E SARAWAK RIVER

The young hunters slept on board of the Blanchita, and they were
delighted with their accommodations. Sarawak, or Kuching, the native
name of the town, is only about one hundred and fifty miles north of the
equator, and must therefore be a very warm region, though away from the
low land near the sea-coast it is fairly healthy. The party slept with
the curtains raised, which left them practically in the open air.

Achang had given them a hint on board of the ship that mosquitoes were
abundant in some localities in Borneo. The Guardian-Mother was provided
with the material, and the ladies had made a dozen mosquito bars for the
explorers. They were canopies, terminating in a point at the top, where
they were suspended to the cross rods on which the canvas roof was
supported. The netting was tucked in under the cushions of the divan,
and the sleepers were perfectly protected.

Captain Scott had carried out his plan in regard to the watches. The
cook was exempted from all duty in working the little steamer; but each
of the other seamen was required to keep a half-watch of two hours
during the first night on board. Clinch was on watch at four in the
morning. He called the engineer at this hour, and Felipe proceeded at
once to get up steam. It was still dark, for the sun rises and sets at
six o'clock on the equator.

As soon as there was a movement on board, all hands turned out forward.
There were no decks to wash down; and, if there had been, the water was
hardly fit, in the judgment of the mate, for this purpose, for it was
murky, and looked as though it was muddy; but it was not so bad as it
appeared, for the dark color was caused by vegetable matter from the
jungles and forest, and not from the mud, which remained at the bottom
of the stream.

"The top uv the marnin' to ye's!" shouted Felix, as he leaped from his
bed about five o'clock,--for all hands had turned in about eight o'clock
in the evening, as the mosquitoes, attracted by the lanterns, began to
be very troublesome,--and the Milesian could sleep no longer.

"What's the matter with you, Flix?" demanded the captain.

"Sure, if ye's mane to git under way afore night, it's toime to turn
out," replied Felix. "Don't ye's hear the schtaym sizzlin' in the froy'n
pan?"

"But it isn't light yet," protested Scott.

"Bekase the lanthern in the cab'n bloinds your two oyes, and makes the
darkness shoine broighter nor the loight," said Felix, as he