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I had the very great satisfaction of assembling at my house, within two years of the time I speak of, not only my Dutch friends, including that honest fellow Van Graoul, who had the command of a fine ship; but Fairburn, Prior, and Blount, as also Hassan and Kalong, who were undergoing a course of instruction to aid them in civilising their countrymen on their return home, were also of the party; while Ungka, now the most refined of travelled apes, had his usual seat by my side.
Van Graoul lighted his pipe, and sat on the deck, puffing away with more energy than usual. "There is no fear," he remarked. "I did not expect them before morning; and if the brig is where I advised Fairburn to look for her, there is better chance of finding her in the dark than in the daylight without their being discovered." Of course I could not turn in.
I forgot to say that the schooner was called the Fraulein, which is the Dutch, or rather German, of young lady; and I thought the name pretty and appropriate. Behold me, then, the owner of the schooner Fraulein, Captain Van Graoul, just ready for sea, and as complete a little man-of-war as ever floated.
We got a spring also on our cable, and every preparation was made to get under weigh in an instant, and to make sail in chase, should the brig appear to have taken the alarm. Van Graoul remained on board in command; and a hand was stationed aloft to watch the progress of the boat.
We had a table spread on deck, and an awning stretched over it. Fairburn sat at one end, and I at the other; and Van Graoul was placed at the centre, to act as interpreter for us both. They ate prodigiously, and each man drank enough arrack to intoxicate any three Europeans, without appearing to feel the slightest ill effects from the spirit.
"I hope so," replied Fairburn; "but a current might be drifting us faster than we expected." The lead was hove, deep water was found all round. "I cannot make it out," exclaimed Fairburn. "Nor I," said Van Graoul, as he puffed away with his pipe. "Some ship blown up; or perhaps a score of prahus." Again the sound of firing was heard rolling away in the distance.
She now had got so far up, that Van Graoul could see her from the deck; and he, with his glass in his hand, was the only person that appeared. "She comes on bravely," he exclaimed. "Pull away, my lads. Ah, you pull well! We shall soon know what you are made of." He was silent for a moment. "Ah! she has ceased pulling!" he cried. "They are suspicious of something. Ah, they are pulling round!
Van Graoul, who acted as interpreter, said he would be happy to do anything I wished; that if the Emu came into the harbour, he should have the satisfaction of blowing her to pieces; that he had heard of her depredations, but that no Portuguese cruisers had met with her, or her fate would have been sealed; that he would supply me with cattle and provisions, or anything from his stores; and that if I happened to have a fancy to purchase any slaves, he should be happy to do a little business in that way also.
"The navigation is very difficult, and very dangerous for a stranger; but Van Graoul knows them well, and if she goes in we can follow." "By all means, let us follow them," I exclaimed. "Everything makes me think that must be the Emu." "I wish that I could be certain," said Fairburn. "We have a longer cruise before us."
I asked Van Graoul the name of the islets scattered about in a long line before us. "They are called the Pater Nosters, because strangers are apt to say their Pater Nosters when they happen to find themselves among them in bad weather," he answered. The day was clear and the sea smooth; but I could suppose that in thick weather they must be very dangerous.
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