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Updated: June 8, 2025
"What do you now think causes the darkness?" demanded Fairburn of Van Graoul; for we were all three standing together round the companion hatch. "One burning mountain. It is Tomboro, in Sumbawa; the land we saw in the morning away to the south," he replied in his usual calm tone. "I thought so some time ago; but I said nothing, because I was not certain." "A burning mountain!" I exclaimed.
We now turned our attention to the schooner, which Van Graoul was endeavouring to bring up to us; but although there was a strong wind outside the harbour, she as yet felt but little of it. This, of course, gave the Emu, if Emu she was, a great start.
The Governor and his officials allow no one else but themselves to embark in trade, greatly to the disgust of the natives and Chinese, who expressed a strong wish to be freed from the yoke of such a people. This information was received from Van Graoul, who was a Dutchman, it must be remembered, and certainly prejudiced against the Portuguese. We parted, however, on excellent terms.
Van Graoul had his eyes upon the brig, as he said quite calmly, as if he had been thinking over the matter, "Has it not struck you, Mr Seaworth, that yonder stranger may have as bad an opinion of us as we have of her; and that seeing a piccarooning little craft, no offence to the Fraulein, standing towards her, she thought the safest thing she could do would be to keep out of our way?"
By the light of a lantern, held to show him the way, he seemed a decent, respectable sort of a person, dressed in the usual costume of a merchant skipper, with a swallow-tailed coat, and a straw hat. "Well, I calculate I have made a mistake," he exclaimed, squirting out a stream of tobacco juice, when he found himself confronted by Fairburn, Van Graoul, and me.
Fairburn approved of my idea; and shortening sail immediately, we brought up in a little bay among the trees, by which the vessel was completely hid. Fairburn and the second mate, Barlow, volunteered for this service; and urged me so strongly to remain on board with Van Graoul that I consented.
"Why, pardon me if you don't like the term, but I took you for pirates, gentlemen pirates and robbers." "Dat is a good joke," said Van Graoul; "why, we thought you were de same. And I am not quite certain that he is not," he whispered in my ear. He had, in the meantime, got a boat ready; and Barlow, with four hands, pulled on board the brig.
"By all means; let us seize her. I would run every risk," I answered. "Yes; we will catch her, if we can," answered Van Graoul. Our boats were accordingly lowered and commanded. Fairburn commanded one, and Barlow another, and I took a third, with the intention of endeavouring to cut her off, and capture her without bloodshed. We lay in wait, eager for the word to shove off and go in chase.
It was a beautiful sight watching her as she skimmed along the surface, looking larger and larger as she approached. "What do you think of her now? She must be the Emu!" I exclaimed. "She may be," said Van Graoul; "but stop till we get her within range of our guns." She came quite close. With our glasses we could even distinguish the people on board.
"He is not afraid of showing his colours," said Van Graoul, looking at the brig through his glass. "But ah! see there! He does not like our look. He has put his helm up, and away he goes before the wind." So it was.
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