While I was at
_Manjoul_, a small island, east of the channel of St. George, a prow
with about sixty Malays arrived there, commanded by a Nacata, who
called himself _Sayet Ismael_, a priest of the King of Queda. He was
the most civil and well-behaved Malay I ever conversed with. I advised
him therefore to stay where he was, to make a regular agreement with
the natives about the price of the birds-nests, pay faithfully, and
keep good order among his men, so as to prevent all cause of complaint;
and assured him, that thus he would get a good cargo. He took my
advice, and procured a considerable quantity of nests, while those, who
followed him, got none.

Among the latter was a man who styled himself a Prince of Queda, and
had two Nacatas, some women, and a numerous crew on board his large
prow. He committed everywhere the grossest acts of barbarity, and in
Kar Nicobar murdered two persons, of which I was soon informed. Shortly
after, he came into our neighbourhood, and anchored under Tricut, where
he seized upon Sayet Ismael's prow. The latter, having sent his palong
to Nancauwery, with eight sacks of rice, two of nests, and other goods,
soon followed, claiming our protection. Thus, though we ourselves were
in a defenceless state, the oppressed came and sought help from us. We
suffered the priest to occupy one of our negroe-houses, where he
remained very quiet. Meanwhile the prince heard, that we had obtained a
large quantity of nests, and thought it would be no difficult matter to
plunder us likewise. For this purpose, he arrived with two large prows,
filled with some of the most ferocious of the Malay race. They entered,
occupied our house without any ceremony, and seemed to be a determined
set of banditti. I was alone in the midst of them, and cried to the
Lord to take me under his protection. While I was walking to and fro
across the room, the prince inquired, whether I had any birds-nests. I
replied in the affirmative; upon which he pretended, that he was come
to purchase them of me, and wished to see them. As I happened, during
this conversation, to step towards the door, one of our Caffre
servants, who stood near it, thought I had made a sign to him, to call
the natives to my assistance, though, in fact, I was so much agitated,
that I had not even observed him. He ran immediately into the village
Malacca, and called the people together. Meanwhile I spoke in a
decisive tone with the prince, forgot all his grand tit