f men, though wretchedly armed, having
no guns and scarcely any muskets; but swords, spears, and shields,
together with forty long thin iron tubes with the bore of a musket
and carrying a slug. These primitive weapons were each managed by
two men, one being the carrier of the ordnance, the other the gunnery
for while one holds the tube over his shoulder, the other takes aim,
turns away his head, applies his match, and is pleased with the
sound. Their mode of loading is as curious as the piece and its mode
of discharge. Powder is poured in, the end knocked on the ground,
and the slug with another knock sent on the powder, without either
ramming or cartridge. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine any weapon
more rude, awkward, or inefficient.

"Of Malays we had 250, of whom 150 were on the Sarambo mountain,
occupied in defending the Dyak houses. Of the hundred remaining with
the grand army, about half were armed with muskets. A few brass guns
composed our artillery; and in the boats were a good many swivels. The
Dyaks amounted to about 200, of various tribes, viz., Sibnowans,
Paninjows, Bombak, Sarambo, Kampit, Tabah, Sanpro, Suntah; but these
were merely pioneers, and would not face the report of fire-arms. The
Borneons, in fighting, wear a quilted jacket or spencer, which reaches
over the hips, and from its size has a most unservicelike appearance:
the bare legs and arms sticking out from under this puffed-out coat,
like the sticks which support the garments of a scarecrow. Such was
our incongruous and most inefficient array; yet with 300 men who
would fight, nothing would have been easier than to take the detached
defences of the enemy, none of which could contain above thirty or
forty men. But our allies seemed to have little idea of fighting except
behind a wall; and my proposal to attack the adversary was immediately
treated as an extreme of rashness amounting to insanity. At a council
of war it was consequently decided that advances should be made from
the hill behind our fort to Balidah by a chain of posts, the distance
being a short mile, in which space they would probably erect four or
five forts; and then would come a bombardment, noisy but harmless.

"During the day we were not left quiet. The beating of gongs, shouts,
and an occasional shot, gave life to the scene. With my glass I
could espy our forces at the top of the hill, pleased no doubt to
see us coming to their support. At night loud shouts and firing fr