"Raise him two or three feet
above the deck, and then, when the doctor holds up his hand, lower
him at once again."
This was done. The man, though half strangled, was still conscious,
and on the noose being loosened, and Soh Hay saying that, unless
he spoke, he would be again run up, he said, as soon as he got his
breath, that he would answer any question. On being taken to the
cabin, he said that the prahus had gone down the river, and had
ascended the other arm. They had only gone a few miles above the
town, for one had been so injured that there had been difficulty
in keeping her afloat, and it was necessary to run her into a creek
in order to repair her before going up farther.
Half an hour later steam was up, and before morning the Serpent
lay off the mouth of the creek which the Malay pointed out as the
one that the prahu had entered. The second officer was this time
placed in command of the boats, he himself going in the launch,
the third officer took the first cutter, the two midshipmen the
second. No time was lost in making preparations, for it was desirable
to capture the prahu before she was aware that the Serpent had
left her position in the other river. For a mile the boats rowed up
the creek, which narrowed until they were obliged to go in single
file.
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