71 



ready to supply our wants in their respective depart- 

 ments ; we did uot, however, trouble them, but proceeded, 

 fifter a sliort visit, on our course for Saraboangan. 



Tiie excitement and interest of our voyage rather 

 increasing as wc proceeded, on the 5th we anchored off 

 the Bolod Islands, and landed to search for the eggs of 

 a bird, which from tlie description given to m we 

 supposed to be the Megapodim, In tliia we were 

 unsuccessful, some uatires having not long before visited 

 these islands for the same purpose. We found some 

 heaps of rubbish, comprising sea- weed, stones, and sticks, 

 wiiich had evidently constituted the mateiials of these 

 birds' nests. A description of this singular bird and of 

 its nest, from the more able pen of my friend the Rajah 

 of Sarawak, will be found, in ^ later portion of this worL 



On the 8th, we anchored off the west coast of the island 

 of Basilan, — tlie largest of the Soloo Ai'chipelago, — on 

 wliicli the Spaniards liave established a small settlement* 

 though not without much, trouble^ the inhabitants being 

 hostile and warlike, and keeping their garrison constantly 

 on the alert. The French squadron, under Admiral 

 Cecille, sustained some loss in an attack by boats on a 

 part of this island. The next day we worked our way 

 between numerous small, but beautiful i.slaii<ls, only 

 regretting that we had not time to explore them. At 

 9 we came to, in eleven fathoms, off the fort of 

 Samboangan ; and on the following morning we saluted 

 the Sjjanish flag. The settlement is on the south part 



