312* REMARKS ON THE SLKTAtt AND SAB 1MBA TRIBES* 
I might say, a standard forjudging of the place which the Ordng SldtaT 
should hold in the ranks of civilization. The families consisted of two 
men, three women, and several children of both sexes; they were ex¬ 
ceedingly shy at first, and could with great difficulty be prevailed on to 
speak, but by kindness of manner, and some trifling presents, the 
men wer e induced to throw off a considerable deal of their reserve,— 
so much so, that they daily visited the Gunboat, as long as we were in 
their vicinity, bringing fish and a few birds for barter, and a system 
of fair dealing being strictly kept lip by the commander and his crew, on 
our leaving they promised always to visit the Gunboat, to supply such 
necessaries should she ever come in their neighbourhood again, and tell 
the people of their tribe to do the same. Our visit was productive of 
considerable benefit to them, as they were well supplied with many 
necessaries (luxuries to them) such as rice, tobacco and cloth. They 
took great trouble in procuring us what we were most in want of, 
fresh fish, and our parting we were led to believe, was attended with 
considerable regret on their side. On our better acquaintance, when 
asked why they used always to run away before the Gunboat, their 
simple reply was, that they were afraid we would cany them off to 
Gallang, a place noted for the fierceness of its pirates, and for whom 
they bear a great dread. 
On taking likenesses of two of them, a man and a woman, the man 
♦ * 
sat with great steadiness and composure, and seemed perfectly aware 
of its meaning; on finishing the sketch, and being shown the produc¬ 
tion, a slight smile was elicitedwith the other subject considerable 
difficulty was encountered, site at first hid her face beneath her shag¬ 
gy matted locks, that strayed in wild abundance over her scaly shoul¬ 
ders, and would only now and then venture a glance at the opera¬ 
tions of the pencil,—no persuasions would induce her to show her 
face, till at last her young child was given her, when in a position 
natural to the mother, the sketch book was soon made to bear what 
was considered a tolerable likeness of the original. 
This poor tribe are River nomades, their locality extends from the 
Santee, at the east end of Old Strait or Salat Tam brim to Pandas on 
the west. The Sletar, a creek of the Island of Singapore, and dis- 
