548 
FOURTH BULLETIN OF 
[1846. 
calibre, and also one of the same size in the bow. These guns were on carriages. 
Their krises were hung up in front of the covered part, the boat was sharp at the 
bow and stern, with the rudder on one side near the stern. 
They were on a visit to the ship, but after a short conversation they concluded 
to return to the city, probably thinking we had some presents with us. 
After getting under way again, the proah took the lead, and they commenced 
beating their gongs and singing, to which they kept time with their paddles, by 
giving two strokes in quick succession, and then pausing and giving three, and 
one, &c., &.c. The gong, it is said, is the token of welcome. 
When arriving at the island before mentioned, the proah stopped at the old 
house, and sent a smaller boat ahead to announce our coming; we continued on, but 
they hailed us, and apparently wished the small boat to arrive at the city first. 
The river at the mouth is about one-fourth of a mile wide, with a slow current, 
and half a mile above the island becomes confined between two ridges of moun¬ 
tains of three hundred feet elevation, and having numerous peaks, some of which 
are extremely pointed; and frequently these sharp summits are covered with timber, 
although at many places they are entirely destitute of wood, having only a few 
stunted bushes and grass upon the sides, which at a distance appeared cultivated; 
but this is a deception, for only a few patches are really cultivated, as the soil is in 
most places too scanty and too sterile to admit of it. A few scattered houses are 
seen on the sides of the mountains, in groups of three or four, and at several places 
there are also a few situated in the river, twenty or thirty yards from the shore. 
I observed that at a few places along the shore cocoa-nut and banana trees 
were cultivated, but I saw no pepper. The distance from the mouth of the 
river where it empties into the bay to the city, is perhaps eight miles, and on an 
average is four hundred yards wide. Below the small island mentioned before, there 
are large portions of water staked off for the purpose of fishing. These form en¬ 
closures which lead to a basket made of rattan, where the fish enter, but cannot 
return. 
A short distance before arriving at the city, the river takes a short turn to the 
right; and at the inner angle, there is a rectangular mound thirty feet in height, 
having several mortised posts on the top, which probably once supported a build¬ 
ing. The river widens where the city is situated, and is divided into two branches. 
The houses are all, with the exception of one, built over the river on piles of the 
Nipa palm, and the sides are thatched. The houses are elevated about four feet 
above the water. There is one row of houses near each side of the river, being 
perhaps thirty yards from the shore, and one row in the centre, thus forming two 
streets about one hundred yards wide, having cross streets, making it necessary to 
pass in canoes from one block of buildings to another. 
The Rajahs’ houses are somewhat better looking, being formed of plank, instead 
of bamboo and thatch ; yet looking more like sheds than dwellings, and would 
scarcely be distinguished but for the flags and cannon, and a large drum in the 
gable end of the buildings. 
There were four flags flying in different parts of the city, three being yellow 
silk, with a triangular piece of red; the other was red, with a white border on the 
upper and lower edge. 
The singular practice of building their houses over the water, where there are 
good sites on the shore, appears to be unaccounted for, unless it be the conveni¬ 
ence of bathing, for they are of the Mahomedan faith ; and it may also tend to keep 
their houses clean from vermin, particularly ants, which generally abound in tropi¬ 
cal countries. 
The principal Rajah had twelve small brass cannon, mounted under a small 
shed, about four feet above the water, adjoining one side of the residence. 
The cannon were very neatly made, and carried a two pound ball, the metal at 
the muzzle being six or eight inches in diameter, and mounted on swivels. 
On the point of land forming the fork of the river were several very large brass 
cannon, unmounted. 
On entering the city we were saluted with the small cannon, and two other war 
proah’s manned, each came out to meet us, beating their gongs, and having in the 
center two very large silk umbrellas, formed of gaudy colored silks, under which 
the officers sat, and from one to two hundred small canoes soon made their ap¬ 
pearance from all parts of the city, all armed with small spears, but principally 
