CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCRAET COLLECTIOlSr. 251 



about two hundred 'prahus, which are usually manned with from 

 forty to fifty pirates ; the number therefore engaged in this business 

 may be estimated at ten thousand. They are armed with muskets, 

 blunderbusses, krises, hatchets, and spears, and at times the vessels 

 have one or two large guns mounted. They infest the Straits of 

 Macassar, the Sea of Celebes, and the Sooloo Sea * * *^ 



" Besides the pirates of Sooloo, the commerce of the Eastern Is- 

 lands is vexed with other piratical establishments. In the neigh- 

 boring seas there are Malay pirates * * *. Their prahus are of 

 much smaller size than those of Sooloo, being from ten to twelve 

 tons burden, but in proportion they are much better manned, and 

 thus are enabled to ply with more efficiency their oars or paddles. 

 These frahus frequent the shores of the Straits of Malacca, Cape 

 Romania, the Carimon Isles, and the neighboring straits, and at 

 times they visit the Straits of Khio. Some of the most noted * * * 

 were fitted out from Johore; * * * they generally have their 

 haunts on the small islands of the coast, from which they make short 

 cruises. * * * 



" These small prahus have usually swivels mounted, which, al- 

 though not of great caliber, are capable of throwing a shot beyond 

 the range of small arms. It is said they seldom attempt an attack 

 unless the sea is calm, which enables them to approach their victims 

 with more assurance of success, on account of the facility with which 

 they are enabled to manage their boats. The frequent calms which 

 occur in those seas between the land and sea breezes afford them 

 many opportunities of putting their villainous plans into operation. 

 They are generally found in small flotillas of from six to twenty 

 prahus^ and when they have succeeded in disabling a vessel at long 

 shot the sound of the gong is the signal for boarding, which if suc- 

 cessful results in a massacre more or less bloody, according to the 

 obstinacy of the resistance they have met with," 

 Collected by W. Henry. Cat. No. 3,892 U.S.N.M. 



Model of Malay pirate vessel. 



A type of vessel of the East Indian Archipelago, commonly called 

 " flying proa," used by Malay pirates to attack merchant vessels 

 when becalmed. 



The model represents a wooden, carvel-built, keel vessel, with 

 sharp, hollow bow; raking, curved stem; long, curiously shaped 

 head; sharp floor; quick turn to bilge; easy run; raking, straight 

 sternpost; narrow, square-heeled rudder; high, square stern (the 

 hull, of the boat is sharp aft, but above this is a flat superstructure 

 extending abaft the hull and laterally on each side) ; strong sheer; 

 high poop aft, under which is the cabin, magazine, etc. ; adjustable 



