two o'clock
Sultan Hamet dreaded him ; and it was only to strengthen his position against the warlike rajah , who was too strong for him , that Hamet had entered into his alliance with the British , and invited the presence of a resident and the troops . This was satisfactory , for the idea of the sultan proving treacherous was a suggestion of a complicated knot that it would take no end of policy to undo . Whereas , if it was all true about Rajah Gantang , his defeat and the breaking up of his power would be hailed with delight , and work greatly towards the pacification of a country terribly broken up by petty quarrels , strengthen Hamet 's position , and give inimical chiefs a lesson on the power of the British forces that they were not likely to forget . It was soon after two o'clock that the soldiers were mustered down to the boats , and silently took their places , just as through the mist , and with muffled oars , three more boats came slowly abreast of them , and after a brief colloquy moved off , with instructions that there should be no talking on board . Fortunately for the expedition , though it was misty it was not so dark but that the leaders could follow the little light sampan of the Malay fisherman , who , apparently without any difficulty , sent his frail boat onward against the stream . It was a weird procession through the mist , which gave the boats a fantastic , unreal appearance , while the shores looked , where the fog broke or floated up , strange , dark , and full of mystery . Every now and then there was a low echoing splash in the water , which told of some great reptile disturbed from its resting-place upon a muddy bank .