S O O L O O. 329 



pact and slaty, with chalcedony, were found in pieces and large 

 pebbles. Those who were engaged in dredging reported the bottom 

 as being of coral, in from four to six or eight fathoms; but this was 

 of a different kind from that of which the fort was constructed. 



The fort was built in the year 1784, principally for protection 

 against the Sooloo pirates, who were in the habit of visiting the settle- 

 ments, and carrying off the inhabitants as slaves, to obtain ransom 

 for them. This, and others of the same description, were therefore 

 constructed as places of refuge for the inhabitants, as well as to afford 

 protection to vessels. 



Depredations are still committed, which render it necessary to keep 

 up a small force. One or two huts which were seen in the neighbour- 

 hood of the bay, are built on posts twenty feet from the ground, and 

 into them they ascend by ladders, which are hauled up after the occu- 

 pants have entered. 



These, it is said, are the sleeping-huts, and are so built for the 

 purpose of preventing surprise at night. Before our arrival we had 

 heard that the villages were all so constructed, but a visit to one soon 

 showed that this was untrue. The natives seen at the village were 

 thought to be of a decidedly lighter colour and a somewhat different 

 expression from the Malays. They were found to be very civil, and 

 more polished in manners than our gentlemen expected. On asking 

 for a drink of water, it was brought in a glass tumbler on a china 

 plate. An old woman, to whom they had presented some trifles, took 

 the trouble to meet them in another path on their return, and insisted 

 on their accepting a basket of potatoes. Some of the houses contained 

 several families, and many of them had no other means of entrance 

 than a notched post stuck up to the door. 



The forests of Mindanao contain a great variety of trees, some of 

 which are of large size, rising to the height of one hundred and 

 one hundred and fifty feet. Some of their trunks are shaped like but- 

 tresses, similar to those before spoken of at Manilla, from which they 

 obtain broad slabs for the tops of tables. The trunks were observed 

 to shoot up remarkably straight. Our botanical gentlemen, though 

 pleased with the excursion, were disappointed at not being able to 

 procure specimens from the lofty trees; and the day was less pro- 

 ductive in this respect than they had anticipated. Large woody vines 

 were common, which enveloped the trunks of trees in their folds, and 

 ascending to their tops, prevented the collection of the most desirable 

 specimens. 



The paths leading to the interior were narrow and much obstructed: 

 one fine stream was crossed. Many buffaloes were observed wal- 



vol. v. 3 c 2 42 



