islands of the Dutch Archipelago, and engaged forty experienced
Malay divers to accompany us. Jensen was very particular in
selecting the men, each being required to demonstrate his
capabilities before us. The way he tested them prior to actually
engaging them was to make each dive after a bright tin object
thrown into so many fathoms of water. Altogether he spent several
weeks choosing his crew. He had engaged a couple of Malays at
Batavia to help in the work of navigating the ship, but besides
being sailors these men were also good divers. The majority of the
other Malays were only useful as divers, and took no part in the
working of the ship. A native SERANG, or "boss," was appointed as
chief, or foreman, over the Malays, and he was permitted to take
with him his wife and her maid. This "serang" had to be a first-
class diver himself, and had also to be acquainted with the
manoeuvring of a small boat. He was also required to have a
smattering of navigation generally. Above all, he had to be able
to assert authority over the other divers; and in all these
respects our serang was thoroughly proficient.

I may here explain that shortly after leaving Batavia the captain
had the ship repainted a greyish-white colour all over. I never
troubled to look for her name, but one day I saw Jensen painting
the word Veielland on her. There was a totally different name on
the lifeboat, but I cannot remember it. What Jensen's motive was
in sailing the ship under another name I never understood;
certainly it was a very suspicious circumstance. Perhaps the ship
as originally named had a bad name, and if such were the case--mind
you, I don't say that it had--the Malays could never have been
induced to go aboard. Once out at sea, however, they would be
absolutely at the mercy of the captain, and he could treat them