott did not turn out when the second mate was called, with Felix to take his place at the engine, and it was six o'clock when he made his appearance. Except when there is only one mate, as in small vessels, the captain keeps no watch; but he is liable to be called at any hour of the night in case of a squallor other peril. His responsibility may induce him to spend the entire night on deck.
When he came out of the cabin, his first care was to observe the signs which indicate the coming weather. Then he went to the wheel, and read the entries made on the log-slate. The sea was about the same as it had been when he left the deck. He had looked at the barometer before he left the cabin. There were no signs of bad weather in any direction.
"What do you think of the weather, Mr. Achang?" he asked of the officer of the deck.
"It will be fine, Captain," replied the second mate. "I have come all the way from Banjermassin to Calcutta with the weather just like this always; but I think we have more wind when the sun come up."
"We can stand more than we have now," added Scott.
"Some of the young gentlemen fear to go to sea in open boat like this yacht; but the dhows and the proas have not much decks," said the Bornean.
"Then you think we shall have weather like this all the way to Point Cambodia?"
"May blow a little more hard some time."
The sun was coming up in the east, and in the course of half an hour Achang's prophecy of more wind was realized. It freshened rapidly for a short time; but it did not come in flaws or squalls, and was a steady breeze. A table had been set up in the fore cabin; and at half-past seven, or sevenbells, which is the usual hour for breakfast at sea, the meal was served to the watch below.
"Land on the port bow, sir!" reported Clingman, who was the lookout man, just before eight bells.
"That is Subi," said Achang, looking at the paper Morris had given him when the watch was changed.
"That's right, Mr. Achang," added the captain. "I see the Delhi is setting her foresail, and that means wind enough to add something to her eight knots an hour."
Lane at the wheel struck eight bells a few minutes later; and the officer and engineer of the port watch came promptly on deck from the cabin, as did the seamen from the fore cabin. Breakfast had been served at both ends of the yacht to the watch below, so that they were in readiness to come on duty at the striking of the bell. Breakfast was ready for those who came off watch as soon as they were relieved.
Pitts had his hands more than full in supplying the two tables, but he was assisted by the idlers about the boat. The seamen were served as on board of the Guardian-Mother, where they had a table and a regular meal. On ordinary sea-going vessels the men get their "grub" at the galley in tins, or kids, and eat it seated on the deck, or where they choose.
Captain Scott had graciously ordained, as there was nothing to be done outside of the working ofthe yacht, that "watch and watch" should be the rule on board; which means that the hands shall have all their time to themselves when not on watch, though they were to respond when all hands were called.
"The Delhi means to run away from us, I suppose, for she has put on all sail," said Louis as he came on deck when he had finished his breakfast.
"But I don't believe she will do it," replied the captain. "We have a sail; but I am waiting to see what she can do under her present conditions, and I have told Felipe to hurry her up a little, just enough to keep up with our consort."
"She is gaining on us a little," added Louis.
"I see she is; but the engineer has thrown another shovelful of coal into the furnace, and I wish to see the effect it will produce. He has opened his valve a little, but he has not steam enough yet."
But it was soon evident to all who understood the matter that the Blanchita was gaining on her consort. It was plain, too, that Captain Rayburn had noticed the fact, for his crew were setting the gaff-topsails on the fore and main masts. Something of the enthusiasm of a race was aroused on board. Felipe had worked up his machine to the nine-knot gauge; and in spite of the added sail on the Delhi, the boat was overhauling her.
"I think that Captain Rayburn must be recalling his talk to us at Sarawak about running away fromus," said Louis. "What is he doing now, Captain Scott?"
"He appears to be hoisting a yard on his foremast," replied Scott.
"What is that for?"
"If you watch the steamer for a little while longer, you will see him shake out a fore squaresail, and that will be the sharpest move he has made yet. Morris, have the mast stepped, and set the sail," continued the captain.
Clinch was at the wheel; and Clingman was called upon to do the work, with the assistance of the other two hands. The great squaresail of the Delhi had been shaken out, and it was drawing for all it was worth. The effect was simply to prevent the Blanchita from passing her, as she would have done in a few minutes more. The enthusiasm of a race was fully developed on board the yacht, among the seamen as well as the cabin party. Clingman and the others had worked very lively, and in a few minutes the sail was set. The captain gave the orders for trimming it; and as soon as the sheet was made fast the yacht heeled over till her rail was nearly down to the water.
"Our sail is a big one," said Scott, who saw it spread out for the first time; "and if we desire to run away from the Delhi, I am satisfied that we could do it."
The boat dashed the spray at her bow, and proved to be very wet in the fore cabin. The captain ordered the curtains to be hauled down to keep the water out, and the forward part of the craft was then as dry as it had been on the river.
Scott was not quite satisfied with the steering under the altered conditions, and he went to the wheel himself. He was a very skilful boatman in a sailing-craft, as had been fully proved by his bringing his yacht, the Seahound, from New York through the Bahama Islands. The seaman was inclined to follow the compass too closely, while Scott regarded the effect of the sail.
"We are gaining on the Delhi," said Louis, as he seated himself near the captain.
"Of course we are; I knew she would do it with the sail in this wind," replied Scott. "The Blanchita is a light craft, and skims over the water like a racer."
"But it is a little too much sail for her," suggested Louis. "She is taking in a bucket of water over her lee rail once in a while."
"Try the pump, Lane," added the captain. "I don't believe she has shipped more than a teaspoonful or two."
"We are pretty well down in the water," added Louis.
"Clingman, let off about six inches of the sheet," continued Scott; and the order was promptly obeyed. "I think you are getting a little nervous, my dear fellow," he added to Louis.
"Perhaps I am; I should not like to see the yachtheel over and take in a couple of hogsheads of water, for she is loaded so heavily with coal that she would go to the bottom."
"But I should not let her ship such a sea as that. The wind is quite steady, with no heavy flaws, and the boat is under perfect control. I should like it better to sail the Blanchita with less cargo in her, but she is doing splendidly."
"But a flaw might come, even if we have had none to-day; what could you do in that case?" asked Louis.
"Clingman, stand by the sheet!" called the captain.
The seaman was seated on a box not more than three feet from the cleat at which the sheet was made fast. He took his place within reach of it.
"Now she heels over again!" exclaimed Louis, as the water came quite up to the rail, though she took none in.
"Cast off the sheet, Clingman!" called the captain; and the order was obeyed in an instant.
The boat flew up to an even keel almost as though she had been hoisted up by some giant power.
"That is how I should keep her from shipping a big sea," said Scott, as he looked at his companion with a smile on his brown face.
"I give it up, Captain Scott. Of course you know what you are about every time, and I won't say a word again about the boat. But suppose you were not looking when the flaw came?"
"It is not necessary to be looking; for a skipper steers more by the feeling of the boat than by sight. Make fast the sheet, Clingman."
The Blanchita went ahead again; and by this time she was abreast of the Delhi, and gaining upon her. Captain Rayburn was on his quarter-deck.
"Don't run away from me, and I won't run away from you!" he shouted.
But he had hardly spoken before a noise like the distant report of a cannon was heard on board of the yacht.
"He has split his fore squaresail; and if his game was not up before, it is now," said Captain Scott. "The sail was old and rotten, and I don't believe he would have attempted to carry it except on an occasion like the present."
"He was a little too pronounced when he expressed his fears that the Blanchita would not be able to keep up with him, and I fancy he is sorry he said anything about it by this time," added Louis.
The split sail could not be repaired at once; and if it could it was not strong enough to be of any use in the fresh breeze. The crew took it in at once, the yard being lowered to enable them to do so. The captain of the yacht ordered the engineer to reduce his speed to the ordinary rate, though the sail was not furled. Between the steam and the wind the Blanchita ran ahead of the Delhi. The sheet was slacked off as far as it could be without permitting the sail to shake, and the two craft kept well togetherthe rest of the day, passing Great Natuna Island at four in the afternoon.
The captain took the sun at noon, and worked up the position of the boat. The run from the mouth of the Sarawak at that time was two hundred and four sea miles.
The routine of daily duty on board of the Blanchita has been given; and after the race in the China Sea had proved that she could run away from the Delhi, there was no further excitement on the voyage. On the contrary, it was rather monotonous, and there were no incidents worthy of record. After passing Great Natuna on the afternoon of the second day from the mouth of the Sarawak, no land was seen again till the island of Pulo Obi, about twenty miles south-west of Point Cambodia, was seen on the third day; and the Point on the mainland was passed a little later.
At noon on this day the two vessels were forty-four miles up the Gulf of Siam. The prophecies of Captain Rayburn and Achang in regard to the weather proved to be correct. The monsoon blew steadily all the way, and the yacht carried her sail. Not even a squall disturbed the serenity of the voyage, and everything went on as during the first and second days. The "Four" would have been glad to explore the Great Natuna Island, and determine whether or not it was inhabited; for they could obtain no information in regard to it from any of the books theyhad brought from the ship, and they forgot to inquire about it at Kuching.
At noon on the third day, in the Gulf, the captain of the Delhi hailed the yacht, and came on board of her.
"I shall have to bear more to the eastward now, Captain Scott, and we shall soon part company," said the commander of the Delhi. "We had quite a lively race on our second day out, and you beat me handsomely. I had no idea that your yacht could sail so fast. I was afraid you could not keep up with me; but I found that you could run away from me, as you suggested before we sailed."
"I did not know myself what speed the Blanchita could make, though I was informed that she had gone nine knots for twelve hours together," replied Scott.
"I am very glad that I met you, and I hope I shall see you again. You have a very agreeable party, and I should think you might enjoy yourselves."
"I think we are likely to meet again at Saigon. The Guardian-Mother will be there, and I hope you will come on board of her," replied Captain Scott, as they shook hands at parting, and the visitor returned to the Delhi.
The Blanchita started her screw again; and the captain gave out north-west as the course for the mouth of the Menan River, on which Bangkok is situated.
"Where do you expect to find the Guardian-Mother, Captain Scott?" asked Louis.
"At Bangkok," replied the captain, as he took his memorandum-book from his pocket. "Captain Ringgold gave me his time for leaving there, and also of sailing from Saigon."
"When was he to leave the capital of Siam?"
"On the first tide Monday morning. This is Saturday, a little after noon," replied Scott. "We have three hundred and twenty-five miles to make. The monsoon is about as fresh here as it has been all the voyage; and we have used up about half of our coal, so that we are considerably lighter than when we left Kuching, and with the sail we can easily log nine knots an hour. We shall go into the Menan River before sundown to-morrow, and it will take two or three hours to go up to the city. We shall be alongside the ship some time in the evening; and that is just the time I should like to be there."
"We shall give our friends a tremendous surprise," added Louis.
"That is so; for while your anxious mamma is worrying for fear you have been chewed up by an orang-outang, and Flix's grandma is dreaming that he has been swallowed whole by a big boa-constrictor, we shall drop in on them while they are singing gospel hymns in the music-room."
"I shall be sorry to disappoint grandma; but if she insists upon dreaming such nonsense, it is notmy fault," added Felix. "She ought to know by this time that snakes don't swallow me till they get a bullet through their heads."
"I don't think my mother has been greatly worried about me, for she has learned that I am able to take care of myself," said Louis.
"But the mothers will hug their boys as soon as they get hold of them."
"I wish the hugging might be confined to the mothers, for it is perfectly proper for them to do that thing; but when it comes to a grandma who hasn't a drop of Irish blood in her veins, I beg to be excused, and, what is more, I won't stand it," protested Felix, making a very comical face.
"But you can't help yourself, Flix," laughed the captain.
"You see if I don't!" replied the Milesian, shaking his head as though his plan to avoid the endearing reception had already been formed.
"We shall see what we shall see," added the captain. "It seems to me that the breeze is stronger here than it was out at sea."
"There is a hot country to the east of us, and perhaps the wind is hurrying up to fill a partial vacuum there," suggested Louis.
"You are a philosopher, my darling Louis, and that must be the reason," added Felix.
The Blanchita seemed to be flying through the water, for her speed had sensibly increased since she came into the Gulf. There were several largeislands along the coast of Cambodia; but the course was fifty miles outside of the mainland, which could not be seen.
"Why do you keep so far from the shore, Captain Scott?" asked Louis; for all the party would have been glad to observe the shore.
"Because we all wish to get to Bangkok to-morrow evening. What is the shortest way between two points, Louis?"
"A straight line, of course."
"That's the reason we keep her so far from the land. A north-west course from a point outside of Obi Island to Cape Liant takes the yacht on the course we are running now."
"That explains it all," replied Louis.
The watches were regularly kept, and the captain was satisfied that the Blanchita was making over nine knots an hour. There was no excitement of any kind on board, and the rest of the day was without anything worthy of note. The Delhi had gone in behind an island, and in a few hours she was no longer to be seen. And so it was all day Sunday. Cape Liant was passed about one o'clock. A river pilot was taken about five o'clock. He could not speak English, but Achang spoke to him in Malay.
"Ask him if the Guardian-Mother is in the river, Achang," said the captain.
The pilot could not make out the name, and the interpreter described the ship so that he understood him at last. The face of the Siamese lighted upwhen he got the idea, and it was seen by the four that the ship was there. Achang informed them that the Guardian-Mother was anchored in the river.
The river was full of boats, and on many of them houses were built. The people were new to the Americans, though they were not very different to the ordinary observer from the Burmese and other natives they had seen. Before the yacht was half-way up to the city, it was too dark to see anything distinctly, and the party were more interested in the expected surprise of their friends on board the ship than anything else.
When the yacht was within a short distance of the ship, the pilot pointed her out. The singing in the music-room could be distinctly heard, and everything was working precisely as Scott had said it would. At the gangway the barge of the Blanche was made fast; and it was evident that General Noury and his wife were on board, and perhaps Captain Sharp and his lady. The boat was worked very carefully and noiselessly up to the platform of the gangway, where several sailors were seated.
"The Blanchita!" exclaimed Quartermaster Bangs, as he recognized the craft. "Captain Scott! I will inform the captain that you are alongside."
"Don't do anything of the kind, Bangs!" replied Scott. "Don't say a word, and don't make any noise, any of you. We want to drop in on the party without any notice."
The quartermaster was a very intelligent fellow,and he took in the situation at a glance. The "Big Four" stepped lightly on the platform, and Felix had taken pains to be the last one to mount the gangway. Scott led the way, and halted at the door of the music-room. He waited there till the hymn they were singing was finished, and then threw open the door, and marched in. He took off his cap, and bowed as gracefully as a dancing-master to the assembly.
Louis and Morris followed him, and imitated the example he had given them; but Felix had disappeared, and they did not know what had become of him. The musical party seemed to be so utterly confounded at the sudden and unexpected appearance of the hunters from Borneo that they seemed to be struck dumb with amazement.
"Louis, my son!" Mrs. Belgrave screamed as she rushed upon her boy, and folded him in her arms, kissing him as though he had come back to her from a tomb or a grave beneath the ocean.
"Morris!" cried Mrs. Woolridge, as she imitated the example of Mrs. Belgrave.
"My brother!" exclaimed Miss Blanche, as she divided the neck and arms of the returned hunter with her mother.
"This is somewhat unexpected, Captain Scott," said Captain Ringgold, as he came forward, and took the hand of the captain of the Blanchita, who alone of the trio was not in the arms of a mother.
"I should say that it might be, Captain," repliedScott as coolly as though the meeting was nothing unusual.
"But how under the sun did you get here, Scott?" demanded the commander, scrutinizing the expression of the third officer,—which was his rank on board of the ship,—to ascertain if there were any signs of a calamity there.
"We came by water, Captain," answered the young officer, with a cheerful smile, which indicated anything but a disaster.
"Of course you did, inasmuch as there is no other way to get here. In what steamer did you come? for I believe there is no regular line from Sarawak to Bangkok," added Captain Ringgold.
"We came by the steamer Blanchita."
"I don't understand it at all," said the commander with a perplexed look on his face. "Do you mean that you made the voyage in the steam-yacht, Mr. Scott?" and there was a decided expression of incredulity on his face.
"That is exactly what I mean to assert; and if you have any doubts about the truth of what I say, I appeal to Louis and Morris to substantiate my assertion."
"If you really say so, I do not doubt the truth of what you declare. It looks like a foolhardy risk, but boys will be boys. I will not detain you now; for others wish to welcome you back, and I know they are all glad to see you, unexpected as your return is."