uld attest their having been reduced to slavery
and detained in the very household of Seriff Houseman! When, however,
the facts of his having sold into slavery the crew of a British vessel
(which has been established before the Singapore authorities) come
to be known, I conceive every other proof of the character of this
person is completely superfluous.

"The indirect piracy of Seriff Houseman is even more mischievous
than what is directly committed; for he supplies the Balagnini
(a restless piratical tribe, hereafter to be mentioned) with food,
powder, arms, salt, &c. under the agreement that they pay him on
their return from the cruise, at the rate of five slaves for every
100 rupees' worth of goods. The Balagnini are in consequence enabled,
through his assistance, to pirate effectively, which otherwise they
would not be able to do; as, from their locality, they would find it
difficult to obtain fire-arms and gunpowder. The most detestable part
of this traffic, however, is Seriff Houseman selling, in cold blood,
such of these slaves as are Borneons, to Pangeran Usop, of Bruni,
for 100 rupees for each slave, and Pangeran Usop re-selling each
for 200 rupees to their relations in Bruni. Thus, this vile seriff
(without taking into account the enormous prices charged for his
goods in the first instance) gains 500 per cent for every slave, and
Pangeran Usop clears 100 per cent on the flesh of his own countrymen,
thereby _de facto_ becoming a party to piracy, though doubtless veiled
under the guise of compassion.

"More might be added on the subject of the piracies committed by this
seriff; and it could easily be shown that the evils accruing from
them affect, not only the peaceful trader, but extend to the peaceful
agriculturist; but, for the sake of brevity, I deem it sufficient to
add, that he exercises the same malign influence on the north coast as
Seriff Sahib exercised on the northwest; and that, having surrounded
himself by a body of pirates, he arrogates the rights of sovereignty,
defies European power, contemns every right principle, and threatens
the recognized and legitimate governments of the Archipelago.

"The Balagnini inhabit a cluster of small islands somewhere in the
vicinity of Sooloo; they are of the Badjow or sea-gipsy tribe, a
wandering race, whose original country has never been ascertained. At
present, as far as I can learn, they are not dependent on Sooloo,
though it is probable they may be encou