Page 279 - Malay sketches

A PERSONAL INCIDENT

and as we believed them to be, nothing could save
for with two rifles and a shot
us, gun we could
hardly hope to force the barrier unless aided by a
miracle.
The river was and
high, the current strong, just
at dusk we reached Bota. Fastened by an island
opposite the village we saw Mr. Birch's own boat,
"
the Dragon," and with that all doubt as to his
fate was at an end. Raja Mahmud suggested that
we might stop and attack the people in charge. The
idea was attractive and no doubt it would have been
a surprise to them, but we decided that it was un-
wise to waste the time and rouse the whole village.
As we passed the boat we could see no one in or
about it.
The night was moonless but starlit, fine and clear
enough for our purpose, dark enough to conceal us
when we were in the middle of the stream. But
the Perak is a river where the navigable channel
wanders from side to side in a way that often
baffles the most skilful pilot. The height of the
water lessened our difficulties, but for all that we
were driven at times very close to the banks.
Between 9 and 10 P.M. a thick white mist came
down and the river in
enveloped impenetrable fog.
This was while it lasted, it was
very confusing, for,
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