MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



443 



with creeses, or their crooked 

 daggers, approached : here, as 

 usual, little could be made out, 

 except a display of their marauding 

 spirit, by taking a fancy to the 

 jhirt and trowsers of one of the 

 young gentlemen in the canoe ; 

 but, on his refusing to give them 

 up, they used no force. 



A letter was now written, and 

 addressed to the chief authority at 

 Minto, a small settlement on the 

 northwest point of Banca, stating 

 the situation in which we were 

 placed, and requesting him to for- 

 ward, if in his power, one or two 

 small vessels to us, with a little 

 bread and salt provisions, and 

 some ammunition. Again the 

 officer went out in the canoe, and 

 was again met by the Malay boat. 

 This letter was given to them, the 

 word Minto repeatedly pronounc- 

 ed, (which they seemed to imder- 

 stand,) the direction pointed out, 

 and signs made that on their return 

 with an answer they should be re- 

 wai'ded with abundance of dollars, 

 shewing them one as a specimen. 

 This was done more to try them 

 than with any hope of their per- 

 forming the service ; for, although 

 a boat went down to Fulo Cha- 

 lacca, (where they appeared to 

 have somebody in superior autho- 

 rity,) yet none took the direction 

 of Banca. Meantime their force 

 rapidly increased, their proas and 

 boats of different sizes amounting 

 to fifty. The laiger had from 

 sixteen to twenty men ; the smaller 

 about seven or eight ; so that, 

 averaging even at tiie lowest ten 

 each, they had fully five hundred 

 men. The wreck seemed now 

 nearly exhausted, and appeare<l to 

 be a very secondary oljject, know- 

 ing the chief booty nmst be in our 



possession ; and they blockaded 

 us with increased rigour, drawing 

 closer into the cove, more espe- 

 cially at high water, fearful less 

 our boats, being afloat at that 

 period, should push out and escape 

 them. In the afternoon some of 

 the Rajah's people (whom we at 

 first considered our friends) made 

 their appearance, as if seeking a 

 parley ; and on comm.unicating 

 with them, gave us to understand 

 by signs, and as many words as 

 could be made out, that all the 

 Malaj's, except their party, were 

 extremely hostile to us ; that it 

 was their determination to attack 

 us that night ; and urging also 

 that some of their people should 

 sleep up the hill, in order to pio- 

 tect us. Their former conduct 

 and present connexions displayed 

 so evidently the treachery of this 

 offer, that it is needless to say it 

 was rejected, giving them to un- 

 derstand we could trust to our- 

 selves. They immediately re- 

 turned to their gang, who cer- 

 tainly iissumed a most menacing 

 attitude. In the evening, when 

 the officers and men were assem- 

 bled as usual under arms, in order 

 to inspect tliem, and settle the 

 watches for the night, the captain 

 spoke to them with much anima- 

 tion, almost verbatim as follows : 

 " My lads, you must all liavc 

 observed this day, as wellasmyself, 

 tlie great increase of the enemy's 

 force, for enemies we must now 

 consider them, and the threatening 

 posture they have assumed. 1 

 liave, on various grounds, strong 

 reason to believe they will attack 

 us this niglit. I do not wish to 

 conceal our I'cal state, l)ecau9e I 

 tliink there is not a man liere who 

 is afraid to face anv sort of danger. 



