just proportion in all the parts of the figure; as a whole, the result may be said to have been more curious than pleasing. When the Siamese eventually proceeded to Penang, they left us favourably impressed with their disposition and ability, although they evidently lacked the energy of character which marked the Malays about

us.

CHAPTER VII.

THE ANXIETY OF THE OFFICER COMMANDING THE BLOCKADE-INTELLIGENCE RECEIVED OF THE PIRATE FLEET-MY GOOD FORTUNE IN SAILING WITH SO EXCELLENT A CAPTAIN-A TROPICAL THUNDER-STORM JADEE KILLS THE WIND HOW JADEE LEARNED TO KILL THE WIND-THE DUTCH GENERALLY DISLIKED-JADEE'S PIRATICAL FRIENDS ATTACK A JUNK-THE DEFEAT AND FLIGHT OF JADEE'S FRIENDS THEY ARE SAVED BY THE RAJAH OF JEHORE-KILLING THE WIND.

OUR enterprising captain in the Hyacinth had, as it may be supposed, a very anxious time. The extent of coast to be blockaded was not less than fifty or sixty miles in extent much of it but little known; numerous islands, rivers, and creeks existed of which charts and surveyors had no cognisance. He knew well that a large force of prahus and armed men was in the province; their exact whereabouts, however, was preserved a perfect secret, and Captain Warren's fear was, lest they should fall upon his boats or the gunboats with vastly superior forces, and carry off an easy victory. The Hyacinth, therefore, like a troubled spirit, was ever flitting up and down between Quedah and a spot of equal importance called the Parlis river, situated twenty miles farther north, and in the entrance of which the ship's cutter and No. 1 gunboat, the Diamond, were stationed. In the

second week of January, information was received that a considerable number of the war-prahus seen by us at Trang during the previous autumn, had succeeded, under their renowned leader, Datoo Mahomet Alee, in getting into the Parlis river, and were employed in the defence of that neighbourhood. It became therefore necessary to reinforce the Parlis blockading force, and I was ordered to proceed there for that purpose. Delighted at the prospect of seeing more of this interesting country, my craft was soon under way and spinning along the coast, which, to the northward of Quedah river, rapidly improved in appearance; the picturesque group of islands known as the Lancavas, and beyond them the Laddas, lying to seaward, and spurs of mountain land from the central chain approaching close to the coast of the mainland.

All, at any rate, was bright and beautiful to me. Placed, young as I was, in a position of trust and responsibility-enjoying all the sweets of command, and still too young to feel its anxieties-it was indeed the sunny side of the world that I was then enjoying; and as, with a throbbing pulse and zealous heart, I walked my own quarterdeck, how earnest, in all the honesty of youth, were my resolutions to deserve well of my profession, and those set in authority over me! Fortunate are those boys who, like me, sail their first trip as embryo admirals with such a captain as mine was a gentleman in all things; labouring in his profession quietly and earnestly-not, upon the one hand, scorning it as being beneath his birth or abilities-or, upon the other, degrading himself into a mere

A SQUALL AT HAND.

67

menial, and working for the dirty pounds, shillings, and pence it would yield him. The midshipman who sails and learns his profession with such a man may perhaps, in after life, suffer when he happens to be under the tyrant, schemer, or bully-for, alas such will be found in every noble profession; but those principles early acquired will ever be a solace to him, and the love and recollection of such a man console him and cheer him in the hope of emulating his example.

As we approached a long low point named Tangong Bouloo, or the Cape of Bamboos, from the numbers of those canes which were waving gracefully over it, my attention was called to the necessity of preparing for a heavy squall which was rapidly sweeping down towards us from the distant hills. As the wind freshened, we reduced canvass until the Emerald was flying along under a close-reefed foresail, everything cracking withal. The squall swept on; a dense black mass of clouds, charged with electricity, a burst of thunder which seemed to make the gunboat tremble to her very keel, and a vivid flash of lightning which blinded one for a minute, showed how close it was. The tall trees bent to the gale, the bamboos were swept down like a long row of feathers, and a white streak of foam rushed towards us as we took in our sail, and prepared to receive it under bare poles. With a shriek it struck us; the little Emerald lay down to it for a moment, the helm was put up, and away she flew before the storm like a snow-flake. Jadee stood by my side—“A bad wind, Touhan; we must kill it!" "Kill away! Jadee," I replied, laughing at the idea of so fickle a personage as the Clerk of the

Weather getting into a scrape with a Malay pirate,"kill away, by all means!" "Campar!" shouted Jadee -poor Campar! he had to be everywhere-" oh! Campar, thou son of a burnt mother, hand here the ricespoon!" shouted Jadee, looking as solemn as a Quaker or a haggi. This rice-spoon, by the way, was the only one in the vessel; it was made of wood, and used for stirring the rice whilst cooking over the fire; its value. to us probably invested it with a certain degree of sanctity. The spoon was brought, and I tried to look as solemn as Jadee, who, calling to his aid the sanctimonious Alee, placed the spoon upon the deck between him and the wind, and the pair of true believers repeated some verses over it-bound themselves, by a vow, to sacrifice several game-cocks* upon a favourable occasion, and then the precious spoon was stuck through the lanyards of the main-rigging, with the handle to leeward. I think I should have died from the effects of suppressed mirth, had not the fury of the squall and the quantity of water thrown on board of us given me enough to do to look after the safety of the craft. Jadee, however, sat quietly watching and waiting for the effect of his incantation at last, down came the rain, not in drops, but in bucketfuls, and, as usual, the wind fell entirely. Hastening to get under the rain-awnings and mats until the weather cleared up, I remarked to Jadee that "the wind was fairly killed." "Yes!" he replied, with a sly expression of countenance, "I never saw that charm fail; I never saw the wind that could long stand its

* I fancy, from game-cocks being introduced into this superstitious observance, that it is purely of Malay origin.