us service. They
all spoke some English, and most very well, so that we had no difficulty
in carrying on conversation with them. When they heard my story
especially, they seemed to sympathise warmly with me, and express
themselves anxious to assist me by every means in their power. I,
meantime, was not idle, and employed every spare moment in learning the
Malay language, as also in attaining some knowledge of that of Java, as
well as of others of the numerous dialects spoken in the Indian
Archipelago. I felt that my success might depend on my speaking
fluently the languages of the countries I should visit and consequently
that I must exert myself to the utmost. To those acquainted only with
their own tongue, it may appear impossible that I could gain knowledge
sufficient to be of any material use; but it must be remembered that I
was already accustomed to the Hindostanee, and other dialects of India,
and that, therefore, with the stimulus I had, the acquisition of others
was comparatively easy, considering the natural aptitude I possessed of
learning foreign languages. Thus, notwithstanding my anxiety, the time
flew rapidly by.

Four days after we had so providentially escaped from the Sooloo
pirates, we sighted Cape Sink, on the north-west coast of Borneo, some
way to the southward of which was the river whence the Dyaks had been
captured. As we ran along the coast at a respectful distance, for fear
of some sunken rocks and shoals which we believed to be off it, Fairburn
and I were looking out, with our glasses, for the mouth, which we hoped
to be able to make out. The rescued natives were on deck; and we fully
expected that they would be able to recognise the approach of their
native stream. We looked at them as they watched the shore with
surprised and somewhat puzzled looks; but still they gave no signs to
lead us to suppose that they were aware they were approaching their own
country. We found, however, that their puzzled looks arose from their
supposing that they were already many hundred miles away from their own
country, and from their finding themselves, as they supposed, on a coast
so very similar to it. As we ran along the coast, the mouth of a broad
river opened before us, and, with the lead going to ascertain the depth
of water we stood in towards it. On drawing near, it seemed to widen
still more; and our captain being anxious to explore it, the wind also
being fair, we crossed the bar, which h