d us before he
went away was true, and that Sehi is a very bad man. Say that we are not
afraid of prahus, and will make short work of them when we get a chance.
Tell him we will take great care, and not let ourselves be surprised,
and that when we have finished with this fellow here, the ship will come
as far up the river as she can go, and show the chiefs that the English
have no evil intentions against them, and will send his three friends
with a strong boat party to pay him a visit. By the way, ask the man if
he knows this part of the country."

"Yes, Captain; he says that he has been since his boyhood a boatman, and
has worked for some years with a trader, who used to go up the creeks,
and trade with the villagers."

"Ask him if he knows a creek that turns off from the river four or five
miles above this; it is a very small one, but it leads into a pool on
which is a large village."

The man nodded at once, when the question was put, then spoke for a
minute or two.

"He says, Captain, that he knows the pool and village; but he has never
been up the small creek that you speak of. Did not know that a boat
could get through. He has been there by a large creek that runs into
the other branch of the river, the one that turns off twelve miles below
this; from that river it is an hour's paddle in a sampan to the pool."

"How should we know the entrance?" the captain asked.

"Entrance difficult to find," the native replied; "strip of land runs
out from both sides, covered with trees. One goes a little beyond
the other, so that anyone who did not know it would pass the entrance
without noticing it. It is just wide enough for a large craft to go in
and out. There is a village stands a hundred yards below the entrance;
it would be known by a big tree that grows before a large house close to
the bank. The water is deep on that side. You have only, after passing
the village, to keep close in shore, and you will then see the entrance
to the creek. It is called Alligator Creek, because, more than any
place, it swarms with these creatures."

"Thank you," the captain said. "Will you tell the chief that I say you
have rendered me a valuable service?"

He opened a case in which he kept presents intended for the chiefs, and
took out a brace of handsome pistols, a powder flask, and a bullet mold.

"Take these," he said, "in token of the service you have rendered. When
I see your chief, you shall be well recompensed for the ris