PULO QUETAM, OR CRAB ISLAND.

283

into a short and feverish slumber. Nothing served to keep the sand-flies off: they were smoke-proof and fire-proof; they bled you just as freely if the skin was rubbed over with oil or vinegar, lime or treacle ; nothing seemed to check their abominable thirst for blood. Happily, this fearful pest had only lately commenced, and we could look forward to a speedy termination of it, not only from the end of the blockade being at hand, but because, in April, the heavy squalls of wind and rain which mark the close of the north-east monsoon would destroy them, by blowing their hosts to sea.

Pulo Quetam, or Crab Island, was now becoming quite a gay scene; fugitives from the province commenced to pass down, and many found their canoes so unsafe as to be obliged to stay there for repairs— forming little encampments, under temporary huts of boughs and branches, in which the curious might study the manners and customs of the Malays with the greatest facility. The inhabitants of the neighbouring village drove a roaring trade with the blockading force in the sale of anything that was eatable, —whether flesh, fish, or fowl. The variety, however, was not great; poultry being the principal article they had for sale, and rice, which was of a very excellent quality, and still so cheap as to prove that the asser

284

TRADE DURING BLOCKADE.

tion was not without some foundation, that Quedah province is capable of growing rice enough to support all the population of the Straits of Malacca. There were no less than four different species of common rice-all excellent in quality; but there was a naturally sweet description, which could be converted into sweetmeats without the aid of sugar, and, if imported into England, would be invaluable for household purposes to pastrycooks.

SOCIAL EVENINGS.

285

CHAPTER XXI.

Social Evenings.-Quaintness of English Seamen.-The Adventures of Lucas.-Runs away to Liverpool.-Enters on Board of an African Trader.-The Voyage to the Bights.-Fever.-Deaths.-Difficulty in leaving Port.-A new Captain joins.-Voyage Home.-Sufferings from want of Water.-Disorderly Scenes.-A Fight.-Villanous Beverage.-A Man flogged to Death.—A horrid post-mortem Examination.-Temporary Relief.-Recklessness.-Sufferings. A second Case of Murder.-Lucas a Sailor, nolens volens.

As the majority of the boats were now together, there was more sociability among the crews than we had ever before had; and the dear old "Hyacinth" being notoriously one of the most united and smartest crews on the East India Station, everything that could relieve monotony was done by both seamen and officers in the best spirit of unselfishness. The crews of the pinnace and cutter had been remarkably healthy, although living in open boats for four months, and their spirits were proportionately light. For several hours in the evening, songs would be sung and yarns would be told over the supper pipe,

286

QUAINTNESS OF ENGLISH SEAMEN.

or grog, and the loud chorus to the deliciously quaint melodies of

"On Gosport beach I landed, that place of noted fame,

And I called for a bottle of good brandy,

To treat my lovely, lovely dame!" &c.,

or,

"She gave unto me a gay gold ring,
And a locket filled with hair," &c., &c.,

would roll through the jungles of Parlis, and put to flight all things earthly and unearthly; but if the honest fellows' melodies partook of the rudely harmonious, their yarns were decidedly well worth hearing. In all cases, they merely related their own adventures; and it required no fiction to make them deeply interesting. The hand is now cold which could truly tell a sailor's narrative, in all its original phraseology and strong characteristics-the naval Fielding, Captain Marryat; and it is only in having sailors' histories told in their own way, that the general reader can ever form a correct idea of all their peculiarities of character. They have changed somewhat from Marryat's day, but still preserve all the originality of character for which their forefathers were famous; they do not drink quite so hard, nor swear so much, but they are just as overflowing with

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCAS.

287

wit and humour; and the smattering of education which enables the majority to read and the few to write, has in no way injured-on the contrary, improved-the original view they always take of what passes under their notice. I shall not attempt to repeat any one of their yarns in its original clothing; but perhaps, whilst we are waiting for the closing scene in the blockade of Quedah, I may be pardoned for relating a strange tale, which I wrote down as it was told to me, by a young seaman; and, as it is somewhat startling, I may assure the reader that I have reason to believe every word to be true.

We had lately entered a young sailor, called Lucas, from a merchantman: he evidently was educated far beyond his station in life, and I heard some of the men remark that he had boasted of being the son of a gentleman. Watching for a good opportunity, I persuaded him to tell me who he was, and how he came to be in such a situation.

"My father," he said, "was a respectable tenantfarmer living near one of the sea-ports in the north of Ireland. His family consisted of several daughters, and myself, his only son. He spent a good deal of money upon my education, and tried hard to stifle in me a strong and early inclination for the sea-a taste