1832.] 
ISLANB OF SUMATRA. 
227 
of the entire destruction of Quallah-Battoo, with an exaggerated 
account of the slaughter of the Malays — that " the big ship" had 
indeed come, within two days of the specified period ! that the 
arm of vengeance had fallen Upon them in an hour when they 
looked not for it; and that the smouldering ruins of Quallah- 
Battoo might be gazed upon as a monument of American justice. 
Young Bundah was powerfully affected by this intelligence ; 
but he also recollected his letter to the commanding officer, and 
resolved, a.t all hazards, to visit the big ship, and to deliver it 
himself. 
The frigate was lying at anchor at Soo-soo, where he deter^- 
mined to visit her, and, if possible, appease the just wrath of her 
■commander, according to oriental usage, by the choicest presents 
he could command. He accordingly freighted his canoe with 
fowls, together with all such fruits of the island as he thought 
would prove acceptable to the American chief. But just as he was 
on the point of starting, his mother heard of his desperate inten- 
tions; and, with the amiable tenderness of a fond and anxious 
parent, was so much alarmed for tho safety of her only son, that 
she begged him, with tears, to desist from a purpose which to her 
excited imagination was so fraught with peril, if not leading to 
certain death. The chiefs and principal men of the place united 
their entreaties with hers, in endeavouring to dissuade the young 
man from his rash enterprise, which they considered as" running 
voluntarily into the tiger's mouth. As he still persisted in his pur- 
pose, the superior rajah, at the instigation of his mother, peremp^ 
torily forbade him to proceed. 
Silenced, but not convinced, young Bundah affected to acqui- 
esce and conform to their wishes. He unloaded his canoe, and 
professed to have abandoned his intentions. But no sooner had 
night drawn a veil over his proceedings, than his ready bark was 
cautiously reladen ; and, accompanied with only one Malay, he 
pushed his little vessel from the shore, and both laying their mus- 
cular arms to the oars, directed their course for Soo-soo. 
1^ They had no light of the moon to cheer their lonely passage, 
and having now sufficient time for reflection, the young adven- 
turer began to feel some serious apprehensions for the effect of 
his rashness. Parental authority and affection had been requited 
by filial disobedience, which is almost the only crime that re* 
