S O O L O O. 373 



erected a church and fort. Here they established a colony, and 

 appointed a governor. The inhabitants upon this deserted their 

 habitations in the neighbourhood, and fled to the mountains, which, 

 it is said, excited the mountaineers, a host of whom, with their chief, 

 whose name was Sri Kala, determined to rush upon the Spaniards, 

 and annihilate them. Having to contend against disciplined troops, 

 it was not an easy task to succeed. But Sri Kala had a follower, 

 named Sigalo, who offered to lead the host to battle against the 

 Spaniards, and to exterminate them, or die in the attempt. The 

 chief accepted his offer, and Sigalo, with a chosen few, marched 

 towards the fort, leaving the rest of the mountaineers in readi- 

 ness to join them at an appointed signal, and rush into the fort 

 en masse. 



Sri Kala and Sigalo, in order to lull the watchfulness of the Spa- 

 niards, took with them a young woman, of exquisite beauty, named 

 Purmassuri. The lustful Spaniards were thus thrown off their 

 guard, the signal was given, and the host, rushing forward, entered 

 the fort, every Spaniard within which was slain. A few only, who 

 were on the outside, escaped to the vessels, which set sail, and after 

 encountering various mishaps, returned to Manilla. 



Some time after this the Sultan Bantilan died, and his son Alim-ud- 

 deen was proclaimed sultan. Dalrymple did not return until 1762. 

 with a part of the appointed cargo ; but the vessel in which the larger 

 part had been shipped, failed to arrive, from not being able to find 

 Sooloo, and went to China. Thence she proceeded to Manilla, and 

 afterwards to Sooloo. The captain of the latter vessel gave a new 

 credit to the Sooloos, before they had paid for their first cargo ; and on 

 the arrival of Dalrymple the next time, he found that the small-pox 

 had carried off a large number of the inhabitants, from which circum- 

 stance all his hopes of profit were frustrated. He then obtained for 

 the use of the East India Company, a grant of the island of Balam- 

 bangan, which lies off the north end of Borneo, forming one side of 

 the Straits of Balabac, the western entrance to the Sooloo Sea. Here 

 he proposed to establish a trading port, and after having visited 

 Madras, he took possession of this island in 1763. 



In October, 1763, the English took Manilla, where the Sultan 

 Amir was found by Dalrymple, who engaged to reinstate him on his 

 throne, if he would cede to the English the north end of Borneo, as 

 well as the south end of Palawan. This he readily promised, and 

 he was, in consequence, carried back to Sooloo and reinstated ; his 



vol. v. 94 



