MALAYS UF SEREBAS, 



1»7 



The advantage to the Sere has from this transfer of their 

 allegiance would be great. They would no longer pay 

 tributo, from the proceeds of their depredations^ to the 

 Sultan of Boi'neo ; \vhile the Sultan of Johore, having 

 an ackiiowkdged claim, would find it a troublesome 

 one to enforce* Tlie Sultan of Borneo, however, haa 

 neirer given up liis right of sovereignty over the Sereba^ 

 country, though it is now only noniinal 



In these iiolitical tactics, which secured to them ti 

 field for depredation without any one really to call 

 them to account, we have early iadications of a character 

 wivich the Mahiys of Serebas have ever smce sustiiined. 



Tho piratical character of tlio Maiai/s in tfemml l^as 

 never been disputed, 



" It is m tho Malay's nature/' says an intelligent 

 Dutch writer, " to rove on the seas hi his prahii, as it 

 ia in tliat of the Arab to wander with liia steed on tl)e 

 sands of the desert. It is as impossible to limit the 

 adventurous hfe of a Malay to fisliing and ti*admg, as 

 retain an Arab in a village or m a hahitatbu/' 



The Jlaiaj"^ of Serebas have never been an exception, 

 in this respect, to those of the same race located on the 

 various sea-coasts of the Eastern Archipelago: in fact 

 they differ in no material point fi'om the Malays of other 

 places— all are equally addicted to pu*acy. This is not 

 merely their habit ; it may be termed their instinct. All 

 are equally warlike, equally well armed. From their 

 superiority in these respects, and in point of civilisation, 



