SM A VISIT TO THE INDIAK ARCHIPELAGO. 



Didoj were as genuine pii'tites as the Lauims, the Sooloos^ 

 or the BiilaiiliiLis. Where, unlesa in the free market of 

 Sincapore, mid for what purposes, do those pirates buj 

 their arms and ammunition 1^ — ^tlieir muskct^i and their 

 tons of gunpowder, which we found just in the state in 

 which it had left the manufactory at JJaitfoi'd \ 



But tlicse i^espDctable people* by a Muuder not un- 

 common with Uieir kind, go on to prove too much. They 

 consider tJiat thoy iiavc not been got together to stick at 

 triiles. Not one among us ever heard the captain of a 

 merchant vessel, or the inikoda of a trading prahu 

 mention having seen a Dyak pirate, although the novi'Uj/ 

 of such prahus must have attracted attention," 



I have abstained fro3ji cumbering these pages with hard 

 Malay names and formal depositions, preferring to place 

 evidence of that kind in an appejidLt. But I must here 

 produce one sample of what might be had in any 

 quantity. The fifly-tliree merchants wlio testify as above, 

 and the nakoda who testifiies as follows, alike send their 

 evidence fi*om Sincapore, 



A nakoda is a master or captain of a iiati?e-ti*ading 

 prahu* Nakoda BowUch iof/mtnr : — " I have been six 

 times to Sincaporo for commercial purposes. I arrived 

 here this mornuig from Oyak^ thi-ee daj-s' sriil from 

 Sarawak, My boat is of seTenty-five tons burthen, 

 witb thirty-four men and three guns. The coast of 

 Borneo is infested with pirates, and has been ao for 

 yeai-s. / httre been ehmed h^y pimtea. Tliey are princi- 



