At eight bells, or four o'clock, the morning watch came on duty, with Achang as its officer. Captain Scott did not turn out when the second mate was called, with Felix to take his place at the engine, and it was six o'clock when he made his appearance. Except when there is only one mate, as in small vessels, the captain keeps no watch; but he is liable to be called at any hour of the night in case of a squall or other peril. His responsibility may induce him to spend the entire night on deck.
When he came out of the cabin, his first care was to observe the signs which indicate the coming weather. Then he went to the wheel, and read the entries made on the log-slate. The sea was about the same as it had been when he left the deck. He had looked at the barometer before he left the cabin. There were no signs of bad weather in any direction.
"What do you think of the weather, Mr. Achang?" he asked of the officer of the deck.
"It will be fine, Captain," replied the second mate. "I have come all the way from Banjermassin to Calcutta with the weather just like this always; but I think we have more wind when the sun come up."
"We can stand more than we have now," added Scott.
"Some of the young gentlemen fear to go to sea in open boat like this yacht; but the dhows and the proas have not much decks," said the Bornean.
"Then you think we shall have weather like this all the way to Point Cambodia?"
"May blow a little more hard some time."
The sun was coming up in the east, and in the course of half an hour Achang's prophecy of more wind was realized. It freshened rapidly for a short time; but it did not come in flaws or squalls, and was a steady breeze. A table had been set up in the fore cabin; and at half-past seven, or seven bells, which is the usual hour for breakfast at sea, the meal was served to the watch below.
"Land on the port bow, sir!" reported Clingman, who was the lookout man, just before eight bells.