254 FRENCH NEGOCIATION FOR BASILAN. [1845. 



close to the reefs, with a velocity of current of three 

 knots. Near midnight, a different current compelled us 

 to weigh, to avoid being forced on a spit which then be- 

 came astern of us, the current forcing us towards the 

 Sooloo shore, but not northerly ; about dawn, on the 9th, 

 however, we again experienced the northerly set, and on 

 passing Bi-ti-nan, the eastern island off Sooloo, although 

 going at the rate of eight and a half knots, found it 

 entirely 'destroy our steerage, giving a shower bath 

 to the master on the bowsprit end. This ceased imme- 

 diately after rounding this island, and we shaped our 

 course for the anchorage at Sooloo, where we were secured 

 by 3 o'clock, P.M. 



Here we found the French squadron, composed of the 

 ' Cleopatra ', sixty, Rear- Admiral Cecile, having on board 

 Monsieur Lagrene, the Ambassador to China ; corvette, 

 ' Victorieuse ', and steamer, ' Archimede.' Officers from 

 each vessel waited upon me, offering the customary 

 civilities, and shortly after, I paid my respects to the 

 Admiral and Ambassador. Their visit here, which I 

 contemplated before quitting, related to the melancholy 

 affair which had taken place at Basilan. The Admiral 

 wished the interference of the Sultan, but although his 

 mediation might, in the first instance, without calling 

 upon the Spaniards, have proved important, and saved 

 money, still he had no power, and, moreover, declared, 

 " that the people resident there, although nominally tribu- 

 tary to Sooloo, were Illanons, and set him at defiance." 



This declaration induced the French to assume the 

 people of Basilan to be Pirates, and upon the plea of 

 ridding that island of these people, and forming a French 



