so LOO. fjfi 



sea for bnlf a mile, over a slioal which is nearly dry 

 at low water. The pojuilatioii is immcrous ; composed 

 principally of fishemieii and Chincsse traders. The said 

 plfttform runs the whole length of the rows ; and its 

 ]}laDks were ao carelessly thrown across, that it seemed 

 wonderful how the children coukt escape^ if they always 

 did escape, falhng through tlie yawning spaces which 

 invited them to a watery, or a nuiddy grave ; they were 

 crawling about tliese ncketty stages in vast numbers : 

 if the tide was out when they fell, they would be received 

 into three feet deep of soft mud, supposing alwaj'S that 

 tbey did not break their little backs across the gunwales 

 of the canoos beneath, which were made fast to the 

 scaffolding. Mr- Windham's house was one of Uiose tlnifi 

 situated ; and at low water tt was necessary for us, wbo 

 wore shoes and stockings, to be carried fi'ora the boat, 

 and deposited on Im accommodation-ladder, where a kind 

 welcome awaited us. We found him dressed in Malay 

 costume ; and^ from long residence among thenij be had 

 assumed much of both the appearance and manner of a 

 native. He willingly undertook the task of commu- 

 nicjitiiig with the Sultan, and arranging an audience for 

 Sir James Brooke, 



The usual salutes were exchanged, Mr. Windham 

 informed us that a short time previously, when he wa*s 

 absent attending the pearl-fishing at the Ceroo Islands, 

 two Dutch men-of-war had arrived at Soloo, who, after 

 vi^iiting anii excban^^ing the usual salutes, suddenly 



