scape was
to persevere. I had often to turn my head round, to try and discover
the branch of the stream up which we had come. I saw one at length on
my left, and pulled down it, having strong doubts, however, whether it
was the right one. At length I appeared to have got to a distance from
the flames, which I could see however, burning up as brightly as before
amid the trunks of the trees which lined the banks of that part of the
stream through which I was now making my way. My arms began to ache,
perspiration dropped from my brows, but still I must go on. I was by
this time getting out of sight of the flames, but I could still see the
glare of the burning forest rising above the topmost boughs of the
trees. Finding myself in a broad stream, I began at length to breathe
more freely. The wind came down it. I guessed by that that it led
directly to the sea. For the first time I dared to cease rowing, and
stepping the mast, hoisted my sail. Strange sounds came out of the
woods on either side, and sometimes I fancied I could hear the shouts of
the Dyaks pursuing me, to revenge on my head the destruction of their
village. I knew that an account of the catastrophe would soon have been
conveyed to the tribe whose chief lay dead, and I thought it probable
that they would come in pursuit of me and cut me off, should it be known
that I had escaped. I glided on, recovering my strength with the rest I
was thus able to afford myself. And now the river opened out wider than
before, and I saw through the gloom the calm sea spread out before me.
There was not a ripple on the bar. The current ran smoothly, and my
boat, carried on its tide, glided out into the ocean.

I was now as eager to escape from the land as I before had been to reach
it, but in what direction to steer my course I knew not. On I sailed.
The boat now began to rise and fall on the swell of the open ocean. She
was well provisioned for many days, and I trusted by economising my food
to make it last till I should reach some land inhabited by civilised
people. As far as I could judge, therefore, I steered to the
south-west. Encouraged by Macco's preservation under somewhat similar
circumstances, I hoped either to be picked up as he was, or to reach the
shore I was in search of in safety. When day broke I was already at
some distance from the land--too far, I hoped, to be seen by any of the
Dyaks who might be in search of me. I had, however, miscalculate