The unpleasant
news was given him by Reshid, who, after the unsuccessful issue of his
matrimonial projects, had made a long voyage amongst the islands for
trading purposes; had bought the powder for his friend, and was
overhauled and deprived of it on his return when actually congratulating
himself on his acuteness in avoiding detection. Reshid's wrath was
principally directed against Almayer, whom he suspected of having
notified the Dutch authorities of the desultory warfare carried on by the
Arabs and the Rajah with the up-river Dyak tribes.
To Reshid's great surprise the Rajah received his complaints very coldly,
and showed no signs of vengeful disposition towards the white man. In
truth, Lakamba knew very well that Almayer was perfectly innocent of any
meddling in state affairs; and besides, his attitude towards that much
persecuted individual was wholly changed in consequence of a
reconciliation effected between him and his old enemy by Almayer's newly-
found friend, Dain Maroola.
Almayer had now a friend. Shortly after Reshid's departure on his
commercial journey, Nina, drifting slowly with the tide in the canoe on
her return home after one of her solitary excursions, heard in one of the
small creeks a splashing, as if of heavy ropes dropping in the water, and
the prolonged song of Malay seamen when some heavy pulling is to be done.
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