The dinghy and jolly-boat gave chase, but the pirates had the start as well as speed, and although before rounding the point a few men were seen to drop their paddles from our fire, their pace never slackened. We could not help admiring their plucky plan of escape. To attempt to catch the boats that had pulled to windward was useless, but we lost no time in slipping our cable and making sail in chase. We had not wind enough, and lost sight of her at dusk off the mouth of a river. We returned next morning to pick up our anchor. It was a place well adapted as a rendezvous for pirates. The bay we found studded with rocks, and to my horror I found that Her Majesty’s _Dido_ had anchored between two that were awash at low-water. A mountain stream of delicious water runs into the bay between two rocks, and the coast abounds with oysters. We anchored off Tanjong Poe, outside the bar at the entrance of the river leading to Rajah Brooke’s residence and seat of Government at Sarawak. At half-tide on the following morning we crossed the bar, carrying no less than 3½ fathoms water, and entered the beautiful river of Morataba, up which we ran for twelve miles under sail. _Dido_ was the first square-rigged vessel that had ever entered these waters. We came to off the junction river which unites the principal entrance to Sarawak. It is here that the capital ought to have been built, and would have been but for the curse of piracy and its sequel, slavery. In the evening our boats with the Rajah joined us, having come up by western entrance. After leaving us on the 8th, they proceeded to the Island of Murrundum, a famous rendezvous, where they came on a fleet of the Illanun tribe, who did not give them an opportunity of closing, but, cutting their sampans adrift, made a precipitate flight; opening fire as they ran out on the opposite side of a small bay in which they had been refitting. This of course led to an exciting chase, a running fire kept up on both sides; but the range was too great, and the prahus, in addition to sailing well, were each propelled by from forty to fifty long paddles, and made their escape. As they went in the direction of the Natunas, Horton took that course, and anchored under the south end in 3 fathoms water; but next morning, owing to the fall of tide, the pinnace had grounded. The Rajah and Horton proceeded in one of the cutters to reconnoitre. As they neared the south-west point, they were met by six prahus, beating tomtoms as they advanced, making demonstrations of fight. Horton judiciously turned to rejoin the other boats, and the pinnace having floated, he formed his little squadron in line abreast, and prepared to meet his antagonist.