The White Wolf and more

Scarcely had the soldiers performed their task, and thrown down their
shovels, when they commenced an altercation. It appeared that this
money was to be again the cause of slaughter and bloodshed. Philip and
Krantz determined to sail immediately in one of the peroquas, and
leave them to settle their disputes as they pleased. He asked
permission of the soldiers to take from the provisions and water, of
which there was ample supply, a larger proportion than was their
share; stating, that he and Krantz had a long voyage and would require
it, and pointing out to them that there were plenty of cocoa-nuts for
their support. The soldiers, who thought of nothing but their newly-
acquired wealth, allowed him to do as he pleased; and, having hastily
collected as many cocoa-nuts as they could, to add to their stock of
provisions, before noon, Philip and Krantz had embarked and made sail
in the peroqua, leaving the soldiers with their knives again drawn,
and so busy in their angry altercation as to be heedless of their
departure.

"There will be the same scene over again, I expect," observed Krantz,
as the vessel parted swiftly from the shore.

"I have little doubt of it; observe, even now they are at blows and
stabs."

"If I were to name that spot, it should be the 'Accursed Isle .'"

"Would not any other be the same, with so much to inflame the passions
of men?"

"Assuredly: what a curse is gold!"

"And what a blessing!" replied Krantz. "I am sorry Pedro is left with
them."

"It is their destiny," replied Philip; "so let's think no more of
them. Now what do you propose? With this vessel, small as she is, we
may sail over these seas in safety, and we have, I imagine, provisions
sufficient for more than a month."

"My idea is, to run into the track of the vessels going to the
westward, and obtain a passage to Goa."

"And if we do not meet with any, we can, at all events, proceed up the
Straits, as far as Pulo Penang without risk. There we may safely
remain until a vessel passes."

"I agree with you; it is our best, nay our only, place; unless,
indeed, we were to proceed to Cochin, where junks are always leaving
for Goa."

"But that would be out of our way, and the junks cannot well pass us
in the Straits, without their being seen by us."

They had no difficulty in steering their course; the islands by day,
and the clear stars by night, were their compass. It is true that they
did not follow the more direct track, but they followed the more
secure, working up the smooth waters, and gaining to the northward
more than to the west. Many times they were chased by the Malay proas
which infested the islands, but the swiftness of their little peroqua
was their security; indeed, the chase was, generally speaking,
abandoned as soon as the smallness of the vessel was made out by the
pirates, who expected that little or no booty was to be gained.

That Amine and Philip's mission was the constant theme of their
discourse, may easily be imagined. One morning, as they were sailing
between the isles, with less wind than usual, Philip observed:

"Krantz, you said that there were events in your own life, or
connected with it, which would corroborate the mysterious tale I
confided to you. Will you now tell me to what you referred?"

"Certainly," replied Krantz; "I've often thought of doing so, but one
circumstance or another has hitherto prevented me; this is, however, a
fitting opportunity. Prepare, therefore, to listen to a strange story,
quite as strange, perhaps, as your own:--

"I take it for granted, that you have heard people speak of the Hartz
Mountains," observed Krantz.