102 MALAY PROAS. 



will only state that sailors have a belief that the 

 water of which they are composed, although coming 

 from the ocean, undergoes, through the sun's rays, a 

 distillation that deprives it of its salt. After we 

 entered the straits, we alternatel}^ had a succession of 

 calms and light breezes which detained us for some 

 time; but, finally, we came to anchor about a mile 

 from the tow^n, in ten fathoms of water — the James 

 Allen being within a stone's throw of us. Near us 

 was a coral reef, which prevents craft, except of light 

 draught of water, from approaching closer to the town. 

 A number of the native vessels lay inside of us 

 loading with rice. These vessels are known as proas 

 — some of them are good sized ; they are flat-bot- 

 tomed, draw but very little water, and are painted 

 in rude, barbaric style. All that I saw of any size 

 were rigged as barques, their sails being mats, manu- 

 factured from leaves neatly connected so as to present 

 the surface to the wind. 



