MALAY AND DYAK VESSELS. 



The Malayan inhabitants of Serebas ms^ as I have 

 liGfore stated, cirmeil in tlte same manner as the Makje 

 of othor places. Their weapons are the kris (indis- 

 pensablo to enri/ Malay), the spear, and whatever fire- 

 arms they choose to obtain from tlte free market of 

 Sincapore. 



A word now on the description of vessel in which thej 

 make their piratical cruises. These arc of two kinds ; 

 the Malay praktu and the Dyak bmii)kong. The war- 

 pralm of the ilalays of Serebas is in no respect inferior 

 to that used by those most notorious pirates, the LiinunB 

 and Bakgniai. I have known one of these piratical 

 prahus meiisure ninety feet in length, with a proportionate 

 beam. Tlie usual armament of such a vessel would be 

 one gun — fro^n a six to a twelve-pounder — ^in the bow ; 

 from four to six swivels, or lelas, on eacli broadside ; 

 besides about twenty or tliiity rifles or muskets, ^ach 

 boats would pull from sixty to eighty oars, in two tiers ; 

 and her complement of men would be from eighty to one 

 hundred. Over the pullers, and extending the whole 

 length of the vessel* is a light hut strong flat roof, made 

 of thin strips of bamboo, and covered with matting. This 

 protects their ammunition and provisions from the rain, 

 and serves as a platform on which they mount to fight, 

 and from which they fire their muskets or hurl their 

 spears with great precision. The rowers sit cross-legged 

 on a shelf projecting outwards from the bends of the 

 vessel A vessel of this description, well known on the 



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