y subterfuge, halted, so as not to be in time. The enemy
might have had fifty men at the attack; the defending party consisted
of about the same number; but the Dyaks had very few muskets. I had a
dozen Englishmen, Seboo, one of our boatmen, and Si Tundo. Sekundis
was a great point gained, as it hindered the enemy from ascending
the river and seeking any supplies.

"Macota, Subtu, and the whole tribe arrived as soon as their safety
from danger allowed, and none were louder in their own praise;
but nevertheless their countenances evinced some sense of shame,
which they endeavored to disguise by the use of their tongues. The
Chinese came really to afford assistance, but too late. We remained
until the stockade of Sekundis was finished, while the enemy kept up
a wasteful fire from the opposite side of the river, which did no harm.

"The next great object was to follow up the advantage by crossing the
stream; but day after day some fresh excuse brought on fresh delay,
and Macota built a new fort and made a new road within a hundred yards
of our old position. I cannot detail further our proceedings for many
days, which consisted on my part of efforts to get something done,
and on the others a close adherence to the old system of promising
everything and doing nothing. The Chinese, like the Malays, refused
to act; but on their part, it was not fear, but disinclination. By
degrees, however, the preparations for the new fort were complete, and
I had gradually gained over a party of the natives to my views; and,
indeed, among the Malays, the bravest of them had joined themselves
to us, and what was better, we had Datu Pangeran, thirteen Illanuns,
and the Capitan China allowed me to take his men whenever I wanted
them. My weight and consequence were increased, and I rarely moved
now without a long train of followers. The next step (while crossing
the river was uncertain) was to take my guns up to Gapoor's fort,
which was about 600 or 700 yards from the town, and half the distance
from a rebel fort on the river's bank.

"Panglima Rajah, the day after our guns were in battery, took it into
his head to build a fort on the river's side close to the town, in
front and between two of the enemy's forts. It was a bold undertaking
for the old man, after six weeks of uninterrupted repose. At night,
the wood being prepared, the party moved down, and worked so silently
that they were not discovered till their defence was nearly finished,