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Updated: June 16, 2025
"Still it may be, notwithstanding, that our friends are up there. Kalong says that there is water enough for the brig all the way up to the village, but he thinks it would be wiser to anchor just within the mouth and let only the boats go up, as the wind might fail us and we might have a hard job to get out again.
How to get away was the question. The obvious means was by building a boat; but we could find no tools, and we were obliged to confess that our skill was inadequate to the work. Hassan and Kalong, however, asserted that they would be able, in time, to construct a large canoe. Our first excursion was to the wreck, which we found we could reach by wading at low tide along the top of the reef.
Just as they were up to the bows, I caught sight of a small object ahead, which I trusted was the canoe. I pointed it out to the first mate. "No doubt about it. I hope that we shall find that we might have saved ourselves the trouble of weighing," he observed. It approached rapidly. In little more than a minute it dropped alongside us and Ned and Kalong leapt into our boat.
Before this they had made several attempts to escape, and were building a canoe for the purpose, when the enemy came down and made them prisoners. Kalong was then directed to inquire what sort of people they were. I listened eagerly for Ned's interpretation; at last he said
Though Blount was a stranger to him, seeing that he was a white man, he was not alarmed. "Kalong, is it you, indeed!" I exclaimed. "How, my friend, have you been able to discover me?" "It is a long story, Massa; and to tell the truth, I cannot say much till I have eaten something; for we have had a weary journey, and have for many days past been looking about for you.
No other adventure occurred; and as soon as it was dark, we issued forth from our leafy hiding-place, and paddled away down the stream. We passed a village where a number of torches were burning, and people were singing and beating their tom-toms, Kalong asserted, in honour of the captured crocodile.
Just then the torch, which burned in the centre of the room, flared up, and, as much to my satisfaction as to my surprise, I recognised the features of Kalong the Dyak. He had on but scanty clothing, and he looked travel-worn and weary. Before speaking, he carefully closed the shutters, and then, rushing forward, he took my hand and covered it with kisses.
Then, there was a boatswain, a gunner, a carpenter, and other petty officers; and I must not forget to mention Hassan, the young Malay, and Kalong the Dyak, who considered themselves our immediate attendants, while Ungka was a favourite with all. As it was impossible to say where the Emu might be, we were constantly on the look-out for any vessel answering her description.
Uncle Jack, however, directed us to keep our weapons concealed, while we had, besides the English ensign, a white flag flying in the bows of our boat. Blyth, on hearing of the plan, wished to land, and my uncle, after a little hesitation, gave me leave to accompany him, provided we kept behind Kalong and Ned until they had ascertained the character of the people.
Kalong and I were paddling, and Eva was scanning the horizon in every direction, in the hopes of seeing the Fraulein, when she cried out: "Look there look there, brother Mark! I see either an island or a huge whale, or the hull of a ship; but I cannot make out exactly what it is."
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