Island of Sooloo. The Vineennes anchors 

 in the bay of Soung. 



SOOLOO. 



House of the datu or governor. 

 Personal appearance of the datu. 



331 



south-west, and before sunset I found that we were 

 again on soundings. As soon as we had a cast of 

 twenty fathoms, I anchored for the night, judging 

 it much better than to be drifting about without 

 any knowledge of the locality and currents to which 

 we were subjected. 



On the morning of the 2nd, we got under way to 

 proceed to the westward. As the bottom was un- 

 equal, I determined to pass through the broadest 

 channel, although it had the appearance of being 

 the shoalest, and sent two boats ahead to sound. 

 In this way we passed through, continuing our 

 surveying operations, and at the same time made 

 an attempt to dredge ; but the ground was too 

 uneven for the latter purpose, and little of value 

 was obtained. 



Shortly after passing the Sangboys, we had the 

 island of Sooloo in sight, for which I now steered 

 direct. At sunset we found ourselves within five 

 or six miles of Soung Harbour ; but there was not 

 sufficient light to risk the dangers that might be 

 in our course, nor wind enough to command the 

 ship ; and having no bottom where we were, I 

 determined again to run out to sea, and anchor 

 on the first bank I should meet. At half-past 

 eight o'clock, we struck sounding in twenty-six 

 fathoms, and anchored. 



At daylight we determined our position by angles, 

 and found it to correspond with part of the route 

 we had passed over the day before, and that we 

 were about fifteen miles from the large island of 

 Sooloo. Weighing anchor, we were shortly wafted 

 by the westerly tide and a light air towards that 

 beautiful island, which lay in the midst of its little 

 archipelago; and as we were brought nearer and 

 nearer, we came to the conclusion that in our many 

 wanderings we had seen nothing to be compared 

 to this enchanting spot. It appeared to be well 

 cultivated, with gentle slopes rising here and there 

 into eminences from one to two thousand feet high. 

 One or two of these might be dignified with the 

 name of mountains, and were sufficiently high to 

 arrest the passing clouds; on the afternoon of our 

 arrival we had a singular example in the dissipation 

 of a thunder-storm. 



Although much of the island was under cultiva- 

 tion, yet it had all the freshness of a forest region. 

 The many smokes on the hills, buildings of large 

 size, cottages, and cultivated spots, together with 

 the moving crowds on the land, the prahus, canoes, 

 and fishing-boats on the water, gave the whole a 

 civilized appearance. Our own vessel lay, almost 

 without a ripple at her side, on the glassy surface 

 of the sea, carried onwards to our destined anchor- 

 age by the flowing tide, and scarce a sound was 

 heard except the splashing of the lead as it sought 

 the bottom. The effect of this was destroyed in 

 part by the knowledge that this beautiful archi- 

 pelago was the abode of a cruel and barbarous race 

 of pirates. Towards sunset we had nearly reached 

 the bay of Soung, when we were met by the 

 opposing tide, which frustrated all our endeavours 

 to reach it, and I was compelled to anchor, lest we 

 should again be swept to sea. 



The next morning at eight o'clock we got under 

 way, and were towed by our boats into the bay of 

 Soung, where we anchored off the town in nine 

 fathoms water. While in the act of doing so, and 

 after our intentions had become too evident to 

 admit of a doubt, the sultan graciously sent 



off a message giving us permission to enter his 

 port. 



Lieutenant Budd was immediately despatched 

 with the interpreter to call upon the datu mulu 

 or governor, and to learn at what hour we could 

 see the sultan. When the officer reached the 

 town, all were found asleep; and after remaining 

 four hours waiting, the only answer he could get 

 out of the datu mulu was, that he supposed that 

 the sultan would be awake at three o'clock, when 

 he thought I could see him. 



At the appointed time, Captain Hudson and 

 myself went on shore to wait upon the sultan. On 

 our approach to the town, we found that a great 

 proportion of it was built over the water on piles, 

 and only connected with the shore by narrow 

 bridges of bamboo. The style of building in Soo- 

 loo does not differ materially from that of the 

 Malays. The houses are rather larger, and they 

 surpass the others in filth. 



We passed for some distance between the bridges 

 to the landing, and on our way saw several piratical 

 prahus apparently laid up. Twenty of these were 

 counted, of about thirty tons burden, evidently 

 built for sea-vessels, and capable of mounting one 

 or two long guns. We landed at a small streamlet, 

 and walked a short distance to the datu's house, 

 which is of large dimensions and rudely built on 

 piles, which raise it about six feet above the 

 ground, and into which we were invited. The 

 house of the datu contains one room, part of which 

 is screened off to form the apartment of his wife. 

 Nearly in the centre is a raised dais, eight or ten 

 feet square, under which are stowed all his valu- 

 ables, packed in chests and Chinese trunks. Upon 

 this dais are placed mats for sleeping, with cushions, 

 pillows, &c. ; and over it is a sort of canopy, hung 

 around with fine chintz or muslin. 



The dais was occupied by the datu, who is, next 

 to the sultan, the greatest man of this island. He 

 at once came from it to receive us, and had chairs 

 provided for us near his sanctum. After we were 

 seated, he again retired to his lounge. The datu 

 is small in person, and emaciated in form, but has 

 a quick eye and an intelligent countenance. He 

 lives, as he told me, with all his goods around him, 

 and they formed a collection such as I could 

 scarcely imagine it possible to bring together in 

 such a place. The interior put me in mind of a 

 barn inhabited by a company of strolling players. 

 On one side were hung up a collection of various 

 kinds of gay dresses, here drums and gongs, there 

 swords, lanterns, spears, muskets, and small can- 

 non; on another side were shields, bucklers, masks, 

 saws, and wheels, with belts, bands, and long robes. 

 The whole was a strange mixture of tragedy and 

 farce; and the group of natives were not far re- 

 moved in appearance from the supernumeraries 

 that a Turkish tragedy might have brought toge- 

 ther in the green-room of a theatre. A set of 

 more cowardly-looking miscreants I never saw. 

 They appeared ready either to trade with us, pick 

 our pockets, or cut our throats, as an opportunity 

 might offer. 



The wife's apartment was not remarkable for its 

 comforts, although the datu spoke of it with much 

 consideration, and evidently held his better half in 

 high estimation. He was also proud of his six 

 children, the youngest of whom he brought out in 

 its nurse's arms, and exhibited with much pride 



