hines--Under
way--The Martaban of Maulmain--Transformation--The Texan
Star--Evasive--Getting at the truth.--Sonora--To the Cape._

The Alabama was now steering for Singapore, and for three or four days
kept her course without the occurrence of anything particularly
noteworthy. On the 19th December she anchored for a time in the bay on
the south-east side of the island of Aor, with its lofty hills clothed
with green to their summits, and its little sandhills and groves of
cocoa-nut trees. The island is unclaimed by any European nation.

_Sunday, Dec, 20th_.--To-day being Sunday, and the weather being still
thick, and blowing, I have resolved to remain until to-morrow before
making the run for Singapore. Weather improved this morning, however,
and the barometer going up. Several islands visible that were hid from
us yesterday. Pulo Aor looking beautiful and picturesque. Some of the
natives on board with their scant stores of fowls, eggs, and cocoa-nuts.
They are larger than the natives of Condore, and stouter, and more
developed, but with countenances not very prepossessing. The Governor, a
rough-looking, middle-aged fellow, above the common height, pulled out
some greasy papers, the recommendations of former visitors, and desired
that I also would give him one, which I declined, as I knew nothing
about him. Their canoes are light and graceful, and occasionally they
present quite a picture with their gaily-dressed or half-dressed
occupants. We heard their tom-toms and banjoes last night as evening set
in, but a music much sweeter to our ears was a chorus from some _frogs_,
with notes somewhat finer than their relatives on our side of the earth.
These islanders are nothing more than marine nomads, that lead an idle,
vagabond life, intermixed with a good deal of roguery. They have a fine
_physique_, as might be supposed from their open-air mode of life, in
which they have plenty of healthful exercise without being overworked,
as Mother Nature feeds them spontaneously, and they require little more
clothing than they brought into the world with them.

In the afternoon some of the officers visited the shore, and were
hospitably received. There were from ninety to one hundred natives, men,
women, and children, visible, and there were probably as many more on
the other side of the island, as they have a S.W. monsoon village there.
They seemed to have plenty of fowls, and they are very expert fishermen.
They were gambling--su