rmour made of buffalo
leather scaled with oyster shells. Both parties adhered to the
agreement, and all therefore passed off quietly; the observations were
completed, and we returned to the ship.

Tampassook, it is asserted, would be a grand place for booty if it was
stormed, as the inhabitants possess a great deal of money and diamonds.
They are, however, a very brave people, and would not part with their
riches without a terrible resistance.

While off this river we had notice given us that there was a fleet of
100 piratical prahus lying off the island of Balabac. We shaped our
course thither, hoping to surprise them, but we were disappointed: the
birds had flown, and the bay of Balabac was untenanted. We cruised for a
week among the islands in search of them, but could not discover their
retreat; so we shaped our course for Manilla, taking the passage to the
eastward of Palawan, which was considered the best at this season of the
year.

While off the north-east coast of Palawan, our boats left to survey
discovered an Illanoan prahu at anchor off one of the small islands that
surround the coast. The boats gave chase, and the pirates used every
exertion to get away. The gig soon headed the other boats, but gained
very slowly on the pirate, and her muskets caused no apparent execution,
but one of the cutters with the grape from her gun killed several of
their fighting men, who stood on the roof brandishing their krisses, and
fearlessly exposing themselves to the fire. On turning a point the prahu
kept before the wind, and walked away from us so fast that we gave up
the chase.

In about a fortnight afterwards, the Corregidor, a small island at the
mouth of Manilla Bay, hove in sight. On our arriving abreast of it, a
gun-boat came out to board us, and inquire after our bill of health; but
as we had a spanking breeze, and men-of-war do not heave-to to be
boarded, the gun-boat returned to the island as wise as she came out.
Manilla Bay is of immense size, being thirty miles deep, and twenty
wide. Near the mouth of the Bay the land is high, but at the head, where
the city of Manilla is built, it is remarkably low and flat. As we had
the wind in our teeth, and Manilla was twenty-five miles distant, we did
not arrive there till sunset. After shaving the sterns of several
merchant ships, who would have been better pleased if we had given them
a wider berth, we at last dropped anchor about two miles from the town.

Manilla