m A VJSIT TO THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



at the lowest coniputatioHi from 300 to 400 persoiis 

 liave boon massacred hj tlieae ferocious marauders 

 witliiTi tlii^ short period. It may afford jour Lordship 

 some idea of the formidable nature of their force when 

 T state that only five days ago tlioy were at sea with from 

 100 to 130 prahus, most certainly averaging thirtj-five 

 men to each praliu." (This is the piratical expedition of 

 which I have giv^en some details in Chapter VIIL) 



Then follow some preventive suggestions, which it 

 would be at present premature to quote ; after wdiicli Sir 

 James Brooke concludes as follo\vs : — " I need no longer 

 dwell on this topic, as your Lortlship will perceive the 

 immediate and ultimate consequences of allowiog a fierce 

 horde of pirates to traverse the high seas, and to devastate 

 the coasts. But I beg of your Lordship, in conclusion, to 

 direct that such a naval force shall bo employed as 

 may enable us to strike a severe blow at the pirates, and 

 subsequently to recommend such a vigorous system of 

 superintendence!, ,as may prevent the daily and 3'early 

 recurrence of such events bs I have stated with deep 

 regret," 



On the same day Sir James Brooke adtkessed the 

 Coiamander-in-'Cliicf, in a letter of which the Matmidcr 

 was the bearer. lie received it m China about the 1st of 

 ApriL It iiifomied him that the pirates were at sea in 

 force ; and after enumerating their atrocities, as in the 

 despatch to the Foreign Office, It thus concludes : — " The 

 entire coast is in alarm : trade is at an end : the very 



