RAJAH OF TRUMONG. 421 



came forth, with the usual feminine curiosity, to 

 view the strangers : indeed, we appeared to be as 

 much objects of curiosity among them, as I had 

 before been when landing upon many of the un- 

 frequented islands of the Polynesian Archipe- 

 lago ; and the natives, that arrived in the boats 

 with Areka-nut, from the villages on the coast, 

 seemed to regard us as wonders, and surrounded 

 the entrance of the poop-cuddy at meal-times, 

 as if to satisfy themselves how such animals fed. 



We had an offer of some of the rajah's horses 

 to ride about the village : at first it was thought 

 that some dun cows, with horns cut off close to 

 the head, and a preternatural erection of the 

 ears, were the animals offered ; but it appears 

 they were real ponies : if we had ridden them, 

 however, it must have been without any saddle 

 or bridle, for there were no articles of that de- 

 scription to be procured at Pedir. 



The barque at present at anchor in Pedir 

 roads, under the Acheenese flag, was captured 

 from the rajah of Trumong, on the west coast of 

 Sumatra, by the man-of-war grab belonging to 

 the rajah of Acheen : the cause of it was this : — 

 the Trumong rajah is tributary to the king, or 

 rajah, of Acheen : he had not paid tribute for 

 three years ; and on its being demaiided, the 

 Trumong rajah returned for answer, that he in- 



