376 S O O L O O. 



them. The share of the booty that belongs to the Sultan and Ruma 

 Bechara, is twenty-five per cent, on all captures, whilst the datus 

 receive a high price for the advance they make of guns and powder, 

 and for the services of their slaves. 



The following are the piratical establishments of Sooloo, obtained 

 from the most authentic sources, published as well as verbal. The 

 first among these is the port of Soung, at which we anchored, in the 

 island of Sooloo; not so much from the number of men available 

 here for this pursuit, as the facility of disposing of the goods. By the 

 Spaniards they are denominated Illanun or Lanuns pirates.* There 

 are other rendezvous on Pulo Toolyan, at Bohol, Tonho, Pilas, Tawi 

 Tawi, Sumlout, Pantutaran, Parodasan, Palawan, and Basillan, and 

 Tantoli on Celebes. These are the most noted, but there are many 

 minor places, where half a dozen prahus are fitted out. Those of 

 Sooloo, and those who go under the name of the Lanuns, have prahus 

 of larger size, and better fitted. They are from twenty to thirty tons 

 burden, and are propelled by both sails and oars. They draw but 

 little water, are fast sailers, and well adapted for navigating through 

 these dangerous seas. These pirates are supposed to possess in the 

 whole about two hundred prahus, which usually are manned with 

 from forty to fifty pirates; the number therefore engaged in this 

 business, may be estimated at ten thousand. They are armed with 

 muskets, blunderbusses, krises, hatchets, and spears, and at times the 

 vessels have one or two large guns mounted. They infest the Straits 

 of Macassar, the Sea of Celebes, and the Sooloo Sea. Soung is the 

 only place where they can dispose of their plunder to advantage, 

 and obtain the necessary outfits. It may be called the principal 

 resort of these pirates, where well-directed measures would result in 

 effectually suppressing the crime. 



Besides the pirates of Sooloo, the commerce of the eastern islands 

 is vexed with other piratical establishments. In the neighbouring 

 seas, there are the Malay pirates, who have of late years become 

 exceedingly troublesome. Their prahus are of much smaller size 

 than those of Sooloo, being from ten to twelve tons burden, but in 

 proportion they are much better manned, and thus are enabled to ply 

 with more efficiency their oars or paddles. These prahus frequent 

 the shores of the Straits of Malacca, Cape Romania, the Carimon Isles, 

 and the neighbouring straits, and at times they visit the Straits of 



* This name is derived from the large bay that makes in on the south side of the 

 island of Mindanao, and on which a set of freebooters reside. 



