CITY OP SOLOU. 



61 



valuables, ^vitlx their women Rud duldren, to the 

 raountaina» as a precaution in the event of our visit being 

 of A liostile nature. 



The next morning we foiuid ourselves off the city of 

 Soloo (aJ,so named Soog), the capital of the Soloo Empire, 

 and the abode of its Sultan, — -who was at one time all- 

 powerful througliout these seas, his influence extending 

 to the north and eastern coasts of Borneo. I have 

 .already mentioned tliat, in 1775, the Soloos attacked 

 and drove the British from Balambangan. Soloo had^ 

 even then, long been an emporium not only of regidar 

 traders from most nationSj but the head-quarters of those 

 piratical maratiders who there found a ready market for 

 eiialaved \ tctims and heterogeneous pknder^ — and whose 

 descenflantSj to this day, are botJi proud and emulous of 

 tlie deeds of their ancestoi s. 



We had looked forward witli much intere&t to our 

 visit to Soloo J and were not^ on the whole, disappointed— 

 though, perhaps* it may be considered rather curious 

 than very interesting. The English ensign was flying 

 over the house which we at once knew must be that of 

 Mr. Windham J a gentleman wlio had for some time been 

 connected with these people in a comnterctal way, and 

 resident among them. An officer was sent to com- 

 municate with liim and obtabi information. The town 

 is built partly on land and partly on the sea. That part 

 wJiich is on the land, and which might almost be called 

 the citadel was, at the time of our visit, strongly 



