pan, in which we
could have done our hunting, while you were examining the long-houses
and the head-houses. I don't know but that we should have wished to
remain the whole three weeks if the ladies had been with us."

"Gallant Captain Scott!" exclaimed the lady.

"We did not go up the Rajang River as we intended, and we should have
done that if you had been with us. I am very sure the Dyak ladies would
have been delighted to see you, more than you would have been to see
them," replied Scott.

"The steam-yacht must have been very delightful on the rivers and lakes;
but the crocodiles, the snakes, and the savage orang-outangs would not
have been pleasant to us."

"But with eleven Winchester repeating-rifles ready for use, you would
have had nothing to fear."

Captain Ringgold rose from the table; and this terminated the
conversation, and the party went on deck.

"Captain Ringgold said you had offered to go on shore with us, Professor
Giroud," said Louis, as he joined the instructor. "We shall be delighted
with your company."

"Thank you, Mr. Belgrave. I have been on shore every day, with or
without the party, and have learned something about Bangkok. I may be of
service to you," replied the professor.

"I am sure you will," said Scott.

The first cutter was in the water when they reached the gangway, with
the crew in their places. They went on board, and the bowman shoved off.
Stoody, the coxswain, gave the orders, and the boat was immediately
under way. She was steered towards the shore till she came abreast of
the various craft moored there, and then headed up the river.

"Where are you going, Stoody?" asked Scott.

"Captain Ringgold told me to take the party up the river, to show them
the boats and houses," replied the coxswain.

"That is a good idea, Mr. Scott," added the professor.

"The houses here are all afloat," said Morris. "They are three or four
deep."

"Everybody is not allowed to build his house on shore; for that is a
royal privilege, doled out to a few of the highest nobility," said the
professor. "I suppose there is not room enough in the city for much
besides the palaces and the temples, but beyond its limits we shall find
plenty of land-houses."

"But I should think these floating houses would be smashed to pieces in
a heavy blow; and I see there are plenty of steamers and tugboats in the
river, which might bump against them," Morris objected.

"You see that the middle of the river