y-south course 4 1/2 or
5 miles toward Tanjong Api. Came to an anchor about five miles from
the land, and dispatched the boat to take sights ashore, in order to
form a base-line for triangulation. The scenery may really be called
majestic. The low and wooded coast about Tanjong Api is backed by
a mountain called Gunong [1] Palo, some 2000 feet in height, which
slopes down behind the point and terminates in a number of hummocks,
showing from a distance like islands.

"The coast, unknown, and represented to abound in shoals and reefs, is
the harbor for pirates of every description. Here, every man's hand is
raised against his brother man; and here sometimes the climate wars
upon the excitable European, and lays many a white face and gallant
heart low on the distant strand.

"_3d._--Beating between Points Api and Datu. The bay, as far as we
have seen, is free from danger; the beach is lined by a feathery row
of beautiful casuarinas, and behind is a tangled jungle, without fine
timber; game is plentiful, from the traces we saw on the sand; hogs in
great numbers, troops of monkeys, and the print of an animal with cleft
hoofs, either a large deer, tapir, or cow. We saw no game save a tribe
of monkeys, one of which, a female, I shot, and another quite young,
which we managed to capture alive. The captive, though the young of
the black monkey, is grayish, with the exception of his extremities,
and a stripe of black down his back and tail. Though very young, he
has already taken food, and we have some hope of preserving his life.

"We witnessed, at the same time, an extraordinary and fatal leap
made by one of these monkeys. Alarmed by our approach, he sprang
from the summit of a high tree at the branch of one lower, and at
some distance. He leaped short, and came clattering down some sixty
or seventy feet amid the jungle. We were unable to penetrate to the
spot on account of a deep swamp to ascertain his fate.

"A rivulet flows into the sea not far from where we landed; the water
is sweet, and of that clear brown color so common in Ireland. This
coast is evidently the haunt of native prahus, whether piratical or
other. Prints of men's feet were numerous and fresh, and traces of
huts, fires, and parts of boats, some of them ornamented after their
rude fashion. A long pull of five miles closed the day.

"_Sunday, 4th._--Performed divine service myself! manfully overcoming
that horror which I have to the sound of my own voice