A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.
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brought away fome darts that ftuck in the fide and fail of our boat. Thefe peoplego naked, having only a chawat, or fmall piece of cloth, about the breadth of ahand, to cover their privy parts. Their bodies were all over ftained with blue ; andthey feemed to be ftrong, tall men, like the mountaineers fpoken of before.
We remained on board without any further anfwer until the 6th of July, when CayRouden Taka, and Cay Chetra Uda came on board. They brought us prefents offruit, fowls, eggs, &c. which we had rather been without, knowing that our returnfor thofe trifles muft be expen five, though we were too often troubled with fuch mer-cenary civilities.
They told us, that the Sultan’s pleafure was, that we Ihould come up to Tatas tohold a bechara, or confultation, with Eangarang Purba Negarree, or Prince ofNegarree, (who is a Prince of the royal blood) 'promifmg that they would ftay as apledge till our return. Whereupon the other fupercargoes went away on the 7th ofJuly, about eleven in the morning, Captain Lewis and myfelf remaining on board toentertain thofe grandees. When they arrived at Tatas, they were introduced to thePrince; who, upon enquiry, underftanding thatthey were not the captains, he ordered themto bring us along with them to the next confultation. He examined them ftriftly whe-ther we were feparate traders; which being affirmed, he faid, that we were welcome ;and alking what quantity of pepper would load us, he was anfwered four or five thou-land peculls. We had prefented him with an extraordinary good filver watch, and inreturn he promifed mighty fervices; but at the fame time told them, that the Sultanbeing now at war with the rebels, who inhabit the pepper country, that commoditywas grown very dear; therefore he could not come to an exact price, nor fign a con-tract, becaufe the Sultan’s great feal was not there, with which all fuch contrails arefigned. It is remarkable, that no bufinefs can be done in thofe parts, nor fcarce admit-tance gained to any of their great men, till he underftands by his fervants that the perfonis not coine empty handed.
The next evening the fupercargoes came back, and on the 11 th the aforementionedCays returned on board, and defired us to go with them to the Prince. I hey flayedwith us that night, and we made them very merry; for though it be againft their re-ligion to drink ftrong liquors, yet we foon perceived that they were no enemies- toarrack or wine. The next day I fet out about two in the morning with the otherfupercargoes ; fome in mine, and the reft in the Borneo ’s pinnace ; having orderediny two trumpeters to attend us, that we might appear with more advantage.
We went up the river for about twenty-two miles, where we turned off into a nar-row branch of it. This river is extremely pleafant, being about twice as broad as theThames at Gravefend, having a vaft number of prodigious tall trees on each fide thatare always green. I remarked here four very agreeable iflands at fome miles diftanceone from another, each being fituate about the middle of the river. The firft is calledPooloococket, being covered with trees, fome of which are of a vaft height. You mayfee it before you enter the river, and it ferves as a land-mark to fail over the bar.There is a large fand fpits out all around it, but {hoots itfelf out fartheft at the northand fouth end, which muft be carefully avoided ; for if a (hip ground, the ebbs are fo.very ftrong, becaufe of the land-waters, that it might wring her to pieces; befides,great drifts of trees come down the river continually, which in fuch a cafe would be ofill confequence. Befides, it is fomewhat dangerous, becaufe of the often fluffing of thefand: the beft advice I can give is to anchor any where about a mile or two within theriver’s mouth, where the ground is clear, and water enough from fide to fide : thenfend your boat to found off the aforefaid illand, and buoy it; which after you have
paffed,