204 A VrSlT TO THE 1N[)IAN A!t€HlPELAGfh 



monsooti, a proportion of these vessels cruise in tlie more 

 civilised parts of Ihe Archipelago, cliiefly near the 

 entrances of the straits leading to Sincapore, ^here they 

 attack and plunder the pi'ahus of the native traders ; and, 

 when about to return to tlieir haunts in Borneo, 

 generally manage to surprise some small town or villago, 

 the entire popxilation of which is often canied away into 

 slavery. Dnriug the absence of the fleets^ the women 

 and children remain on the coast of Borneo with the rest 

 of tlie prahus, to take charge of the booty already col- 

 lected ; and, as the females are nearly as warUko as tlic 

 men, and underhand the tc^e of firearms^ they are con- 

 sidered sufficiently powerful to heat off tlie Dynks, from 

 whom alone they arc hablc to molestation, 



** The Dtaks and the La^'uns, indeed, occastmidl]/ join 

 forces; in winch case the human heads and the iron 

 procured in tho cniise do^vn the coast are claimed by the 

 former, tiie remainder of the plunder being resigned to' 

 the Laiiuns. Wiien a sufficient quantity of plunder and 

 slaves have been collected by the Lauuns, they return to 

 their own country, and their place is supplied by others, 

 who settle for a time on the coast in order to onrkh 

 themselves by the same means/* 



Here they are then, — these Sakaman innocents, — - 

 denounced (and not first by Sir James Brooke) as con- 

 federates, harbowrera, or hirelings, as may suit them, of 

 the gi'oatest scourge of the Archipelago, Uie Lanuas, 

 whom even Mr, Cobden invites the Rajah to chastise \ and 



