"The national drink of Borneo is tuak, about the vilest tipple that ever was invented. I went to a Dyak feast when I first came to the island, which proved to be nothing but a series of drunken orgies. The principal actors at the feast were a number of pretty girls, such as you saw this afternoon. Their office was to induce the men present to drink this vile liquid till they dropped on the floor of the open platform; and they even poured it down the throats of their victims when no longer able to drink for themselves."
"What sort of rum is it?" inquired Scott.
"It looks like the milk of the cocoanut, and I suppose that it is made from that; but I did not taste it," replied the agent. "It is about my bedtime, and I think I will go to my sampan and retire."
But Captain Scott invited him to sleep on board of the Blanchita; and he accepted after a little pressing, evidently believing that the soft cushions of the yacht made a better bed than the mats of the sampan. Felipe was instructed to have steam on at daylight, and the anchor watch was to call him in season to do so. Fully protected by their nettings from the mosquitoes, which had troubled them to some extent in the evening, all hands slept like tired boys.
When the steam from the gauge-cocks hissed as the engineer examined into the condition of the water in the boiler, the sound waked the captain, and he jumped from his bed. This movement roused all the others; and they went out into the waist, following the example of Scott, who wore nothing but his nightdress.
"I am going to have a swim this fine morning," said he.
"Look out for crocodiles," Morris interposed. "You know they are man-eaters in these rivers."
"I haven't seen any of them around here," replied the captain. "But call all hands, Lane; and tell the men to bring out their rifles."
"I think you are very imprudent to go into the water here," interposed Mr. Eng. "The reptiles are on the watch; and if you must go in, I warn you to keep near the boat."
But the boys all dived from the gunwale into the river, and swam out a few rods. The men placed themselves on the rail, and kept a sharp look out for saurians, though it was still too dark to enable them to see very distinctly. Scott had reasoned that he could not take his bath after it was fully light, for a crowd of Dyak men and women would be on the bank at that time.