SEA-DYAKS. PIRACY. 191 



a trifle more at one time than they were in the cus- 

 tom of demanding, to destroy their only hope of a 

 future supply. Perhaps the Arab Sereibs, whom Sir 

 Stamford Raffles in describing truly says, " hold like 

 robbers the offices they obtain as sycophants, and 

 cover all with the veil of religious hypocrisy," thought 

 that after they had destroyed the land tribes, they 

 would subsist entirely by piracy on the part of the 

 sea Dyaks, and by their piratical relations with the 

 Soolu and other nations who frequented the coasts 

 and bays of their territories. Pa-mutus in the Sakar- 

 ran river was the scene of their overthrow, and 

 though the Sereibs were not taken, the principal of 

 them, Sereib Sahib, has since died, and the remainder, 

 scattered about amongst the tribes of Sarebas and 

 Sakarran, are in a great measure the cause of the bad 

 conduct of these tribes. At the capture of the eigh- 

 teen boats formerly mentioned, three of them were 

 present, and fled in such haste to the jungle that their 

 gold ornaments and fine clothing fell into the hands 

 of the Balows. 



As these Dyaks constantly retreat before a superior 

 enemy into the jungles and fastnesses, it has been 

 found almost impossible to bring their forces 

 either on shore or at sea to a general action. 

 Could their fleet be once caught in a bay, or other 

 situation in which European sailors could teach them 

 the fatal effects of grape and canister, they would be 

 careful in venturing again to disturb the peaceful 

 navigation of the sea. Prom the lightness of their 



