1845.] RELEASE OF LASCARS SETTLED. 229 



had fortunately still enough provision to last us for ten 

 days longer, I was quite prepared for them, and very 

 coolly told them " that having come thus far for these 

 people, I determined to remain until they were all pro- 

 duced" ; I reminded them at the same time that my 

 detention would entail on them the expense of supporting 

 our men, and accompanied this intelligence with a hint, 

 that Fowls, Bullocks, or wild Hogs would be esteemed 

 useful for that purpose. 



This had a most decided effect, and produced an en- 

 gagement to deliver up ten of the Lascars in two days, 

 and the remaining two in six days. These affairs being 

 arranged, one of the houses overlooking the river, and 

 vacated during this panic, was allotted to me, and the 

 Sultan apparently much relieved, took leave with great 

 empressement, promising to interest the Sagais in procuring 

 us supplies of wild Hogs, which, as a Mahominedan, his 

 own people could not interfere with. In his endeavours 

 to explain his feelings he observed, " that our friendship 

 was like his two fingers, joined together at the hand, that 

 he was father, and myself his son." Provisions of all kinds 

 we found ridiculously dear, and as our Gunung Taboor 

 friends had not brought with them sufficient rice, we had 

 to purchase it for them from the Bugis traders, at the 

 rate of half a dollar per gallon. 



I had an excellent opportunity of looking narrowly into 

 the character of this Sagai tribe. They are a much finer 

 and larger built race than the Dyaks of Sarawak, or the 

 Kadyans or Dwum of northern Borneo; their skin is 

 fairer and softer, with eyes occasionally blue ; the hair is 

 lighter, and in one particular individual whom I noticed 



