Borneo and the Indian Archipelago: with drawings of costume and sceneryMarryat, Frank
History
Borneo and the Indian Archipelago: with drawings of costume and scenery
Marryat, Frank
Borneo -- Description and travel; Malay Archipelago -- Description and travel
Sailed for Sincapore. The next night we communicated with the Julia (Mr.
Brooke's vessel). She had on board Captain Elliott, and twenty-five
sepoys[3], who were to be stationed as a garrison at Kuchin. We were
much pleased to find that Government had taken up this cause so warmly,
and that Mr. Brooke was likely to be recognised by it, after all his
individual exertions. Our passage to Sincapore proved very tedious, all
hands upon short allowance, and no grog. We touched at Barren Island,
and obtained a large quantity of sea birds' eggs, but they were mostly
rotten; but this did not prevent our making omelets of them, for we were
now with only three days' provisions on board at half allowance, and the
calm still continued. Three days we were in sight of the island, the
sails flapped idly against the masts, and not a breath disturbed the
surface of the ocean wave. We thought of the tale of the Ancient
Mariner, and there were not wanting those on board who declared that
this continued calm was a judgment upon us, not for shooting an
albatross, but for robbing the nests of the eggs.
[Footnote 3: These sepoys were raised and _paid_ by Mr. Brooke.]
Our barges were sent to Sincapore for provisions, for famine was staring
us in the face, but that same night a breeze sprang up, and on the 20th
of May we dropped our anchor in the roads. At Sincapore we found the
Hazard, 18, whose crew suffered so much at New Zealand; and here also we
found, to our inexpressible delight, our orders for England, of which we
had begun to have some doubts. On the 14th of June arrived the Admiral,
in H. M. S. Agincourt, towed by the Spitfire steamer. As soon as he was
joined by the rest of the squadron, it was the intention of Sir T.
Cochrane to make sail for Bruni, and punish the six-fingered sultan and
his piratical advisers.
Sincapore, like all new settlements, is composed of so mixed a
community, that there is but little hospitality, and less gaiety. Every
one is waiting to ascertain what is to be his position in society, and
till then is afraid of committing himself by friendly intercourse;
moreover, every body is too busy making money. The consequence is, but
few parties are given, and a ball is so rare that it becomes the subject
of conversation for months. There are some good-looking girls at
Sincapore, but it is only at church or on parade that a stranger obtains
a glimpse of them. Prudery is at present the order of the day, and this
is carried to such an extent from non-intercourse, that at a farewell
ball given to the Cambrians, the women would only polka and waltz with
each other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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