and a
proportionable number of swivels, and have not unfrequently a double
bulwark covered with buffalo hides; their crews consist of from forty to
eighty men. Both, of course, are provided with spears, krisses, and as
many fire arms as they can procure. Their modes of attack are cautious
and cowardly, for plunder and not fame is their object. They lie
concealed under the land, until they find a fit object and opportunity.
The time chosen is when a vessel runs aground, or is becalmed, in the
interval between the land and sea breezes. A vessel underway is seldom
or never attacked. Several of the marauders attack together, and station
themselves under the bows and quarters of a ship when she has no longer
steerage way, and is incapable of pointing her guns. The action
continues often for several hours, doing very little mischief; but when
the crew are exhausted with the defence, or have expended their
ammunition, the pirates take this opportunity of boarding in a mass.
This may suggest the best means of defence. A ship, when attacked during
a calm, ought, perhaps, rather to stand on the defensive, and wait if
possible the setting in of the sea breeze, than attempt any active
operations, which would only fatigue the crew, and disable them from
making the necessary defence when boarding is attempted. Boarding
netting, pikes and pistols, appear to afford effectual security; and,
indeed, we conceive that a vessel thus defended by resolute crews of
Europeans or Americans stand but little danger from any open attack of
pirates whatsoever; for their guns are so ill served, that neither the
hull or the rigging of a vessel can receive much damage from them,
however much protracted the contest. The pirates are upon the whole
extremely impartial in the selection of their prey, making little choice
between natives and strangers, giving always, however, a natural
preference to the most timid, and the most easily overcome.

When an expedition is undertaken by the Malay pirates, they range
themselves under the banner of some piratical chief noted for his
courage and conduct. The native prince of the place where it is
prepared, supplies the adventurers with arms, ammunition and opium, and
claims as his share of the plunder, the female captives, the cannon, and
one third of all the rest of the booty.

In Nov. 1827, a principal chief of pirates, named Sindana, made a
descent upon Mamoodgoo with forty-five proas, burnt three-fourths of the