“That one’s gone too,” said Ned, with a disappointed air.
“Plenty more chances, my boy; but if you do try your skill with a gun, wait till we see one of the reptiles on the bank.”
“But there is no bank.”
“Wait a bit, and you’ll see sand-banks and mud-banks in plenty. But the appearance of those creatures answers one of your questions. There must be plenty of fish in the river, for that forms their principal food.”
Just then their attention was taken up by one of the Malay boatmen drawing in his oar, and then taking out a small bag from which he extracted a piece of broken betel-nut and a half-dried leaf. Then from the same bag he took a small brass box carefully hammered to form a pattern, and upon opening this a thick white paste became visible.
“What’s that?” whispered Ned.
“Lime made from coral and mixed into a paste with water.”
“But what is he going to do?”
“Watch him.”
Ned was already watching, and saw the man take a little of the wet lime paste from the box with his finger, and smear it over the leaf. Then the box was put away, and the scrap of nut carefully rolled up in the leaf and placed in the man’s mouth, when he went on contentedly chewing as he resumed his oar and pulled steadily on.