A THREATEMNO FLEET. 



293 



During this day^s hunt I came to a wide field of re- 

 ceiitly-eliivated coral, about one huiidj'ed feet above 

 the sea. The natives, who were surprised that I 

 should stop to look at such common rocks^ asserted 

 that the same kind of hatu put% " white stone," was 

 found among the hills^ and I have no doubt that re- 

 cent coral reefs mil be found in the mountainous 

 parts of all the adjacent islands m high up m Gov- 

 ernor Axriens has already traced them on Aml)oina. 



While these days were passing by, we all won- 

 dered what the authoiities were doing to put down 

 the gi*eat insuiTection in Ceram. All the boats that 

 came brought us only the vaguest tidings, sometimes 

 of entu'e success, and sometimes of entire failiu'e. 

 We had good cause to be solicitouSj for at two or 

 three posts on that island there were only about a 

 dozen Dutch soldiers, and if any numbers of tlie head- 

 hunting Alfuras made an attack in concert, all would 

 inevitably be butchered. While we were in this 

 state of suspense, six lai'ge praua were seen coming in 

 round one of the capes and entering our bay. As 

 the foremost hove to and waited for the others, that 

 all might reach the anchorage together, they appeared , 

 to be coming with some evil design, and immediately 

 there ivas no little bustle in our settlement of nine 

 Eiiropeans, jour of w^bom were ladies. The com- 

 liiandant summoned all his troops into the fort, ser- 

 geants were posted in the four comers by the four 

 cannon, the men onee more put through the routine 

 of loading, so that if anybody was kUled by the dis- 

 i'liarge of their i>icces, which, Ijy the by, were only 

 six-pouuders, it might be some one outside of the fort. 



