The first edition of this book is dated 1870. The edition used is dated 1909. The publisher was Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd., London, Edinburgh, New York. The number of pages is 231.

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General information

This is certainly not a very long book, being about a half to a third of most books of this genre. It starts off with a group of people in a ship’s boat, the ship itself having foundered in a typhoon in the Celebes sea. The ship’s captain and his two children, the Irish ship’s carpenter, and the Malay pilot, are all that finally come to shore, though when the book starts there are a body that has to be thrown overboard, and a seaman who has gone mad and who throws himself there.

Thereafter we are introduced to one natural history topic per chapter, be it a plant, a tree or an animal. There are various perils that have to be overcome—the upas tree, an ourang-outang, a tree that drops its fruit like a heavy bomb, a python, and quite a few more. Luckily they don’t meet any unfriendly Dyaks during the journey they undertake to get from their landing-place to the town of Bruni, many hundreds of miles away.

On the whole they are saved by the courage, knowledge and skill of the co-hero, the Malay pilot, who is one of the best in that region with a blow-pipe. He makes himself one, and it is just as well he did, as you will see.

The book is well-written, and as it will only take you five hours or less, you could probably find the time to read it.

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Contents

Chapter I.
A Castaway Crew.

Chapter II.
The Hammer-Head.

Chapter III.
The Albatross.

Chapter IV.
The Cry of the Dugong.

Chapter V.
Running the Breakers.

Chapter VI.
A Gigantic Oyster.

Chapter VII.
A Dangerous Locality.

Chapter VIII.
Shooting at Fruit.

Chapter IX.
Gagging a Gavial.

Chapter X.
Burrowing Birds.

Chapter XI.
The Lanoons.

Chapter XII.
Krissing a Constrictor.

Chapter XIII.
Chicks quick to take Wing.

Chapter XIV.
A Grand Tree-climber.

Chapter XV.
Something Sharp.

Chapter XVI.
An Enemy in the Air.

Chapter XVII.
Sitting by the Spit.

Chapter XVIII.
Sick after Supper.

Chapter XIX.
An uneasy Night.

Chapter XX.
The Deadly Upas.

Chapter XXI.
Starting for the Interior.

Chapter XXII.
Across Country.

Chapter XXIII.
Tough Travelling.

Chapter XXIV.
A Red Satyr.

Chapter XXV.
Silence Restored.

Chapter XXVI.
In Fear and Trembling.

Chapter XXVII.
A Spectacle rarely seen.

Chapter XXVIII.
Still Trusting in God.

Chapter XXIX.
A Captive carried aloft.

Chapter XXX.
What will become of her?

Chapter XXXI.
The Pursuit Arrested.

Chapter XXXII.
Listening In Despair.

Chapter XXXIII.
Striking Out.

Chapter XXXIV.
Swimming in Shadow.

Chapter XXXV.
The Family at Home.

Chapter XXXVI.
An Improvised Palanquin.

Chapter XXXVII.
The Journey Continued.

Chapter XXXVIII.
The Friendly Flag.

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