he sepoy, whose body
had been divided between the two kampongs. Upon differences being settled
with the chiefs they acknowledged with perfect sangfroid that such had
been the case, saying at the same time, "you know it is our custom; why
should we conceal it?")

CHAPTER 23.

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE ISLANDS LYING OFF THE WESTERN COAST OF SUMATRA.

ISLANDS ADJACENT TO SUMATRA.

The chain of islands which extends itself in a line nearly parallel to
the western coast, at the distance from it of little more than a degree,
being immediately connected with the principal subject of this work, and
being themselves inhabited by a race or races of people apparently from
the same original stock as those of the interior of Sumatra, whose
genuineness of character has been preserved to a remarkable degree
(whilst the islands on the eastern side are uniformly peopled with
Malays), I have thought it expedient to add such authentic information
respecting them as I have been enabled to obtain; and this I feel to be
the more necessary from observing in the maps to which I have had
recourse so much error and confusion in applying the names that the
identity and even the existence of some of them have been considered as
doubtful.

ENGANO.

Of these islands the most southern is Engano, which is still but very
imperfectly known, all attempts to open a friendly communication with the
natives having hitherto proved fruitless; and in truth they have had but
too much reason to consider strangers attempting to land on their coast
as piratical enemies. In the voyage of J.J. Saar, published in 1662, we
have an account of an expedition fitted out from Batavia in 1645 for the
purpose of examining this island, which terminated in entrapping and
carrying off with them sixty or seventy of the inhabitants, male and
female. The former died soon after their arrival, refusing to eat any
other food than coconuts, but the women, who were distributed amongst the
principal families of Batavia, proved extremely tractable and docile, and
acquired the language of the place. It is not stated, nor does it appear
from any subsequent publication, that the opportunity was taken of
forming a collection of their words.

From that period Engano had only been incidentally noticed, until in
March 1771 Mr. Richard Wyatt, then governor, and the council of Fort
Marlborough, sent Mr. Charles Miller in a vessel belonging to the Company
to explore the productions of this is