1/71* ROUND THE WORLD. 341 



In about two hours they arrived at a place where 

 there were four or five houses, and meeting with an 

 old man, they ventured to make some inquiries con- 

 cerning the town. He said that it was far distant; 

 but they were not to be discouraged in their enter- 

 prize, and he, seeing them proceed in their journey, 

 joined company and went on with them. He at- 

 tempted several times to lead them out of the way, 

 but without success; and at length they came within 

 sight of the houses. The old man then entered 

 cordially into their party, and conducted them into 

 the town. The name of it is Samadang ; it consists of 

 about four hundred houses, and is divided by a river 

 of brackish water into two parts, one of which is 

 called the old town, and the other the new. As soon 

 as they entered the old town, they met several In- 

 dians whom they had seen at the trading-place, and 

 one of them undertook to carry them over to the 

 new towm, at the rate of twopence a head. When 

 the bargain was made, two very small canoes were 

 produced, in which they embarked; the canoes being 

 placed along-side of each other, and held together, a 

 precaution which was absolutely necessary to prevent 

 their oversetting, the navigation was at length safely 

 performed, though not without some difficulty ; and 

 when they landed in the new town, the people re- 

 ceived them with great friendship, and showed them 

 the houses of their kings and principal people, which 

 are in this district : a few of them however were open, 

 for at this time the people had taken up their resi- 

 dence in the rice-grounds, to defend the crop against 

 the birds and monkies, by which it would otherwise 

 have been destroyed. When their curiosity was 

 satisfied, they hired a large sailing boat for two ru- 

 pees, four shillings, which brought them back to the 

 ship time enough to dine upon one of the small deer, 

 weighing only forty pounds, which had been bought 

 the day before, and proved to be very good and 

 savoury meat. 



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