1844.] ANCHOR AT AMBONG. 189 



have avoided it, as we saw the danger in time, but too late 

 for us to slip. The effort to alter course made it worse. This 

 is one of the difficulties attending being towed; a steamer 

 can back off, but the vessel towed would, in all proba- 

 bility, run over her before her course could be changed. 

 After a short delay, she towed us clear, and, with the boat's 

 leading, we dropped our anchor in this snug little port 

 about sunset. The Rajah's friends landed, and arranged 

 for our visit on the following morning. 



The whole of this territory eastward to Maludu Bay, 

 . is considered to be within the jurisdiction of the Rajah 

 Muda Hassim, and to facilitate our operations here, and 

 prevent any possible doubt, relative to the release of this 

 female, if traced, his near kinsman, a Pangeran of high 

 caste, would exert his authority. At first, he appeared 

 to doubt the reception he would meet with, but on re- 

 turning, after his first communication with these people, 

 he made up his mind to remain here altogether. 



A very slight examination of the place, and of the 

 neighbouring people, the Bajows and Dusons, satisfied me 

 that we should not find the female, of whom we were in 

 quest, at Ainbong. In the first place, it did not contain 

 a single house in which she could have been concealed 

 from the view or knowledge of the neighbouring people ; 

 in the second, there were not four of these huts habitable, 

 or inhabited, and they belonged to parties who resort 

 here solely for the purpose of making salt ; finally, had 

 such a person been in the possession of any of the higher 

 powers, they were, evidently, too eager to find cause of 

 complaint against those whom they term their oppressors, 

 and would instantly have given the desired information ; 



