ht, by fires. Each chief sends
forth his proas, the crews of which, in hazardous cases, are infuriated
with opium, when they will most assuredly take the vessel if she be not
better provided than most merchantmen.

Mr. Dalton, who went to the Pergottan river in 1830 says, "whilst I
remained here, there were 71 proas of considerable sizes, 39 of which
were professed pirates. They were anchored off the point of a small
promontory, on which the rajah has an establishment and bazaar. The
largest of these proas belonged to Raga, who received by the fleet of
proas, in which I came, his regular supplies of arms and ammunition from
Singapore. Here nestle the principal pirates, and Raga holds his head
quarters; his grand depot was a few miles farther up. Rajah Agi Bota
himself generally resides some distance up a small river which runs
eastward of the point; near his habitation stands the principal bazaar,
which would be a great curiosity for an European to visit if he could
only manage to return, which very few have. The Raga gave me a pressing
invitation to spend a couple of days at his country house, but all the
Bugis' nacodahs strongly dissuaded me from such an attempt. I soon
discovered the cause of their apprehension; they were jealous of Agi
Bota, well knowing he would plunder me, and considered every article
taken by him was so much lost to the Sultan of Coti, who naturally would
expect the people to reserve me for his own particular plucking. When
the fact was known of an European having arrived in the Pergottan river,
this amiable prince and friend of Europeans, impatient to seize his
prey, came immediately to the point from his country house, and sending
for the nacodah of the proa, ordered him to land me and all my goods
instantly. An invitation now came for me to go on shore and amuse myself
with shooting, and look at some rare birds of beautiful plumage which
the rajah would give me if I would accept of them; but knowing what were
his intentions, and being well aware that I should be supported by all
the Bugis' proas from Coti, I feigned sickness, and requested that the
birds might be sent on board. Upon this Agi Bota, who could no longer
restrain himself, sent off two boats of armed men, who robbed me of many
articles, and would certainly have forced me on shore, or murdered me in
the proa had not a signal been made to the Bugis' nacodahs, who
immediately came with their people, and with spears and krisses, drove