Ohfervatkris on the Straits of Malacca. 19^ 



Importance of this trade. The tavern where ftrangers refide 

 is generally furrounded by a multitude of Malays having for 

 faie, apes, parrots, cowries, Spanifli reeds, and various other 

 articles. Among thefe people one may fee many of their 

 kings, who are diftinguiflied by a turban embroidered with 

 gold, and who enter the tavern without receiving any parti- 

 cular marks of honour from the Europeans. The cafe is the 

 fame with all the petty Indian kings, of whom too high 

 ideas are entertained in Europe, but who in India are looked 

 upon as little better than corporals. It may be readily ua- 

 derftood that I here fpeak of the lefler princes; for the greater 

 ones, fuch as the kings of Atcheen, Borneo, Pegu, &cc. arc 

 in general treated with more refpeft. 



The Dutch government, formerly eftabliflied here, con- 

 fidered it as of great importance to clear the ftraits from the 

 numerous Malay pirates by which it is infeiled. For that 

 purpofe it maintained a flotilla of crullers and flat-bottomed 

 veflels, which from time to time fought out the Malays in their 

 places of retreat behind the fniall iflands in fhallow water, 

 where their flat-bottomed veflels were of excellent fervice. 

 The Malay prows generally carry a 24-pounder in the bow; 

 have only one maft, which can be lowered or-raifed at piea- 

 fure; and are furniflied with a rudder. They never attack a 

 vefTel when there is wind, becaufg in that cafe it can man- 

 oeuvre and make ufe of its canpon in every direction ; but, 

 if a calm take place, and they difcover a (hip from their re- 

 treats, they then come oul and attack the veflel behind and 

 before, where they are out of reach of the cannon ; malla- 

 cre, with their poifoned daggers called kris, all the whits 

 rnen on board ; and carry oft' the blacks as flave5. A Dutch 

 captain named Bloem, who commanded one of thefe cruifers, 

 wao a terror to the Malays. Being acquainted with their 

 moft private retreats, he often furprifed them when they lead . 

 expected it. They once imagined they Ihould be able to 

 pvercomc him, and advanced againfl; him, during a raho, 

 with fourteen of their prows ; but before they got near him 

 a finall breeze fprung np, fo that he was enabled to dirct'-h 

 his veflel, and to give them fuch a reception, that five or lix 

 cf the prows were fuukj, and others had their rudder^ fliot 

 )t a'.vay ; 



