1(54 INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR. [1844. 



through the Sultan of Brunai, a complete death-blow to 

 the Slavery question, I gladly accepted the proposition 

 which was followed by the following Official communi- 

 cation : 



"No. 199 of 1844. 



" From the GOVERNOR of P. W. ISLAND, SINGAPORE, and MALACCA, 

 to CAPTAIN SIR EDWARD BELCHER, C.B., H.M.S. ' Samarang.' 

 Dated Singapore, 2nd October, 1844. 



" SIR, 



" With reference to the personal communication I had the 

 honor of holding with you this morning relative to the supposed 

 detention of an European female at Amboon or Malloodoo, when you 

 graciously volunteered to make the necessary enquiries concerning her 

 during your visit to the coast of Borneo, I beg to solicit your attention 

 to the enclosed documents on the subject. 



" No. 1 is the Deposition of a Lascar, named Haggee Honsain, who 

 touched at Amboon for water, remained there two days, and distinctly 

 declares that he corroborated what he had previously heard, by visiting 

 the said female, and that he could not be mistaken as to her being of 

 European extraction. 



" This Deposition appeared in the Singapore Free Press, under date 

 the 30th September, 1841, and led to the Document marked No. 2, 

 received in a communication from the Secretary to the Government of 

 India, under date 30th March, 1842. I cannot find that anything 

 was done on the occasion, with a view of identifying the person in 

 question, or of ascertaining if there was any foundation for the state- 

 ment made by Haggee Honsain, but Mr. Bonham appears to have 

 satisfied the parties concerned that it could not possibly have been 

 " Mrs. Presgrave " consequent on the prevailing winds at the season 

 of the year at which (28th December, 1819) the ' Guilford ' left Singa- 

 pore on her voyage to England, subsequently to which she has never 

 been heard of. 



" The latest information that I can offer you, is the extract of a 

 letter from Mr. Brooke of Borneo to the address of the Resident 

 Councillor at Singapore, under date the 6th November last, which is 

 also annexed, marked No. 3. From the former gentleman it is possible 

 you may obtain more minute particulars. 



