they appeared better off than
the people of Sarawak, or others I have visited hereabouts. We ascended
the river by night, anchored a short distance from the Songi, in a
tide-way like a sluice, and entered the smaller river shortly after
daylight. Having sent the Pangerans ahead to advise Seriff Sahib of our
arrival, we pulled slowly up to the campong of the Data Jembrong, where
we brought up to breakfast. Data Jembrong is a native of Mindanao,
an Illanun and a pirate; he is slightly advanced in years, but stout
and resolute-looking, and of a most polite demeanor--as oily-tongued
a cut-throat as a gentleman would wish to associate with. He spoke
of his former life without hesitation, and confessed himself rather
apprehensive of going to Singapore. He was remarkably civil, and sent
us a breakfast of some fruit, salt fish, stale turtles' eggs, and
coffee sweetened with syrup; but spite of all this, his blood-thirsty
education and habits prejudiced me against him. Breakfast finished,
we went forward to visit Seriff Sahib, who received us in an open
hall; promised to get us as many animals as he could now; regretted
our short stay, and assured me he would collect more by the time I
returned. Among these is to be a mias pappan, living or dead. I at
the same time offered ten dollars for the skeleton belonging to the
hand already in my possession, and a less sum for the parts. Being the
first Europeans Seriff Sahib had ever met, he was rather puzzled to
know what we were like; but we had every reason to be satisfied with
his kindness and the civility of his people: the inhabitants, though
crowding to see us, are by no means intrusive, and their curiosity
is too natural to be harshly repressed. I need hardly remark here
how very erroneously the position of the Sadung river is laid down in
the charts, it being placed in the bay, to the westward of Santobong,
and nearly in the position of the Samatan river.

"_25th._--The last night was passed off Datu Jembrong's house, and I
left him with a firm impression that he is still a pirate, or at any
rate connected with them. He resides generally at Tawarron, to the
northward of Borneo Proper, where his wives and children now are,
and he has come here to superintend the building of a prahu. The
people about him speak of his pursuits without disguise, and many
informed us the prahu near his house is intended for a piratical
vessel. Nothing could exceed the polite kindness of our rascally