1843.] MALAY TRAFFIC. 17 



and return with them during the fair monsoon. This 

 may, in many cases, prove to be the virtual object of 

 these voyages ; the immense profit (amounting, it is said, 

 to nearly six hundred per cent) charged by the Dutch 

 for similar commodities without any choice of quality, 

 renders them doubly lucrative, first on account of the 

 higher price obtained for their goods at Singapore and 

 secondly, as just stated, in the more advantageous pur- 

 chase of return cargo. By the laws which govern this 

 trade, the Malay vessels are prohibited taking from Singa- 

 pore any arms or ammunition beyond a limited allow- 

 ance, or without a special pass ; failing to produce this 

 they are liable to be captured by the gun-boats belonging 

 to the Indian Government, which cruize in the straits 

 for the prevention of piracy. It was formerly the prac- 

 tice of the pirates, and from the fears expressed to me 

 by those disposed to trade between Borneo and Singa- 

 pore, I believe it still exists, to cruize amongst the 

 numerous islands in the vicinity of the Anambas, and 

 Natunas, for the purpose of intercepting the unprotected 

 craft ; and after robbing them of their cargoes, they would 

 load a trading vessel of their fleet, and despatch her to 

 Singapore, where the proceeds of the sale were expended 

 in arms and ammunition. It is not improbable even 

 that these returns were again disposed of in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Sarawak, and furnished the means by 

 which the disaffected intended to have attacked Mr. 

 Brooke in his territory. 



These ventures were not, however, restricted to the 

 natural produce of Borneo, they extended even to the 



