then
anchored off the town.

Immediately after we had returned the salute, we heard an attempt at
music, and this was soon explained by the appearance of a procession
filing through the gates of the town towards the boats. It was headed by
a Malay, bearing the standard of Gonong Tabor,--red, with a white
border; he was followed by another carrying a large canopy of silk,
highly ornamented, and fringed with lace. After this personage came the
prime minister; then two musicians, one playing the drum, and the other
a flageolet of rude construction. These musicians were dressed in red
bordered with yellow, with cowls over their heads. The rear was composed
of a body-guard of Malays, well armed. The whole advanced towards the
landing-place, having been sent by the sultan to escort the captain to
the palace. The captain and officers landed, and, escorted by the
natives, proceeded to the palace, the red silk canopy being carried
over the head of the captain as a mark of honour. The sultan, a
corpulent but fine-looking man, received us very courteously. He
informed the captain that all the white people belonging to the Premier
had been ransomed by the Dutch, whose trading vessels were in the habit
of visiting Gonong Tabor. The captain of the Premier had refused to
acknowledge the Lascars as British subjects, and, in consequence, the
poor fellows had been retained as slaves. They were not, however, at
Gonong Tabor, but at Baloongan, a town of some importance up a
neighbouring river. He added, that four of the Lascars had fallen
victims to the climate, and that there were twelve still remaining at
the above-mentioned town. It appeared that, from some misunderstanding
between the sultans of Gonong Tabor and Gonong Satang relative to the
disposal of the English prisoners, they had come to blows, and were at
this time at open warfare, the two towns being within gunshot of each
other. Gonong Satang was built on a hill on the opposite side of the
river, and was strongly stockaded as well as Gonong Tabor.

[Illustration: PROCESSION OF THE SULTAN OF GONONG TABOR.]

The sultan expressed his desire to enter into an amicable treaty with
the English, and offered our captain his assistance in procuring the
release of the Lascars at Baloongan. This offer was accepted, and, when
we left, a prahu accompanied us to that town.

In the course of the evening the sultan's prime minister and suite
visited the barge, which was moored within a few