re not able to resist the
temptation of being able to purchase European goods, and articles of
value, for less than half their real value. If not the stealers, they
are the receivers, and thus they patronise piracy of every description.
Governed by their own prince, and independent of any other power, the
people of Sooloo have most extravagant notions of their own prowess, and
of the strength of their fortifications; and they ridicule the idea of
any one venturing to interfere with or attack them.

[Illustration: SOOLOO VILLAGE.]

On the 18th of April we sailed from Sooloo, and visited several islands
in the Archipelago, on one of which we grounded, but escaped without
sustaining any damage. On the 23rd we anchored off Unsang, the eastern
province of Borneo, where we remained four days surveying the coast. A
shooting and fishing party visited the shore daily: the former killed
several wild hogs, and the latter brought every evening a plentiful
supply of fish.

On the 27th of April sailed from Unsang. This day we first served out
our ship-brewed porter, in addition to the usual allowance of spirits.
It continued to be served out nightly, but opinions were very different
about its merits.

For several days after leaving Unsang, we had but little or no wind, and
we were borne away by a strong easterly current, till we were carried in
sight of Celebes, which is high and mountainous, and covered with dense
forests of gigantic trees. On Sunday, the 4th of May, we arrived off
Cape Rivers (Celebes), the position of which was determined by
astronomical observations. It was the intention of the captain to have
passed through the Straits of Macassar, but light wind, and a strong
current from the southward, would not permit us to gain a mile per day.
After experiencing very disagreeable weather while off the coast, we
bore up and made sail for Monado, a Dutch settlement on one of the
north-western promontories of this remarkably shaped island. Our passage
was any thing but agreeable; scarcely a night passed that we were not
visited by strong squalls, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and heavy
rain. On Sunday, the 18th, we anchored in forty-eight fathoms off the
town of Monado, within two cables' length of the shore, which shelves
very suddenly into deep water. A kedge was laid out in-shore of the
ship, and kept well taut; a requisite precaution, as otherwise, if the
land breeze blew off strong, the ship would have dragged her