the coast of Borneo. I counted six altogether. On my
return I went aft to report what I had seen to the captain.

"We will keep away a little, and pass astern of them. They may possibly
not have seen us, or if they have, they'll think it prudent not to come
nearer."

The first mate on hearing my report also went aloft, and on his return
corroborated it. I confess that I felt somewhat uneasy at the sight of
these vessels. They might be peaceable traders, but they might be
pirates, who, should they find us becalmed, might try to obtain a rich
booty such as our vessel would afford them.

I was surprised that my uncle and the captain took the matter so coolly.
I watched the strangers until they were no longer to be seen from the
deck. After some time we again hauled up and stood on our course to the
eastward. Later in the day, on going aloft, I again caught sight of the
prahus, as I believed them to be, but as they were very low in the
water, they were scarcely visible to any but a sharp pair of eyes, such
as I possessed.

In the afternoon I was taking a turn on deck with Mr Blyth, the captain
and first mate being below, and the third mate in charge of the brig,
when I observed a small cloud coming up on the port bow.

"There's wind in that cloud, I'm sure," I said to my companion. "I'll
point it out to the mate, for he doesn't seem to see it." I did so.

"That's all you know about the matter, youngster," he answered in a
scornful tone.

"We shall be taken aback if we don't shorten sail, and I don't know what
will happen," I remarked to Blyth, when I rejoined him. "I have a good
mind to run down and tell the first mate."

Scarcely had I said this, and was about to spring down the
companion-hatch, when Mr Ling sang out--

"Ready, about ship!"

The helm was put down, the yards were being braced round, and the brig's
head brought to the wind, when, as I looked up, I saw every sail aback.
At that moment I heard the voice of the captain, who had just come on
deck, shouting, "All hands shorten sail and save ship," but the order
was given too late. The squall I had seen coming up just then struck
her, and in one moment, with a fearful crash, the main-mast fell. I
should have been crushed had I not by tumbling head first down the
hatchway avoided it; the next instant the foremast followed, and the
bob-stays giving way, dragged the bowsprit on board. The moment the
crash was heard the first mate sprang up t