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24 chapters
PREFACE.
PREFACE.
TuE majority of naval officers are self-taught men: the world their book—the midshipman’s dingy berth ’ their ““ Alma Mater.” The author is no exception to the rule; and as his confession may be profitable to others, he makes the public sufficiently a confidant, to say, that to a steady habit of journalising, noting down all ho saw, read, or felt, and, in spite of defective spelling and worse grammar, still educating himself with his journal, he is mainly indebted for being able to fight his way
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CHAP. IL
CHAP. IL
Internal Economy. — Fishing-Parties, — Rumours of Pirates. — News of an Illanoon Squadron. — A floating Menagerie. — An Encounter with Pirates.—The “ Hyacinth ” searches for Pirates, — A War-fleet heard of. — Quedah Politics. — We are required to aid the Siamese, — Rapid Equipment of Pirate Fleet.— The Malays are warned of the coming Retribution, — Captain Warren visits the Pirate Fleet. — Arrangements are made to equip a Flotilla, — The “IIya- cinth” and Gun-boats off Quedah.— My Gun-boat and C
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CHAP. IIL
CHAP. IIL
Commence to blockade Quedah Fort. — Jadee's imaginary Fight with a Tonkoo.— My Malay Coxswain's Appearance. — is Attire and Character. — Jadee’s piratical Propensities. — Escapes Imprisonment by hanging a Man, — Quedah Fort and Town.—The Appearance of the adjacent Country, — A wet Night.—My Crew.—Jadee’s Want of Bigotry. — Primitive Mode of eating. Toe pinnace, with the “Pearl” and « Emerald,” soon reached the shallow bar which lies across the Quedah river, a feature common to every river on thi
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CHAP. IV.
CHAP. IV.
The Blockade rendered more Stringent. — The Bounting Is- lands, — My Crew keeping Holiday. — “ Hyacinths” poi- soned with Ground-nuts. — We discover Wild Bees-Nests. — Arrangements made for robbing the Hives, — The Bees quit their Hives and settle on me. — No Honey. — A Malay Doctor. — The Koran and Chunam remedy for Bee Stings. TnE first week or ten days was sadly monotonous: we had to be very guarded in our movements, as the policy intended to be pursued by the enemy had not developed itself,
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CHAT. V.
CHAT. V.
The North-east Monsoon. — Unsatisfactory News of our Siamese Allies. — The Pelicans.—Alligators abound, — The Cowardice of the Alligators. — Encounter and Capture an Alligator. — Extraordinary Strength and Vitality of those Reptiles.-— A Strange Antidote against Fever.—The Rah- madan and “ Quedah Opera.” — The Malays endeavour to evade the Blockade.—The Watchfulness of my Native Crew. THE north-east monsoon had fairly setin. All daylong we had a delightfully pleasant breeze off the land, for the
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CHAP. VL
CHAP. VL
A Night Chase after a Prabhu. — The Chase, — The Pralu manceuvres admirably. — Jadee volunteers to board her, — The Capture. — A Piratical Saint. — The Saint at Prayers, — The Saint's Deportment. — The Saint's Martyrdom. — Defensive Measures, — Escape of Siamese Prisoners, —Suf- ferings of the Siamese Prisoners. — A curious Mode of Sketching. Tae pluck and zeal of my crew often struck me, but never perhaps more than on the occasion I am about to relate. We had had a long and unsuccessful clase o
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CHAP. VIL
CHAP. VIL
The Anxiety of the Officer commanding the Blockade. — In- telligence received of the Pirate Fleet. — My good Fortune in sailing with so excellent a Captain. — A Tropical Thunder- storm, — Jadee kills the Wind. — How Jadee learnt to kill the Wind. — The Dutch generally disliked. — Jadec's Pira- tical Friends attack a Junk.— The Defeat and Flight of Jadee's Friends. — They are saved by the Rajah of Jehore. — Killing the Wind. Our enterprising captain in the « Hyacinth” had, as it may be supposed,
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CHAP. VIIL
CHAP. VIIL
Refreshing effects of a Squall in the Tropics. -— Scenery in the Malay Archipelago, —My Gun-boat “The Emerald" joins the Parlis Blockading Squadron. — The Malays try to Stockade us out of the River.— Haggl Lotng comes on an Embassy. — Malayan Diplomacy. — Jadee’s disregard for a Flag of Truce. — Jadee and the one-eyed Enemy. — A Spy. The Chase by Starlight. — The submerged Jungle. — An Indian Night-Scene.— The Chase lost.—The Whip and Mangrove Snakes. AgAIN we made sail and sped on our way. How
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CHAP. IX.
CHAP. IX.
Mahomet Alee does not attack Start Crane shooting.—Day- break in Malayia.—The Adjutant. — The “old Soldier!" — The “old Soldier” fishing. — The “ old Soldier ” weathers a young Sailor. No Cranes.— Plenty of Monkeys.—Monkeys in a Passion.—A sudden Chase of a Prahu.—Birds'-Nests and Pulo Bras Manna. — The edible-nest-building Swallow, Ifi- rundo esculenta; Food; Habits, — Decide upon seeing the Nests eollected.—Difliculties in the way of doing so. — Jam- boo enjoying Company's pay.— Jamboo remonst
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CHAP. X.
CHAP. X.
Return to Parlis.— Datoo Mahomet Alee’s sanguinary Threat. — Jadee has, we find, sent an abusive Message. — Jadee reproved. — Jadee's feelings are hurt, — Character of my Native Crew.-— A Page about Native Prejudices. — One of the Malays mutinous, — Cure for Native Prejudices. — Malayan Jungle-Scenery by Daylight. — Black Monkeys.— A Monkey Parody, upon Human Life. — English Seamen and the Monkeys, — Scarcity of Fresh Water, — The Village of Tamelan, — A Malay Chieftainess. — Watering, — Snakes
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CHAP. XL
CHAP. XL
Jadee declines to clean the Copper.— A Malay Prejudice. — A Malay Mutiny. — The lost Sheep return, — The Dif- ficulty surmounted, — Malayan mechanical Skill. — An Impromptu Dock.— An Accident, and quick Repairs. — Launch, and resume Station. Loss of my Canoe.— A Sampan constructed. — The Malayan Axe or Adze.—In- genious mode of applying native Materials in Construction of Boats, I map but one fracas in my gun-boat with my Malays, which, considering how young and inexperienced I was as a commande
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CHAP. XIL
CHAP. XIL
Return to Quedah.—Native Defences.—The “Teda bagoose.” — Scaring an Ally, — Difficulties which accounted for the Delay of the Siamese.—Inchi Laa acknowledges the Effects of our Blockade.— Severity towards the Malays. — A Prabhu full of Fugitives captured. — Intelligence suddenly gained of Siamese Army,—Deserfers.— The Malay Forces out- manceuvred.— Serious Losses of the Malays. —Inchi Laa. Shameful Atrocities of the Malays, — Exchange of Ceur- tesies, — Permission given for the Women to escape,
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CHAP. XIII -
CHAP. XIII -
The Lull before the Storm.— The Exodus,— A Scene of Confusion aod Distress. — The Malay Chieftains Wife, — Baju-Mira. — The Convay.— An extraordinary Appeal, — Midwifery simplified. — A Night.scene, — A Midshipman’s Emotions. — A Malayan Iouri.— Resign my Charge and return, — An Attempt to enslave the Fugitives. Tne flood-tide continued to flow into the Quedah river until about ten o’clock, and beyond the hum of voices from the town, and the melancholy wailing noise made by the sentries in “call
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CHAP. XIV.
CHAP. XIV.
Malay Slave Trade fostered by the Dutch, — Brutal System pursued by the Portuguese. — Slavery doubtless founded by the Mahometans.—Retribution has overtaken the Portuguese. * —— An enlightened Policy most likely to eradicate Slavery and Piracy. — Close Blockade.— The Call of the Siamese Sentries. — The Call of the Malay Sentries. — Deaths from Want of Water.—Kling Cruelty. — The Trial and Verdict, and Punishment. — Siamese Tortures. — Novel Mode of impaling a Rebel. — Extraordinary Palm-spears.—
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CHAP. XV.
CHAP. XV.
The Massacre of the Prisoners in Quedah Fort. — The alarmed Barber. — Inchi Laa repudiates the Act.— The Vultures’ Feast.— Captain Warren visits the Siamese Camp, — The Siamese Army.-— Renewed Vigour in the Operations, — The Capture of the Battery. — The Flight of the Harem.— Fugitives no longer able to escape by Sea. — Narrow Escape of my Crew. — Inchi Laa surrenders. — Struck by a Whirl. wind. — The last Broadside. — The Chiefs escape. — Quedah Fort abandoned. Tue Siamese prisoners in the hand
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CHAP. XVI
CHAP. XVI
The Siamese in Possession of the Fort.— Description of the Fort. — A Siamese Military Swell. — The Divan. — A Naval Ambassador. — The Ambassador demands Beef — Curiosity of the Siamese Officials, —The Appearance of the Soldiery. — Mobility of the Siamese Troops.— Arms and Equipments. — The Buffalo of Malayia, —Mr. Airey, Master of the “Hyacinth.” — Siamese Ingratitude not singular. « We proceed to Parlis. Art daybreak on March 20th, we observed the Siamese to be in possession of the fort, and sh
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CHAP, XVIL
CHAP, XVIL
Return to Parlis.— A Case of Cholera-morbus,— An Irish Cure for Cholera. — Pat Conroy's Opinion of the Chinese, — Tamelan. — Parlis. — The Flight from Tamelan, — The Legacy of Queen Devi. — The Departure. — The Heart of a Cocoa-nut Tree. — Proceed to shoot a Buffalo, —- Discover a Herd. — The Shot and the Chase.— Obtain Plenty of Buffalo Meat. THE cutter and gun-boat proceeded along the shore, whilst the « Hyacinth” made a straight course; and the lack of wind in both cases caused the passage to
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CHAP. XVIIL
CHAP. XVIIL
Jamboo frightened by a River Spirit. — The Aborigines of Malayia. — Malayan Superstitions.—An “Untoo,”" or Spirit, seen. — My Credulity taxed. — The Spirits of the Jungle.— On Superstitions in general. — The Charms of Superstition. — Musquitoes and Sand.flies, — The Village on Fire.— Flaming Cocoa-nut Trees. — Intentional Destruction, — “Traces of Man rapidly obliterated in the East.” THE men soon brought off all the meat from the dead buffalo, and as there was much more than we could eat at onc
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CHAP. XIX.
CHAP. XIX.
A Crew of wretched Fugitives. — “ Orang-laut,” or Sea Gipsies. — Low Civilisation of the * Orang-laut.” — Total Absence of all Religious Feeling. — Their Mode of Living. — The personal Appearance of Orang-laut. — Dearth of fresh Water. — Ordered to procure Water up the River. — Parlis and Pirate Fleet. — Interview with ITagei Loiing. — Permission granted to procure Water. — Tom West's Ad- dress to the Malays. — Paddle up the River. — Tropical Malayan Scenery. — Pass Kanah. — Obtain fresh Water.
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CIIAP. XX.
CIIAP. XX.
The Ladies of Kangah bathing,—Halt to lunch at Kangah. —XKangah, its Situation.— Mode of constructing Malay Ilouses. — The Mosque. — The Bazaar and its Occupants.— Arrival of armed Men.——Return to the Boat. Praise- worthy Fidelity of the Malays. — Malay Independence of Character. — The Pleasures of Memory,—A Malay Family Scene. — Return to Parlis. — Pulo Quetam. — Trade during Blockade. Our casks filled, we turned our head down the stream and dropped down to Kangah, where I purposed having our n
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CHAP. XXL
CHAP. XXL
Social Evenings. — Quaintness of English Seamen,-— The Adventures of Lucas. — Runs away to Liverpool.— Enters on board of an African Trader, — The Voyage to the Bights. —Fever. — Dezths. — Difficulty in leaving Port. — A new Captain joins.— Voyage Home. — Sufferings from want of Water. — Disorderly Scenes. — A Fight. — Villanous Be- verage.— A Man flogged to Death.— A horrid post- mortem Examination..—Temporary Relief.—Recklessness.— Sufferings. — A second Case of Murder. — Lucas a Sailor, nolen
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CHAP. XXII
CHAP. XXII
Jadee offers the Loan of a Love-Letter, — A Midshipman's Scruples. -— The “Emerald” ordered to Pouchou. — Enter the River during the Night. — Jadee’s Suggestions for warding off Musquitoes, — Jadee foresees Trouble. — A. nautical Superstition of the olden Day. — The Flight.—The Sampan repulsed. — The Chase. — A Prahu captured.— Proceed to Tangong Gaboose.— Starving piratical Fugi- tives. — A Threat of Cannibalism. — The Horrors of Asiatic Warfare. — Jamboo's View of the Malays’ Position. — Re- f
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CHAP. XXIIL
CHAP. XXIIL
A Surprise. — The Stratagem.— Escape of Mahomet Alee.— Jadee indignant.——Disappointment and Consolation.—We report the Escape, — Raising of the Blockade, — The neglected Warning. — The Gig chases the Canoe.—The “Laddas,” —A Malayan Night-Scene, — Dream-Land. — Return to Things earthly.—Uunsuccessful Search for Prahus, — The Sea-breeze.— The Race.— Short Rations.— Eat DBirds'-nests,—A long and distressing Pull,—Zeal and cheer- ful Conduct of the Crew. — Reflections. HagrpLy had the anchor reached
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CHAP. XXIV.
CHAP. XXIV.
A tropical Shower, — Early Breakfast. — The Malay piratical Soirée,— Jadec upbraids them for being surprised. — Pre- paring for Action. —Demeanour of English and Malay Sea- men.—3alay Charm for shooting straight. — Ay Coxswain; his Picty. — Burning, sinking, and destroying. — The Rene- gade turns Traitor.— The large Reptiles of Langkawi.—The Tale of the Qular-besar, or Great Snake.— The Snake choked by a holy Man.— A remarkable Fossil. — A Pirates Hiding- place. — Lovely Scenery.—The Anger of th
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