POISON THE WATER. 349 



Indian maidens ; or thrown on the tables, mingled with 

 citron-flowers, and Jasmines, at the banquets of the 

 great, for the delicious perfume exhaled by the petals ; 

 and whose foliage aifords such a grateful shade in the 

 villages of the Malays in these burning regions. 



The men of Sooloo, like the Malays and Bugis of 

 Celebes and Borneo, are passionately fond of cock-fighting, 

 frequently staking the whole of their personal property 

 on the result of a battle. The spurs they use are scythe- 

 shaped, long, sharp, and made of steel, and are sometimes 

 fastened to one leg, and frequently to both. Groups of 

 these arch-pirates, the warlike Sooloos, may be always 

 seen in the mud-streets of their chief city with game-cocks 

 under their arms to be pitted " against all comers," thus 

 fostering their love of fighting and gambling, even in their 

 pastimes. Frequently the owner of the victorious bird 

 carries away, as the prize, the vanquished hero of his 

 brother gamester. 



While lying off their city, the Sooloos poisoned the 

 springs, from which the boats of both French and En- 

 glish ships were watering, by throwing into them large 

 quantities of the fruit of the Aran, or Gomuti Palm 

 (Borassus Gomutus}. After some tons had been brought 

 on board the ' Samarang,' many of the men complained 

 of a painful heat, and stinging sensation of the skin of 

 the hands, legs, and other parts exposed during the 

 duties of this day's service, and the officer commanding 

 the boats, having brought on board some of the fruit, 

 I pointed out the poisonous nature of the pulp, and the 

 water was accordingly started. Fortunately, no serious 

 harm was done, although some of the men who had 



