island was safe, and the
steamer lay in its old position, unmolested by prahu or attack from the
shore.

Every man breathed more freely on seeing this; and the boats coming off,
the whole party were rapidly transferred to steamer and to isle, where a
council was called, and the situation discussed.

It was a peculiar position for the little force which had been sent up
the country to help and protect Sultan Hamet, who, in return,--had
refused to see Her Majesty's representative, and allowed them to be
attacked by his people on their way back.

The question to decide was, whether, after such an insult as they had
received, the little force ought not to at once retire from their
position, though the bolder spirits were in favour of holding it at all
costs, and trying to read the sultan such a lesson as should scare his
people from venturing to molest the English any more.

The council was interrupted by an embassy of a couple of chiefs from the
sultan himself, who solved the difficulty by announcing that the attack
was not made by their ruler's people, but by a certain rajah, whose
campong, or village, was a few miles up the river. This chief was a
respecter of no one, but levied black mail of all who passed down the
stream. Every boat laden with slabs of tin or bags of rice had to pay
toll for permission to pass on in peace; and if resistance was offered,
he had guns mounted upon his stockade, and a couple of well-armed
prahus, whose crews liked nothing better than confiscating any boat
whose owner endeavoured to resist the rajah's demands.

Any doubts as to the truth of this story were set aside by the sultan's
earnest request that the English officers should at once proceed up the
river and severely punish this rajah, who was a thorn in Hamet's side.

With the promise that the matter should have proper consideration, the
two chiefs took their departure; and the rest of the evening was spent
in examining different Malays from the village, all of whom told the
same story, that it was Rajah Gantang who had made the attack, and that
he was a perfect scourge to the people round.

The next day further investigations were made; and had any doubt
remained, it was chased away by the appearance of two long war prahus,
pulled by a large number of rowers, and crammed with Malays.

These vessels were allowed to float gently down with the stream, stern
foremost, when, as much out of bravado as anything, several shots were