586 
THE PIRACY AND SLAVE TRADE OF 
the inhabitants of Linga, and who yet occasionally diversify their 
piscatorial pursuits by a little piratical outbreak. Before the 
European gunboat is on the spot they have again subsided into 
the appearance of peaceable fishermen, so that detection is very 
difficult. The pirates of Rete upon the coast of Sumatra, between 
the rivers of Jambi and Indragiri, were a race entirely distinct 
from the people amongst whom they were settled. They were all 
descended from the Lamms. They had first come to that part of 
the Archipelago by invitation of the Sultan of Linga to assist him, 
in a war with the Dutch E. I. Company. The strength of the 
Rete establishment was calculated at 1,000 men capable of bearing 
arms. The vessels” were 10 or 1*2 in number of from 16 to 20 
tons * and carrying "from 50 to 80 men, and each having a large 
and ’ two smaller pieces of ordnance. The descendents of these 
Lamms are still to be found at Rete, but they are not distinguished 
for their piratical exploits like their fathers. Siak also sent out a 
small number of pirates. The island Biliton had two races of 
pirates belonging to it, who lived entirely on the water in small 
prahus covered with mats, forming a class entirely distinct from 
the inhabitants of Biliton. The prahus in which they made their 
piratical expeditions were different from those m which they lived 
with their families. One of these races the Suku Jura had fifty 
small family prahus, and four piratical prahus. The other race, 
the Orang ‘Sekat had two hundred and thirty small prahus m 
which they resided and eighteen piratical prahus. These latter did 
not exceed four or six tons in burthen. JLlie island of Camiiatei 
had two piratical prahus. The Sultan of Matani on the coast of 
Borneo had three large piratical prahus of from 10 to 1*2 tons each, 
■which yearly, after a voyage towards the coast ol Celebes m the 
western monsoon, made three expeditions to the coast of Java. 
In 1818 a treaty was concluded by the Dutch with the Sul¬ 
tan of Linga, in which he solemnly engaged to repress with all 
his power the piracy in his states; in 1817 a similar treaty was 
made with the Sultan of Banjermassm (Borneo); and by the 
treaty with the Sultan of Pontianak in 1819 the Dutch government 
eegao-ed to maintain a fleet of small vessels upon the coast ot 
Borneo to protect and encourage commerce. Similar engagements 
were made with the Sultans of Mampawa and Sambas, and with 
the native chiefs of Menado. (Celebes) and piracy m the latter 
place was placed under a special judicature. . 
These measures had become ol the last importance. In May 
1819, for example, the schooner Lucifer was attacked near the 
Boompiees islands, about twenty leagues from Batavia, by three 
piratical vessels, four others being a little off ready to lend assistance 
if necessary. The schooner only escaped by means ol good breeze. 
In the same month the merchant brig Susanna Barbara was 
attacked by five pirate prahus in the offing of Indramayu close to 
the coast of Java, on the voyage from Batavia to Tagal. lhey 
