Memories Chapter 9 Row,row Your Boat.

As a child we have learned that nursery rythm"Row,row your boat,gently down the stream,Merrily,merrily,gently down the stream".Ah,that was it.

Francis and Fabian were always by the side of the river most mornings.One fine morning they saw the usual Malay fisherman chaining his boat or "sampan" to a nearby mangrove tree and then left.

"Sampan" as they so called because it was supposed to be made of three pieces of planks as in Chinese.The small boat could have other name but no one bother to use it but only "sampan".

Francis suggested that they go up into that small boat for a feel of it.So Fabian climbed into the back of that small boat.Francis followed but his entry made the small boat wobbled.He took fright but slowly steady himself.

But alas that small boat cannot cater for two persons.An unwanted move in that boat and the boat will over turned.The boat actually meant for catching prawns and can take one person only.With both sitting in that boat the water level almost reached the brink of the lowest point of its sides.

Seeing the boat steady Fabian took the oar and began to row.They could not have gone far because the boat was chained to a tree.The rowing caused the small boat to move around that same spot only.

Francis sensing that the boat was not moving away stood up.As he stood up the small boat tilted to one side.And Francis shouted in fear,"Boat capsizing,abandon boat!". Fabian had no time to reply and followed the boat as it overturned.Both brothers were in deep water but being good swimmers they recovered their composure and quickly swam to the river bank for safety.

Because were swimmers no harm came to them and they swam back to the river bank for safety.The boat had overturned and they could reversed it back,so they waited for the tide to recede.

When it was low tide they overturned the boat back to its normal position on the muddy river bank.When high tide again came the boat was a float as usual so no damage was done.Nothing a miss.The too gave the boat a good cleaning.

Later in the day the Malay fisherman came and was pleased to see his boat in placed.
The boys greed him and inquire as to when he will begin his job in catching prawns.The Malay fisherman told the next morning.

Out of curiosity both brothers went to find out how the fisherman catch his prawns.It was very early the morning about 4.oo a.m.both boys waited for tghe Malay man to begin.

First the Malay Fisherman put a very bright light in front of the boat,following he sat be sat at the back of the boat and started to row slowly.As he rowed slowly in the river,amazingly some prawns began jumping towards the bright light and landed into the boat.

Once inside the boat these prawns cannot jumped any more and thus cannot escaped.The boat man continued rowing until the break of dawn and sufficient prawns were caught this way.Fabian and Francis could only followed part of the way on the river bank.That was sufficient for them to understand how to catch fresh water prawns the "kampong" way.

Memories Chapter 8 Fishing and catching prawns

Those days Fabian and Francis ,they never had the money to purchase regular fishing equipments,but who needs fishing rods etc. for river fishing?

All they had was a long piece of fishing guts and a hook,for weight to pull down the hook with bait a small piece of stone will suffice.Yeah that was it.As for baits they can used earth worms which were easily available by digging the soil or easier still by pulling up some grasses to catch the worms.

Another simple baits will be to catch some small prawns with a coconut shell.However the shell must be recently grind of its fresh.Tiny prawns feeds on the left over of fresh in the coconut shell.It would not take a few minutes to catch two or three of them.

What ever it was Fabian always used earth worms to fish.The worms were attached to the fishing hook.Following the the hook were thrown into the river,not very far but as far as the fishing gut will allowed.Then come the waiting game.One had to be patient to wait for a bite.

Normally fishing was done during high tide when there were more fishes coming in following the flow of the tide.Fabian never like fishing because he had no patient to wait for a bite,therefore not catching any thing.

But there were a time he really caught a fish.He and brother BBque it over a fire and ate it.That a lucky day indeed.

One fine evening at the river they saw two Malay fishermen laying a barricade by he riverside.It was low tide and the laying was easily done.The barricade of bamboo striplings were laid about few feet from the river banks.

These were set to trap fresh water prawns coming in during high tide when the river water will over flowed into the barricades,thus trapping the prawns inside when the tide recede.

Fresh water prawns fetched a good price then,These prawns had big heads and smaller body and armed with long big blueish craws.They were actually as big as the hand can hold.At high tide they swim round the river banks in search of food.Apparently they followed the tide.

Very early the following morning Fabian and brother went to that river bank.Finding no one around ,both went into the river.The tide had receded to almost kneel level.so they immediately went to scope the river side with their hands.

In the beginning they caught two prawns.Encouraged by this Fabian tried to catch more.At one scope he sensed something in the river and immediately caught hold of it."Yes,I got one big fish",he yelled out.

No sooner had he finished yelling he pulled up something wriggling vigorously.Francis saw that it was not a fish but a water snake.In horror he called out,"Snake,snake".At this moment Fabian also noticed that it was a snake struggling and within that split seconds he fling the snake away,out further into the river.

That was really a scared for him,for holding it any longer he might have bitten by the water snake.It was indeed a lucky escaped.Thereafter both brothers climbed up to the river bank to safety.

With two prawns in hand they boiled them over a small can of water.Well nothing was lost after all.They each had a prawn for breakfast and the soup to quench their thirst.It can be considered a good day's work.

Both brothers actually had another lucky escape from another reptile - the Crocodile while catching prawns.These two brothers



To continue

Chapter 7 Moonshiners

One full moon day Fabian and brother Francis could not sleep properly that night,so they both sneaked out of the house for a breather.

The open compound were few huge logs left there by the neighboring sawmill for temporary storage.They sat and at times lying on top of those logs.Just then there was a strong breeze blowing.

It was real cool indeed,while relaxing on those logs Francis suddenly noticed some lighting in the bushes a short distance from behind their house.He was scared stiff and quickly pulled his brother Fabian's hand directing him the direction of the lights.

"I think Ghosts",he murmured in a shivering voice.

Looking at that direction Fabian also took fright as it was already passed midnight,so he too looked terrified.On further observations they noticed that there were someone moving about there and they were talking in Malay.

They waited a while before plucking up courage to sneak near to have a closer examination of what was happening over there.So slowly they crept towards that spot watching their steps as they moved forward,,fearing they might step on a snake or something else.

What ever it was they still kept a safe distance from that spot.However they could not make out what those men were doing.Fabian then suggested they went away from that place for fear of being discovered.Thereafter they returned home to sleep.

Next morning both of them did not allow what they saw to rest.So after breakfast they noticing no one at the spot which was under an old mango tree,proceeded to investigate what was it they saw the night before.

There was a rough shed constructed with only a few pieces of old and rusty corrugated zinc sheets.The shed was not high only slightly higher than a man.There were few big drums lying around,two of them were filled with dirty yellowish water.

There was also a paper box containing some whit powder and some dry chillies littered around the ground.There was also smell of liquor.Liquor?Oh, no, illicit liquor.Those guys were moonshiners producing illicit liquor or "samsu" as locals called them.

Now it was illegal to moonshine and can be arrested and prosecuted in court.Fearing for the worst,Fabian quickly hurried his younger sibling away from that wretched place.

Fabian and Francis aware of the danger involved kept their mouth shut and stayed away from that place from that day on wards.

However,only a week later or so, the long arms of the law caught up with those moonshiners.Apparently the Police had prior knowledge of their activities there and waited for the correct moment to capture them red handed on the spot.

All of us saw the Police led them away in handcuffs.It was a Chinese man and two Indians.Served them right,committing a serious crime and must be prosecuted.Crime therefore does not pay.

Chapter 6 To Catch a Turtle

One fine Sunday morning Joe turned uo Fabian's residence intending to go for a swim in the river.It was low tide and the river banks were muddy.

Nevertheless they all went to the river side together with small brother Francis.All of them gather under the shed of a mangrove tree where the always dived when the tide was high.

To-day,however was low tide that morning so they sat there building castles in the air and laughing heartedly,when all of a sudden Francis noticed something moving in the mud beyond.

"Look ! Turtle he exclaimed.

"Where?"asked Joe."over there pointing to a pool of mud a few meters away.

Sensing it was a turtle all of them rushed towards it intending to capture it.Francis was the first one to reach that spot.He stood in front of the small pool of mud,and before he could bend down to catch the turtle,the turtle was faster then his bending.

It rushed off in between the legs of Francis.Seeing this Fabian dived at it.It appeared as if he had caught that creature,but no he dived straight into the mud.Apparently his dived head on into the mud,with his face almost stucked in.

His diving made the surrounding mud to splash all round,dirtying Joe and Francis.All got a fair share of the mud bath.

"Look who we got here?"," A mud man",two of them began making jokes on Fabian.

"very funny""both of you are no better" Then all sat in the mud and laughed.By then the turtle which was bigger than a big plate had escaped into the river.What a lucky escape for it,otherwise it would have turned into turtle soup.

The three of them went on to clean themselves in the river and thereafter returned home empty handed.

Chapter 5 " Ahoy-there - a Durian coming"

Beside swimming in that river much of their time were spent lying under those coconut less trees,enjoying the breeze blowing there.It was always a cool atmosphere.Many a time the whole gang were there,but most of the time only Fabian and brother,Francis.

Come Durian season,the jetty further upstream (about one odd meters away from their playground) workers will sometime unload fruits produced by the "kampongs" in the rural areas where there were little or no transport at all.

Durians,rambutan and mangoesteen were unload from boats at this jetty.Unloading Durians the workers had to pass from the boat to the jetty by hand as all the fruits were not brought in by baskets,but lumped together in one side of the boat thus saving space.Baskets were also rare in the rural areas then and costly.

THe workers were all very capable in passing the fruits from hands to hands.It was a very thorny issue and a small slip might hurt one's palm.Leave the workers alone they were all very skillful and most passing were very,very accurate.In any case there was always a minor margin of failure.

That could be fatal,not for the worker but the Durian,as a miss pass meant that they lose the fruit and it will definitely land into the water below and floated away very fast.What was one fruit the workers will not waste time swimming after it to retrieve it.

That particular Durian will flow down stream.That Durian coming down stream would not miss the watchful eyes of Francis and Fabian.On seeing that fruit,a shout of joy will ringed out through the ears."ahoy there,there comes a Durian".

Without hesitation Fabian will rushed off the banks and dived in to swim vigorously towards that fruit.Well.being an improved swimmer that was "Sup,sup.Siow" for Fabian.
"Sup.sup Siow" meant in Chinese "Very little bits or very small things nothing to bother"or maybe better "No problem".

The fruit was then opened up and shared among all present."Kampong" or village Durian had many seeds of fresh, so enough for everyone present.Poor boys those days were too poor to buy Durian and to pluck one from the river was a grand occasion,and everyone enjoyed that treat.

It is not every day that they had those fallen fruits,sometimes none will float by,but workers were workers they do make mistake,that will depend on the boys' luck.

Well those were the days.

Chapter 4 Attempt to Swim across the Perak River

It was one fine Sunday that Joe came to look for Fabian.He had planned to go swimming in the river.Well,fate had it that it was not a nice day for swimming,as it was low tide.

The river banks were muddy so were the water.Nevertheless they still decided to swim in those water.Francis also came along.It was no fun swimming in low tide and playing in the mud.

So Fabian getting bored decided to give it a try to swim across the river.On the other side were a long stretch of sand banks.On sight on the other side were boats loading sand.

Joe was not in favor.He and Francis stayed back to watch.

Fabian dived into the river and thus began his quest.As it was low tide the river was flowing down stream quite swiftly.Being a very much improved strong swimmer Fabian swam with ease as he cut through the swift water.

It was high noon and the merciless sun was blazing real hot on them,but that did not ,made the difference to Fabian,he was so determined to make that swim a success.He was a powerful swimmer and before long he reached the middle of that river.

Atlas he made a mistake by looking back.He was caught by surprised at the distance he had covered and saw the figures on the river banks of his brother and Joe apparently very small.He took fright and lost his confidence so he swam back towards shore.

Had he continued swimming straight he would have conquered that river and what a lost.A failed attempt thus.Swimming directly across he could have achieved but the thing was had he the ability,strength and energy to swim back,that was the ultimate question.Fabian doubted that too.

Would he try again? That remain to be seen.

When he was back on the banks he laid down for a while panting in the mud to catch his breath.Both his brother and Joe were laughing at him,poking jokes at him.As he was breathing heavily he did not reply but only smiled back meekly.

Chapter 3 "I Am Tarzan,The Ape Man"

"I am Tarzan,the Apeman".

"Ou ..eeeeeeeeOu Ou....",yelled Fabian while standing on a branch of a big mangrove tree with the branch he was standing which was protruding extended out towards the river.Actually he was preparing for a dived into the river some twenty feet below,stalked naked.No girls around that secluded area except his brother Francis and six other friends.

"I am Tarzan,the Apeman",he again shouted and thereafter took a dived down into the river below.By now Fabian and gang were already very excellent swimmers.

"No,no you are not"yelled his brother,"You looked more like Tarzan's monkey,Cheeta".
With his dark complexion Fabian could not give a favorable reply instantly.

Another voice followed,"You are absolutely right he is not Tarzan but I am",shouted anther guy also up on the same hanging branch.

Everyone laughed out loudly,"Ha,ha,ha,how can that be?You are one legged"called out by another.

Ah Pie as he was called because he was lamed on one leg."Who say Tarzan cannot be one legged?","Tarzan was attacked by a Lion who injured his leg badly that was why Tarzan was one legged".

But before he could finished he slipped and fell directly into the river.Causing a very big splashed,and every one jeered out at him.

"See,I told you all,"I am the actual Tarzan",shouted Francis,making his stand he climbed proudly to the end of that branch and made a spectacular dive and everyone applauded and clapped with joy.

Everyone took their turned to dive from that branch thereafter.

When hungry they plucked the "Monkey Fruits" from the mangrove trees.These fruits were as big as apple but flat on the top side.The fruits actually had very big seeds and only a very thin layer of white fresh were edible.They were never sweet but extremely sour.

While they were enjoying those fruits Joe joined them,seeing them devouring the fruits he asked for one and they passed him one.He thought it was to be very sweet so he took one big bite at eased..

And,"Wal...what is this fruit ,so sour,"yelling as he split out what he  had bitten.Instantly he threw that fruit away.

Seeing that everyone laughed at Joe.Now Joe knew he was tricked into biting it.Yes that fruit was very sour and its seeds bitter.Joe marveled at how all the boys there could consumed that fruit.Well,because there was nothing else to eat so force to eat what ever available.

Now all of them were sitting on that extended branch and shaking vigorously.laughing and making jokes,having fun.Many a times diving into the river to swim.Alas that branch could not held so  much weight installed on it by so many boys.Suddenly it ripped off with a huge cracking sound.That branch  tore away from the tree.

Down went the branch together with  all the boys into that river.All went down with a bug splash. As all were swimmers no one was injured.All quickly swam back to the river bank,laughing and enjoying every moment of it.

The Adventures of Fabian

Chapter 1 The Shifting of House

Sometime in the middle of 1955 the last of our family fortune,our family house was sold and we were forced to shift to an office cum house along Immigrant road.The place was small by any stand but it was sufficient to maintain our small family.It had only an office and one living room.

The house was built about fifty metres away from the bank of the Perak river.It was a very,very wide river especially during high tide and narrow during low tide. It was reputed to be infested with crocodiles.

All of us were warned not to venture near to that river,because we do not know how to swim.Fabian was then was thirteen years old and younger brother,Francis, eleven.

Behind the house was an vacant stretch of land planted with a few very tall coconut palms but unfortunately all those tree had no coconuts on them.No coconuts on trees, not that those trees were impotent but should there be any they be stolen,even when not fully developed.Land owner was not staying around that place.This land was full of  with thick growth of grasses and bushes.

Chapter 2 Learning to Swim.

With the river so near,thus we were tempted to swim in it.Now we do not know how to swim."What shall we do?" so thought Fabian.
Then learn to swim,lah."retorted Joe."yeah,lah."came from Francis,"we can learn".

The three of them then plotted out a plan how to sneak out to the river.Then of course they also have to wait for tide to be high tide.Only high tide can they can learn to swim in that river because when low tide its river banks were very muddy and the river very swift flowing.

Then one fine day before the sun set and the tide of the river was high,the three of them sneaked out without informing anyone went straight to the river bank behind the house.
On reaching the river bank all took off their shorts and jumped into the shallow part of the river.

All of them did not how to swim,so they splashed around in the shallow part of the river.This went on for few days,just standing all the time in knee high water level and never dared go out further.They soon got bored with it and learning no swimming.

What to do?So when the tide was low they went to locate a suitable spot to learn to swim.They spotted a spot near a small bridge and they measured and found out that at high tide that spot was only neck high for them.

Come next high tide they again sneaked out to that spot.Stripped naked they slowly went into the river.Soon they began springing from the bridge to the river bank which was about eight to ten feet in length away.

Despite the fact that there was no one to guide them they soon simply splashed their way with both arms  and legs kicking aimlessly from one end to the other.They also did a lot of practicing kicking the water at the river bank.It did not take long before they really got adapted to the water.

Many a time they swallowed some muddy water.Anyway all have a fair share of the taste of those river muddy water before they finally can really swim in that river.There was also a time when Joe was almost drown had they not caught hold of his hand to haul him in to safety just in time.

All of them had those experiences but whatever it was all of them master the art of swimming without guidance but only their sheer determination and guts.