44 Mr Alexander'*s Notice regarding the 



be employed in collecting shell-fish. Found a small sandy bay 

 (which I took the liberty of naming after the ship), with coral 

 reefs running out from both extremes, over which a tremendous 

 surf was breaking ; inside the water was quite smooth. An- 

 chored the boat a few fathoms** length from shore ; and, leaving 

 a couple of hands in her, landed with the remainder of the Las- 

 car crew, six in number, who were armed with muskets. 



We found the island (which in length is S8 miles, by 15 in 

 breadth), to be of coral formation, entirely flat, and covered 

 with lofty and thick jungle to within a few yards of the water''s 

 edge. Proceeded along-shor^ towards the N. W. point in search 

 of two rills of water mentioned by Horsburgh in his " Directory.'" 

 At an angle of the jungle came suddenly upon a party of the 

 natives lying on their bellies behind the bushes, armed with 

 spears, arrows, and long bows, which they bent at us in a 

 threatening manner. The moment the Lascars saw them they 

 fell back in great consternation, levelling their muskets ; and it 

 was with great difficulty we could prevent them from firing ; on- 

 ly the tyndal or coxswain (a Malay) stood by us. We went 

 within a few paces of the natives, and made signs of drinking. 

 The tyndal salaamed to them according to the different orien- 

 tal modes of salutation. He spoke to them in Malays and other 

 languages. They returned no answer, but continued crouching 

 in their menacing attitude ; and to whichever side we turned, 

 they pointed their weapons towards us. I held out my hand- 

 kerchief towards them, but they would not come from behind 

 the bushes to take it. I placed it upon the ground, and we re- 

 tired, in order to allow them to pick it up. Still they moved 

 not. I counted 16 strong and able bodied men opposite to us, 

 many of them very lusty ; and further on another party i\x or 

 eight in number. Those in front of us were lying in two ranks, 

 with two or three women in the rear ; the whole of them com- 

 pletely naked, with the exception of a stout man, about six feet 

 in height, who was standing up along with the women. He wore 

 on his head a red cloth, with white spots, and probably was their 

 chief. They were the most ferocious^and wild looking beings that 

 I ever saw ; their hair was frizzled, noses flat, and small red eyes ; 

 those parts of their skin which were not besmeared with mud 

 (probably to shield them from the attacks of insects) were a 



