1844.] EXPLANATION OF THE FLAG. 219 



at Banjarmassin, as well as a gold-headed cane, and a 

 flag presented to him from the same quarter. 



This business terminated, the Sultan was anxious to 

 know why I declined saluting him under the Dutch flag, 

 which, upon being explained, he requested that 1 would 

 give him an English one. I then explained to him, thai 

 he could not, legally, show any but his own colours, 

 unless subject to a particular State, and in such case, the 

 power whose flag was shown would send a force to cause 

 it to be respected ; and that Great Britain never per- 

 mitted her flag to be displayed where it might, bj 

 any possibility, be insulted. After obtaining from the 

 Sultan full information respecting the treatment of the 

 Europeans, as well as the Lascars, the latter of whom, 

 he declared, that he had sent to Sooloo, without ransom ; 

 that he was still in debt to the Nakoda Si-Dawut for the 

 goods he had left behind, amounting only to one 

 hundred and eighty dollars ; and he further informed me, 

 that he should write fully to the Sultan of Sooloo upon 

 these matters. 



He further stated, that the English became very 

 troublesome, and although better fed than themselves, 

 were sullen and discontented ; that they leagued with the 

 Rajah Muda, his cousin, who had rebelled, and, as he 

 required their aid to work his guns, had seduced them 

 to escape to him, under the promise of sending them 

 safely to Kotai,* the Sultan of which was his uncle, 

 and that they would in all probability have been mur- 

 dered had they reached that river, in retaliation for 



* Generally by Englishmen written Coti, but in Malay pronounced 

 and written Kotai. 



