224 THE RIVER BULUNGAN. [1845. 



Having advanced fifteen miles within this archipelago, 

 we arrived at another branch of the Bulungan, called the 

 Oomara, which is here open to the sea, and the water of 

 which, still fresh, clearly proved that some very extensive 

 river, or lake, must feed these numerous mouths of the 

 Bulungan. Pursuing our coarse up the Oomara, about 

 two in the afternoon we descried a canoe, and sent one of 

 our fleetest boats with the interpreter to bring her to us. 

 The people in the canoe were much alarmed, and dis- 

 posed to resist, but upon their recognising our inter- 

 preter Tuan Hadji, as a friend, they were soon upon 

 good terms : they belonged, and were bound, to Curan, 

 but having been several days absent from Bulungan, 

 could not furnish us with any intelligence. Shortly 

 after dark, however, lights were noticed on the river 

 above us, and Tuan Hadji had now an opportunity of 

 showing his address. Giving orders to his own people 

 in the prahu to play a particular tune on the gongs and 

 drums, &c., he advanced in the bow of my gig, singing a 

 song or hymn,which,he observed, would soon be answered. 

 He was successful, and not long afterwards we were visited 

 by several canoes, in one of which was a principal chief, 

 whom he requested to despatch a swift canoe to Bulun- 

 gan to desire them " not to be afraid, that we were on a 

 friendly visit"; for we learned that they were much 

 frightened, and were sending away their women and 

 children and dismantling their houses, in fact, preparing 

 for either war or retreat, and any panic might entirely 

 frustrate the recovery of the Lascars. 



We anchored for the night, and at dawn moved for- 

 ward. The river now became more interesting, although 



