In about a week I got over it, by a liberal use of quinine, when scarcely was I on my legs than Ali again became worse than ever.

Ali's fever attacked him daily, but early in the morning he was pretty well, and then managed to cook enough for me for the day.

In a week I cured him, and also succeeded in getting another boy who could cook and shoot, and had no objection to go into the interior.

His name was Baderoon, and as he was unmarried and had been used to a roving life, having been several voyages to North Australia to catch trepang or "beche de mer", I was in hopes of being able to keep him.

I also got hold of a little impudent rascal of twelve or fourteen, who could speak some Malay, to carry my gun or insect-net and make himself generally useful.