1844.] MR. OTADUI. 201 



future operations within his jurisdiction, it was imme- 

 diately granted. In my communication with the General, 

 in which I was most promptly assisted by my friend Mr. 

 Otadui, whose kindness and hospitality is well known to 

 our profession, indeed, to almost every English gentle- 

 man who visits Manila, I learned, that although the 

 pirates had committed depredations far up the Mindoro 

 Sea, yet the tale told by the people at Ainbong, relative 

 to the projected excursion to Palawan, by Seriff Housman, 

 as related to the collection of tribute, was incorrect. His 

 fleet of boats was occupied in clearing a Bremen brig, 

 which had grounded on the reefs eastward of Banguey, 

 and had been deserted by her crew, who made their 

 escape to some of the Spanish settlements ; but no act 

 of piracy had been committed, as they merely took what 

 they found deserted. Still, it is highly probable, that had 

 the crew remained by their vessel, they would have been 

 captured, and the question of piracy become established. 

 We had scarcely commenced our refit, when the fol- 

 lowing letters were forwarded to me by the Consul, from 

 Mr. Wyndham, the gentleman before alluded to as re- 

 sident at Sooloo ; one addressed by him to Signor Jose 

 Rogers, of Manila, the other received by him from the 

 Master of the 'Premier ', supposed to be living in cap- 

 tivity. 



LETTER FROM Mu. WYNDHAM TO MR. JOSEPH ROGERS. 



Sooloo, October, 1844. 

 My dear Rogers, 



Since writing my last letter, two of my prows have 

 arrived from the north coast of Borneo, and brought me the melancholy 

 tidings of the total loss of the British barque, ' I'rcmier ', on that inhos- 

 pitable coast. Enclosed is a true copy of a letter, sent by the Captain, 



