A solemn stillness--broken only occasionally by the diving of a huge turtle, the harsh note of the wild seabird, the singing of locusts, or the shrill cry of the tiger-cat--reigned every where in the narrow strait which separates the two islands. Disappointed in receiving the so-much-needed supply of water and provisions, we weighed anchor the same evening for Angier, in Java, and before daybreak, came to in its roadstead. On our passage across, about midnight, we observed a large ship bearing down for us. Immediately all hands were piped to quarters--the battle-lanterns lit, fore and aft--the gun-deck cleared of hammocks--the two-and-thirties loaded with round and grape shot, and run out--the slow matches lighted and placed in their tubs--the marines ranged along the quarter-deck, and the powder boys stationed from the magazine to the gun-deck--the surgeons in the cockpit were displaying a fearful array of bandages; and in five minutes the ship was ready for action. As the vessel neared us, we found her to be no enemy, but his Britannic majesty’s ship Magicienne, from Batavia, bound to Bengal. So we parted as we met--_friends_. May we never meet as enemies! [Sidenote: VISIT OF THE JAVANESE.] Day had scarcely made its appearance, ere the ship was surrounded with Javanese canoes of all sizes, having outriggers to prevent their oversetting, bringing fruits and vegetables, fowls, eggs, goats, musk-deer, civet-cats, coloured and green doves; monkeys in great variety; parrots, Java sparrows, having slate-coloured plumage and pink bills, hats, shells, &c., for sale. Their strange mode of speaking the English language, afforded much amusement to the whole crew: “Capetan, you buy me fowl? Ib gotty fivety ten fowl, Capetan, he be great biggy one; you buy Japa sparrow? Ib got uby, uby, yam, yam, plenty, plenty, bery good; egg fowl, Capetan; fowl egg, Capetan, he be largy one, biggy, biggy, all same as dat larangy, (pointing to a basket of oranges,) I gib you Capetan, one hundred, five, ten, egg, (meaning one hundred and fifteen,) sposey Capetan you gib me one dollar and one quart;” (one dollar and a quarter.) All this was spoken with great rapidity and amid forcible gesticulations. They were not at all abashed in asking a double price for their articles, and stale eggs; the latter, they always endeavoured to impose on us as new and fresh. The greatest curiosity I have yet met with, is the musk-deer; it is in height nine and a half inches, and twenty inches in length, from the top of the nose to the tail; has large protruding round eyes, moderate-sized ears and a sleek, grayish, dun-coloured coat, with beautiful slender legs and small hoofs. In its shape it is a perfect deer, but has no horns. I have, at times, seen this animal possessed of two scythe-shaped teeth, projecting from the upper jaw and placed near the extremity of the mouth, pointing recurvated backward. When irritated it would cut deeply with them and strike with great rapidity.