172 LABUAN GROUP. [1844. 



smuggled singly into the vessel, and carried below. 

 Twenty-four of these poor creatures were thus crammed 

 into a space not sufficient for half the number ; and at the 

 moment of their embarkation, a special request was made 

 " to look another way." Any disregard of such an intima- 

 tion, to their own people, would have entailed instant visi- 

 tation of the kris, and we noticed that all the crew of the 

 Rajah's vessel not immediately concerned in their removal, 

 kneeled, stooping with their heads to the bow of his barge. 

 Mr. Brooke and myself, were seated abaft the gun on the 

 stern of the vessel, and I observed that he not only ab- 

 stained most punctiliously from looking in the proscribed 

 direction, but earnestly enjoined me to obedience. The 

 embarkation being completed, about midnight, we were 

 compelled to await the dawn for our progress down the 

 river, reaching the Moratabas entrance about eight. 

 Here Mr. Brooke embarked with me in the ' Samarang ' 

 and after a deal of parade on the part of the native vessels, 

 which thus far accompanied us, in compliment to the 

 Rajahs, Brooke and Muda Hassim, we took our departure, 

 the ' Phlegethon ' having orders, " to proceed direct to 

 the Island of Moarra, and there await our arrival." 



On the 22nd, the ' Samarang ' anchored amongst the 

 Labuan group, situated about fifteen miles north of 

 Moarra, and having made the necessary arrangements 

 for executing the survey of those islands during my 

 absence at Brunai, I preceded with a barge and the 

 gig, with such . officers as could be spared, and joined 

 the ' Phlegethon,' where I found matters in a state far 

 from pleasant. A boat had been despatched from the 

 ' Phlegethon/ containing Budduruddin, the half brother 



