152 REVISIT LABUAN. [1846. 



the second round appeared to take effect, as they carried off 

 their man, and quitted us altogether. Upon examining 

 the spot where the affair took place, a well-fitted prahu, 

 evidently adapted for war purposes, was found hauled up 

 amongst the trees ; she was launched, and taken to the 

 ship. A few shot were then fired over a village seen 

 through the trees on the heights, in order to show them, 

 that, insignificant as our boats might appear in their 

 estimation, their guns would throw their shot, effectually, 

 much beyond their calculation, after which, we left them 

 to ponder over the result of their wanton provocation. 



On the 23rd April we anchored off the eastern passage 

 to Labuan, and completed the survey of the outer dangers, 

 left unfinished in November, 1844. In consequence of 

 reports in circulation, relative to the entire failure of 

 water, at the period that it was visited by the Squadron 

 during the late year, my attention was principally di- 

 rected to the discovery of this necessary, in sufficient 

 quantity to support any establishment which the British 

 Government might make upon this island, in consequence 

 of the offer of its cession, which had been made by the 

 Sultan and Chiefs through the intervention of Mr. Brooke 

 and the Rajah Muda Hassim, and which, as before noticed, 

 had been forwarded by me to the British Government in 

 November, 1844. At my former visit, I found a strong 

 stream rushing in cascade over the rocks on the eastern 

 side near Collier's Bluff,* nearly on the line where the 

 bluffs are succeeded by low land. I knew, that the highest 

 portion of the island lay to the northward of this, and 

 pursuing the ordinary argument in sandstone formations, 

 * Named in compliment to Commodore Sir George Collier. 



