354 
SOOLOO. 
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 Ilia nun or Lanuns pirates.* There are other rendez¬ 
vous 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 Rhio. Some of the most 
noted, I was informed, were fitted out from Johore, in the very 
neighbourhood of the English authorities at Singapore; they generally 
have their haunts on the small islands on the coast, from which they 
make short cruises. 
They are noted for their arrangements for preventing themselves 
from receiving injury, in the desperate defences that are sometimes 
made against them. These small prahus have usually swivels mounted, 
* This name is derived from the large bay that makes in on the south side of the island ot 
Mindanao, and on which a set of freebooters reside. 
