THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. 345 



dirty looking animal, which forms one of the many 

 strange articles of luxury of the Chinese nation,) and 

 for tortoiseshell, and the other productions of these 

 seas. Unless they are wronged by the Malays, they also 

 do a little, in a quiet way, in piracy, but are never 

 reported to follow it as a profession, and as it is practised 

 by the Soolus and others, with whom they come in 

 contact. 



During our stay at Balambangan, these people were 

 found of great service in supplying the settlement with 

 provisions, which they purchased from the Meroots of 

 Borneo, and from the Tedong, Koran, and other people 

 of the eastern Coast, in exchange for a kind of bitter 

 salt, which they manufacture from the ashes of sea- 

 weed, nipah leaves, and other vegetables found in salt 

 marshes. Such of them as reside in permanent habi- 

 tations, have fowls about their houses, and, in all respects, 

 resemble the other Mahometans. Their villages are 

 built on posts, and always over the water, and close to 

 the sea, or the mouths of large rivers, in which the 

 eastern part of the island abounds. They are expert 

 divers, and would be useful in this manner, if European 

 capitalists should think proper to fish the rich banks of 

 the pearl and mother-of-pearl oysters in Malludu Bay, 

 and amongst the islands of the Soolu Archipelago, 

 which, from having been so long neglected, would 

 doubtless, be found immensely productive. 



Many of the Badjus, are situated in the seas of 

 Celebes, about the Dutch settlements, and are found very 

 useful in carrying despatches, &c. ; they are mostly em- 



