After beating about two weeks--the variability of the winds delaying our passage thus long, while, with a favorable wind and plenty of it, we would have accomplished it in ninety-six hours--we hove in sight of the island of Sumbawa--the James Allen accompanying us. After running for some distance along its coast, delighted with the scenery--every rock and crevice being covered with vegetation of the richest green, clusters of cocoa-nut trees rising in every direction, and all the beauties of tropical verdure opening to our delighted visions--a mountain, said to be volcanic, came in for a due share of our attention. Soon we entered the Straits of Allas, and saw Balli Peak, a mountain of considerable altitude, covered with vegetation. Whilst at the mouth of the straits, we were greeted with a sight of a water-spout--a phenomena so often described that for me to attempt it would be superfluous. I will only state that sailors have a belief that the water of which they are composed, although coming from the ocean, undergoes, through the sun’s rays, a distillation that deprives it of its salt. After we entered the straits, we alternately had a succession of calms and light breezes which detained us for some time; but, finally, we came to anchor about a mile from the town, in ten fathoms of water--the James Allen being within a stone’s throw of us. Near us was a coral reef, which prevents craft, except of light draught of water, from approaching closer to the town. A number of the native vessels lay inside of us loading with rice. These vessels are known as proas--some of them are good sized; they are flat-bottomed, draw but very little water, and are painted in rude, barbaric style. All that I saw of any size were rigged as barques, their sails being mats, manufactured from leaves neatly connected so as to present the surface to the wind. CHAPTER V. Soon after our sails were stowed, a canoe from the town came alongside. In it were two Malays, who had a cargo of green and ripe cocoa-nuts, bananas, sugar-cane, tamarinds, pine apples, chickens, and cockatoos. They were desirous of bartering these articles, not for money, but sperm whale’s teeth, which they term “gee gees,” and use for handles to their creeses, after having neatly carved and ornamented them. They have a perfect passion for these teeth, and having at one time exposed to their view a very handsome one, I was beset and pestered by these people, ashore and aboard, to sell it. Having no desire to dispose of it, I at first only laughed at their offers, but when one plucked me by the sleeve and offered me a dozen chickens for it, and another his whole stock in trade to become its possessor, I wavered and let it go.