e had had quite sufficient time allowed her,
the boats were therefore manned and armed, and we started in search of
the town Gonong Tabor. As bad luck would have it, we chose the left
branch of the river, and, after two days' unsuccessful search, came back
just as we went, but not quite so fresh as when we started. The prahu
had not yet returned, so, taking a new departure, we proceeded up the
right branch. This proved a fine broad river; one portion of it, studded
with small islands, was very picturesque. We soon hove in sight of what
appeared to be a town, although there were no signs of life visible. It
was built on the left side of the river on two small hills, but we heard
no gongs or tomtoms sounding, the usual alarm of all the Malay
settlements on the approach of strangers. When we arrived off it, we
found that the town was deserted. It had evidently but a short time back
been a populous and flourishing place, but it had been destroyed by the
enemy, as, although the houses were standing, the cocoa-nut and other
trees had been all cut down. On the brow of the hill were many graves;
one, which was stockaded and thatched, and the remnants of several flags
fluttering in the wind, denoted the resting-place of a rajah. He little
thought when he was alive that his head would be transported to a head
house some 20,000 miles distant, but such was his fate: science required
it, and he was packed up to add to the craniological specimens in the
College of Surgeons, the gentlemen presiding over which are as fond of
heads as the Dyaks themselves.

We moved up the river till nightfall, and then anchored. We were
satisfied from appearances that we were not far from a town, and,
loading our arms, we kept a very strict look-out.

At daylight the next morning we weighed anchor, and, having passed two
reaches of the river, we came in sight of the towns of Gonong Tabor and
Gonong Satang. We pulled towards them, with a flag of truce, and were
immediately boarded by a canoe, which contained the prime minister, who
made every profession of good-will on the part of his master, the sultan
of Gonong Tabor. We observed with surprise that he hoisted a Dutch flag,
which he requested that we would salute. The captain replied, that they
must first salute the English flag, and, if they did so, he promised to
return the salute. This was complied with; the English flag was saluted
with twenty-one guns, and an equal number returned. The boats were