English speaking, as he termed it; and after I had complied with his request, he, in return, took the stick and drew several characters to me unintelligible. He stated that his name was Woreka, and, as this was difficult of remembrance, he was, by common consent, christened John, and seemed quite proud of his title. He assumed the office of chaperone to us, and through his instrumentality quite a number disposed of their calico. I was importuned for some time, by a native, for mine, and finally agreed to let him have it for four hundred pice. After some demurrage, he agreed to purchase it, but did not possess sufficient current funds about him. He desired me, by signs, to accompany him to his house, where, he said, he had plenty; and on my reiterating the price, he repeated, “I sabe, I sabe,” with much emphasis. On arriving at his house he handed the calico to his wife, who was as much pleased with it as an American child would be with a toy. Her spouse proceeded up stairs to procure the money, and whilst he was gone I had leisure to observe the inmates of the room. The wife, a young woman, apparently about twenty years of age, had the most perfect set of features I ever beheld, and hair, which, if loosed, would flow almost to the ground, of the glossiest black; her complexion was about as dark as that of our Indian squaws; her eyes, black and piercing--lips red as a cherry; her form full of grace, and straight as an arrow. She reminded me of the pictures I had seen of oriental princesses; and, certainly, a more graceful or prettier queen never wielded sceptre. The other occupants were an old woman and several children. By the time I had finished my scrutiny mine host returned, and presented me with a quantity of Chinese coin, which I found fell one hundred pice short of the price agreed upon. I informed him of his mistake, but as all I received for answer was “I sabe,” I demanded the restitution of the calico. For this purpose he advanced to his wife to obtain it, and when she, who had been watching us closely, discovered my intention of depriving her of her prize, her pretty features contracted into a malignant frown, her eyes shone like diamonds, so fierce were their expression, whilst she stamped her little bare foot indignantly at the affront she deemed imposed upon her. In consideration of the lady’s disappointment, and from the fact of my being separated some half a mile from my comrades, in the midst of a village containing hundreds of Malays, I was on the point of yielding; but the lady’s rage found vent in words, which, although I did not understand, from her glances and gestures I knew were directed at me; and I have no doubt that, if I were able to translate it, it would rival the Billingsgate vocabulary. I in turn became warm at finding myself the object of vituperation, even from such rosy lips; and then reflecting how my story would sound when told to my shipmates--betraying how I, one of the oldest amongst them, was