immediately decided to proceed from a
steamer. Shortly afterwards two masts appeared above the trees, and at
one of them the Vixen's number was flying: she soon hove in sight. We
weighed, and with the Harlequin, were towed down the river at a rapid
pace. When we arrived at the entrance we anchored, finding there the
Wanderer, and being joined soon afterwards by the Ariel, Royalist, and
Diana, we formed a squadron of six vessels.

On the 23d August, the Samarang, Harlequin, Ariel, and Royalist, weighed
anchor and steered along the coast for Borneo Proper, where we arrived
on Tuesday the 29th. On the Thursday following, Mr. Brooke, accompanied
by the captains of the three men-of-war and some officers, started in
one of the barges for the city of Bruni, which was about eighteen miles
from our anchorage. They had an audience with the sultan, but upon what
cause I do not exactly know. They were treated with great civility, and
returned to the ship about one o'clock on the following morning. My
description of Bruni I shall reserve for a future visit. On the 5th of
September we made sail for Hong Kong, with the Vixen in company, leaving
the Ariel and Royalist to carry Mr. Brooke and the rajah's brother down
to Sarawak. The Harlequin sailed for Sincapore. The Vixen having parted
company to obtain fuel at Manilla, we continued our course to Hong Kong,
where we arrived on the 14th inst., and found there Admirals Parker and
Cochrane, in their respective ships the Cornwallis and Agincourt, with
others of the squadron. We sailed again on the 2d of November, and after
working up the coast of China for a week, we steered to the eastward,
and on the 12th sighted the Bashee group. Here our surveying duties
commenced in earnest, as we left the ship at four A. M. and did not
return till darkness put an end to our labours. The governor of this
group of islands sent a letter to our captain requesting the pleasure of
seeing the ship in San Domingo Bay, where wood, water, and live stock
could be obtained on reasonable terms. This letter was accompanied with
a present of fruit and vegetables. A few days afterwards, we worked up
to San Domingo Bay (Batan Island), and we were much surprised on our
arrival to perceive that the town had a cathedral, of apparently ancient
architecture, besides several houses built on the European style. The
remainder of the town, which is of some extent, was composed of houses
built of bamboo, and thatched with pal