ry force following, I dispatched Mr. Brooke's
Singapore sampan and one of the Dido's cutters in chase. At half-past
nine we anchored in the stream within the entrance.

We were fortunate at Sarawak in picking up two excellent and
intelligent pilots, who had long known the whole river, and had
themselves been several times forced to serve in the boats while on
their piratical excursions.

_Tuesday 6th._--With the flood-tide arrived all the well appointed
and imposing little fleet, and with them the cutter and sampan with
two out of the three men belonging to the boat of which they had
been in chase; the third having been speared by Seboo, on showing a
strong inclination to run a-muck in his own boat, _i. e._ to sell his
life as dearly as he could. From these men we obtained information
that Seriff Sahib was fully prepared for defence--that his harem had
been removed--and that he would fight to the last. We also learned
that Macota, better known among us by the name of the "Serpent," and
often mentioned in Mr. Brooke's journal, was the principal adviser,
in whose house the councils of war were generally held.

We anchored, in the afternoon, off the mouth of the river Linga;
and while there we dispatched a messenger to Seriff Jaffer to
caution him against giving any countenance or support to either of
the Seriffs Sahib and Muller, on whose punishment and destruction we
were determined.

The Batang Lupar, as far as this, is a magnificent river, from three to
four miles wide, and, in most parts, from five to seven fathoms water.

_Wednesday, 7th._--We weighed at daylight, but were obliged to anchor
again before appearing in sight of Patusen, until the tide should
rise sufficiently to enable us to pass a long flat shoal, over which,
during the spring-tides, a bore rushes with frightful velocity.

We now collected our boats, and made our arrangements as well as
we could, for attacking a place we had not yet seen. We had now a
little more difficulty in keeping our native force back, as many of
those who had accompanied the expedition last year had gained so much
confidence that the desire of plunder exceeded the feeling of fear.

After weighing at 11, with a strong tide sweeping us up, we were not
many minutes in coming in sight of the fortifications of Patusen; and
indeed they were not to be despised. There were five of them, two not
quite finished. Getting suddenly into six feet water, we anchored the
steamer; not so