1844.] VISIT OF THE SULTAN. 193 



evidently prepared for defence. At first, they were in- 

 clined to be rather free and impertinent, but, after casting 

 a few glances at the brazen ornaments in the bows of 

 our boats, they withdrew towards their houses, leaving 

 one or two of the most daring, dressed out in bits of 

 armour, and one with a mail shirt, to watch our move- 

 ments. Ere long we noticed a move in their camp, and 

 surmising, probably, that our force had not entered 

 the river, from mere motives of curiosity, commenced 

 stealing off with much precipitation, conveying their goods 

 into the jungle. Shortly after, some horsemen came 

 down to the opposite bank of the river, and were ferried 

 across ; these proved to be messengers from the Sultan 

 of Tampassook, to inform us that that personage was 

 en route to visit us, and his arrival, shortly after, was so 

 entirely void of ceremony, that he was amongst us before 

 I became aware of his august presence. Mr. Brooke did 

 not appear either to be pleased with his visit, or inclined 

 to treat him as an important personage. 



He was invited to enter our barge, where Mr. Brooke 

 was seated, and upon conversing with him respecting the 

 object of our search, he declared, that had any European 

 female been landed upon any part of Borneo between 

 Brunai and Maludu Bay, he must have been made ac- 

 quainted with it. It was intimated to him that a large 

 sum would be given if she could be produced, as much 

 as 200 dollars, being nearly ten times the value they 

 assign to a female of eighteen years of age ; but they all 

 persisted in asserting that the tale was entirely without 

 foundation. Indeed, the sum realized by the redemption 

 of Mrs. Page and her husband, lately wrecked upon this 



