238 EXTENSIVE OYSTER BANKS. [1845. 



tide bared the shoals which surrounded us, I sent to ex- 

 amine what I imagined to be rocky ledges, when, to my 

 surprise, they proved to be literally banks of large loose 

 oysters, with the hinge planted, and their mouths upwards, 

 rather unpleasant to the feet of those not provided with 

 shoes. Aided by iron levers we soon made an opening 

 into this living pavement, and getting some of the larger 

 boats alongside the reef, they were, in a very few 

 minutes, laden with as many oysters as they could 

 conveniently carry. About 6 o'clock, we quitted the 

 river, and without being able to discover any deeper 

 channel in our outward route, reached the ' Samarang ' 

 about sunset. 



On the morning following, the ship was shifted to a 

 convenient and well sheltered position within Karang 

 Ujong (or point of the reef), on which the remains of the 

 * Premier ' lay, and leaving a party for surveying and ex- 

 amining the wreck, we proceeded on the morning of the 

 13th with our boat force (within the reefs) to Gunung 

 Taboor, in order to make our final arrangements with the 

 Sultan, and to receive his letter for Sooloo, protesting 

 against the conduct of Si Dawut. We reached Gunung 

 Taboor on the evening of the 15th, where we found the 

 Sultan very anxious about our return. 



The chart designates the river and outer coast-line 

 generally, as Cur an. Cur an is the territory, and the 

 part of the river, indicated by that name, is about 

 midway, where a large branch leads northerly. The 

 river above this branch is the Brraou, (pronounced Brow, 

 as one syllable) and the people inhabiting its banks are 

 specially termed Orang Brraou, or the Brow people. 



