Stanley had passed most of his time in conversation with Khyen, Tom's servant.

The facility his tongue had acquired in the Indian languages was of great benefit to him, and he speedily picked up a good many Burmese sentences.
For the next six months he continued, with his uncle, the work the latter had carried on; and enjoyed it much.

They sailed up the sluggish rivers, with their low, flat shores, in the dhow; towing the rowboat and the store boat behind them.

The crews of these boats lived on board the dhow until their services were required, helping in its navigation and aiding the crew when the wind dropped and sweeps were got out.
The villages along the banks were for the most part small, but were very numerous.

At each of these the dhow brought up.