thing; for we have had a weary journey, and have
for many days past been looking about for you. It was necessary to be
cautious; for, had we been discovered, we should certainly have lost our
heads."

"When you speak of we, Kalong, do you mean yourself and Ungka?" I
asked.

"Oh no, Massa; I mean Hassan also. He is near, but watching the canoe;
and when I have eaten, I must take some food to him. You and the other
massa must then follow for, we have no time to lose."

"What do you mean by no time to lose?" I again asked.

"Oh Massa, give me some food, and then I will tell you all!" cried the
poor fellow.

I saw that he was famishing, so I restrained my curiosity till I had
placed some rice and pork and Indian corn bread before him. When he had
eaten a good meal, and stowed away a quantity more in a basket he
carried at his back he signified that he was prepared to give me the
information I required. I nodded my head, and he spoke to the following
effect:--

"You know, Massa, when squall come on, schooner almost capsize, then
drive a long way to leeward; next morning come back to the rock, and
when not find Massa there, sail after the prahus. At night lose sight
of them; look everywhere; no find them; then come back to the rock.
There I and Hassan look at the wrecks on the shore; and Ungka, too,
Massa; and we know, from build and many things scattered about, where
they come from; so we go and tell Massa Fairburn that we go and look for
you. He say we get killed, lose him head. We say we no mind that, we
find you, or we no come back. He then say he go with ship's company and
big guns, and fight, and make people give you up. We say, No good.
People cut off your head if they see the big guns, and then what good
look for you? We say, No, no; let schooner not come near the coast; but
we go in some other vessel, and no say what we come for. We at last go
on shore in Celebes--that is, Hassan, Ungka, and I; wait some time, then
find a Bugis trader going to Borneo; so we no tell what we want, but go
on board. We sometimes say that Ungka very wise monkey; the son of
sultan of the monkeys; and that we go about with him to show him the
world. This make many people think we great men, so they no cut off our
heads to hang round him necks. We go from kampong to kampong to find
Massa, but no see him. At last we hear that one tribe, long way off,
come to a kampong near Gunnung Taboor, and carry away many people, a