THE DUTCH IN PERAK. 257 
Soldiers and Servants being within already: nor was any Man suffered to 
fetch away the Victuals, or any of the Plate: but they fired several Guns to 
give notice to the Mulayans that they were ready for them ; but none of them 
came on. For this Uproar was occasioned by a Malayan Canoa full of armed 
Men that lay skulking under the Island, close by the Shore: and when the 
Dutch Boat went out the second time to fish, the Malayans set on them sud- 
denly, and unexpected, with their Cressets and Lances, and killing one or two 
the rest leapt overboard, and got away, for they were close by the Shore : and 
they having no Arms were not able to have made any resistance. It was 
about a Mile from the Fort: and being landed, every one of them made 
what haste he could to the Fort, and the first that arrived was he who cried in 
that manner, and frighted the Governour from Supper. Our Boat was at this 
time a-shore for water, and was filling it ina small Brook by the Banquetting- 
house. I know not whether our Boats Crew took notice of the Alarm, but the 
Dutch cal’d to them; and bid them make haste aboard, which they did; 
and this made us keep good watch a!l Night, having all our Guns loaded and 
primed for Service. But it rained so hard all the night, that I did not much 
fear being attack’d by any Malayan ; being informed by one of our Sea-men, 
whom we took in at Malacca, that the Mulayans seldom or never make any 
attack when it rains. It is what I had before observed of other Jndians, both 
Hast and West: and tho’ then they might make their Attacks with the 
ereatest advantage on Men armed with Hand-guns, yet I never knew it 
practised ; at which I have wondered; for it is then we most fear them, and 
they might then be most successful, because their Arms, which are usually 
Lances and Cressets, which these MWalayans had, could not be damaged by the 
Rain, as our Guns would be. But they cannot endure to be in the Rain: and 
it was in the Evening, before the Rain fell, that they assaulted the Dutch 
Boat. The next Morning the Dutch Sloop weighed, and went to look after 
the Malayans ; but having sailed about the Island, and seeing no Enemies, 
they anchored again. I also sent Men ashore in our Boat to bring off the 
Mizen-yard that I had cut the Day before: But it was so heavy a kind of 
Timber, that they could not bring it out of the Woods. Captain Minchin was 
still ashore, and he being acquainted with it, desired the Governour to send a 
Soldier, to shew our Men what Trees were best for our use: Which he did, 
and they presently cut a small Tree, about the bigness and length of 
that which I cut, and brought it aboard. I immediately went to work, and 
having fitted it for use, bent my Sail, and hoisted it up in its place. In the 
Evening Captain Winchin and Mr. Richards and his Wife came aboard, having 
staid one Night at the Fort; and told me all that hapned to them ashore.” * 
In 1690, the year following that in which Damprrr visited the 
island, the Malays must have successfully surprised the garrison at 
Pulau Dinding, who were “cut off,” as Hamitton puts it. The 
fort was dismantled and was neveras farasI can discover, reoccupied. 
ANDERSON} mentions the date, 1743, as being still visibleon the ruined 
building in 1824, but this must not be accepted as the date of its 
erection. No doubt the figures seen by ANDERSON were inscribed 
by some European visitor who touched at the island. Crawrurp, 
in 1822, found the initials of several names and the dates 1727, 
* DAMPIER’S “ Voyages,” II., p.171. 
+ ANDERSON’S “ Considerations,’ p. 179. 
