1844.] OPEN A TOMB. 213 



be a Malay battery, or stockade, constructed upon the 

 summit of a hill which completely commanded the whole 

 reach of the river below this place, extending above a 

 mile in a direct line ; preparations were made for action, 

 if necessary, but upon a nearer approach it turned out to 

 be a tomb, and we soon discovered that the place was 

 not only without inhabitants, but that the town which 

 had been near it, had been lately burned. A large state 

 prahu was hauled up in the creek and left to decay, and 

 the plantain and other fruit trees lately cut down, exhi- 

 bited indubitable symptoms of recent war. We remained 

 at this spot to afford the boat's crew a run on shore, to 

 cook, and rest until the afternoon. 



The building which we had surmised to be a battery, 

 proved to be the tomb of a chief, probably the head 

 man of the village; some of the most inquisitive of 

 the party had commenced digging, in the expectation of 

 finding arms or other curiosities, an act of profanation 

 I should certainly not have permitted had I been present 

 when it commenced ; as, however, they had proceeded to 

 some depth, and the ground was too much disturbed for 

 further concealment, I directed tools to be brought, to 

 complete the examination. The first aperture was about 

 three feet wide, six long, and five deep, and perpendi- 

 cular, as in our graves; at the bottom an excavation 

 about the size of a small coffin was made laterally, into 

 which the body, wrapped in cloths, was placed; short boards 

 were then placed diagonally to the opening, and the tomb 

 was completely sealed by the pressure of the earth from 

 above. Having replaced the earth, and reduced it to a level, 

 the boats were again put in motion, and as we advanced 



