CHE somman’s narration. 333 
proceeded first to Labium Cheri in Sassak (Lombok) to take in a 
cargo of cotton. We next went to Sugian to meet a number of Bu¬ 
gle Nakhodas whose praus were about to sail for Tdn&h Bugis. It 
was decreed however that my father should die before them, for they 
were not quite ready to leave, and he would not wait for them, but 
sailed alone. On the second day we touched at Tombora, took in 
wood and water, and proceeded. Next morning, when still in the 
L&ut Tombora (Tomborfi Sea) and near Pulo SetoDda, we saw a 
fleet of seventeen prdhus, which bore down upon us, beating gongs 
and shouting. Five of them neared us, threw off their kajangs, 
and fired, killing our steersman Lante, a Bugis. Dald, a Mand&r 
man, took his place, and we endeavoured to escape. My father 
thought the wind would enable us to leave them behind, and there- 
fore, not to irritate them, refrained from returning their fire. When 
they had thrice fired, my father, seeing that they were nearing us 
and having prayed, (bacha slfiwat,) returned their fire. The fight 
was continued a long time until our mast was broken, and only six¬ 
teen out of the thirty seven left alive. My father proposed to cut a 
hole in the pvahu and sink with it, but the other survivors said 
they would continue the fight in the hope of drifting ashore, as we 
were now near it. Six other men fell, and shortly after my father 
was killed, when further resistance was abandoned, and the pirates 
took possession of the prahu. They seized and bound the sur¬ 
vivors, carried them on board of their prahus, and fastened their 
feet in stoeks. 1 was carried with one of them to one of the prahus. 
They then removed all articles of any value from my father’s prahu, 
and, setting fire to the cotton, cut it adrift. Next day they were 
about to made sail for Sfissak, when two ships and a schooner appear¬ 
ed to the westward, which caused them great trepidation. They 
immediately weighed anchor and sailed for Tanah Milala. Here they 
anchored. At this time a prahu of the Raja of Bunaratt^, Dyang 
M&gassing, who was proceeding with his family to Born, had also 
anchored, but, the wind being very strong, its cable would not hold, 
and it was stranded amongst the rocks of Milaia. The females 
and children were all carried on shore, and Dyang Magassing re- 
e 3 
