MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



439 



of thanksgiving for benefits re- 

 ceived j and it equally serves him 

 to honour his friend, to defy liis 

 enemy, or to proclaim victory. 

 This day we continued improving 

 o\u" fence, and clearing away a 

 glacis immediately around it, that 

 we might see and have fair play 

 with these barbarians, should they 

 approach. They had retired behind 

 a little islet, (called Pulo Cha- 

 lacca, or Misfortune's Isle,) about 

 two miles from us, and seemed 

 waiting there for reinforcements j 

 for some of their party had made 

 sail towards Billiton. 



Monday morning, ("2Uh,) tlie 

 bouts, as yesterday, went to the 

 wreck, and returned with some 

 casks of flour, only partially da- 

 maged ; a few cases of wine, and 

 about forty boarding-pikes, with 

 eighteen muskets, were also laid 

 hold of. With the loose powder 

 secured out of the great guns in 

 the first instance, Mr. Holman, 

 the gunner, had been actively 

 employed, forming musket-cart- 

 ridges ; and by melting down 

 some pewter basins and jugs, with 

 a small quantity of lead, lately ob- 

 tained from the wreck, balls were 

 cast in clay moulds, increasing not 

 a little our confidence and security. 

 A quart of water each had been 

 our daily allowance from the well 

 liitherto, and on this day a second 

 was completed near the foot of the 

 hill, in another direction, which 

 not only supplied clearer water, 

 but in greater plenty ; and we 

 could now, without restriction, 

 indulge in the luxury of a long 

 drink, not caring even to excite 

 thirst, in order to enjoy that 

 luxury in higher perfection. 



On Tuesday, ('JSth,) the boats 

 mnde their u.sual tripj some more 



cases of wine, and a few boarding- 

 pikes were obtained, both excel- 

 lent articles in their way, in the 

 hands of men who are inclined to 

 entertain either " their friends or 

 their foes." On shore we were 

 employed completing the paths to 

 the wells, and felling trees which 

 intercepted our view of the sea. 



Wednesday, (26th,) at day-light, 

 two of the pirate proas, with each 

 a canoe astern, were discovered 

 close in with the cove where our 

 boats were moored. Lieutenant 

 Hay, (a straight-forward sort of 

 fellow,) who had the guard that 

 night at the boats, and of course 

 slept in them, immediately dashed 

 at them with the barge, cutter, 

 and gig. On perceiving this they 

 cut adrift their canoes, and made 

 all sail chased by our boats ; they 

 rather distanced the cutter and 

 gig, but the barge gained upon 

 them. On closing, the Malays 

 evinced every sign of defiance, 

 placing themselves in the most 

 threatening attitudes, and firing 

 their swivels at the barge. This 

 was returned by Mr. Hay with 

 the only nuisket he had in the 

 boat, and, as they closed nearer, 

 the Malays commenced throwing 

 their javelins and darts, several 

 falling into the barge, but without 

 wounding any of the men. Soon 

 after they were grappled by our 

 fellows, whenthreeof them having 

 been shot, and a fourth knocked 

 down with the butt end of the 

 musket, five more jumped over- 

 board and drowned themsehes, 

 (evidently disdaining quarter,) and 

 two were taken prisoners, one of 

 whom was severely wounded. This 

 close style of fighting is termed bv 

 seamen man- handling an enemy. 



The Malays had taken some 



measure 



