Even the swarthy natives seemed to languish in the flaming heat and displayed less vigor in bringing out the pepper in their boats than they did when the sun beat down upon them with its usual rigor.
Captain Endicott understood the treacherous nature of the Malays, and he and his crew kept sharp watch of those who were given the management of the vessel's boats, owing to the difficult character of the coast which made such a course necessary.
The trade in pepper was almost the only one in which Qualla Battoo engaged.

Captain Endicott, his second mate and four seamen were on shore at the trading station, a little way up the river, superintending the weighing of the pepper.

The first mate and the rest of the crew waited on the vessel to receive and stow away the cargo.

The work had hardly begun when a suspicious proceeding caught the eye of Captain Endicott.
The first boat, after receiving its load, passed the short distance necessary down the river to the sea, where, instead of rowing directly out to the ship, it turned up the coast and took on board more men.

The Captain concluded the crew needed this additional help to work their way through the heavy surf.