The guide having made signs for me to advance, after some trouble, watching the direction of his finger, I observed the heads of two deer just above the grass about 60 yards distant. From the manner the doe was moving about her long ears, it had, to my view, all the appearance of a rabbit. Shooting for the pot, I selected her. As I fired, two of my boat’s crew dashed into the grass, and within a moment were up to their chins in mud and water. We had some difficulty in dragging them out. Our Malay guide reached the deer from the opposite side, taking care to utter the prayer and cut the throat with the head in the direction of the Prophet’s tomb. The doe was struck just below the ear, and my native companions appeared astonished at the distance and deadly effect with which my smooth-bore Westley-Richards had conveyed the ball. CHAPTER XXIX _DIDO_--BORNEO [Sidenote: 1843. June 6.] We now began to prepare for work of another sort. After our small flotilla had started, the _Dido_ took a berth about two miles inside the entrance of the Sarebas River, off Pulo Burong, by way of securing our retreat. We had daily accounts of the formidable resistance the pirates intended to make. By the 8th our preparations were complete. The neighbouring Seriffs sent assurances of their good intentions to the Rajah. Seriff Jaffer, who lived with an industrious but warlike race up the Linga, a branch of the Batang Lupar River, had never been known to commit an act of piracy, but had been frequently at war with the Sarebas and Sekarrans, offered to join our expedition. Seriff Sahib, lived up the Sadong River, adjoining the Sarebas territory. Macota, a smooth-tongued villain, known among us as “The Serpent,” sent Brooke and myself an invitation to partake of a feast while on our way up the Sarebas. This invite was accompanied by a present of two handsome spears and a porcupine. He also offered to give up a woman and her children whom he had, with the assistance of the Sekarrans, captured from the Sow Dyaks on the Sarawak River. Further to the eastward, and up the Batang Lupar, into which the Sekarran runs, lived another powerful Seriff, by name Mulla, elder brother of Sahib. All these, through fear, sent submissive messages; but their turn was yet to come. We proceeded towards the Sarebas capital. [Sidenote: June 8.] I have neither space nor time to give all the names nor describe the force, and am afraid there are few now alive whose names it would be a pleasure for me to record. Lieutenant Wilmot, who commanded the _Dido_ force, was in the pinnace. With him were W. H. Partridge, mate; W. Simpson, assistant-surgeon; Hallowes, midshipman. In first cutter: D’Aeth, midshipman; Bloomfield Douglas, as interpreter; Mr. Collinson, boatswain. Second cutter: Mr. Elliott, master, and Jenkins, midshipman.