In passing the battery, and refusing to anchor, the captain adopted the most prudent and safe course; for we had long before discovered that decision is absolutely necessary with these people. The least hesitation on our part would have fortified their courage to attack; but they are so much awed by our superior arms, and I may safely add the superior courage of our men, that they never will, however much they may threaten, be the first to come to blows, provided there is no vacillation or unsteadiness on our parts. This the captain knew, and acted accordingly. After returning their salute of twenty-one guns, the captain, with some of the officers and a party of small-armed men passed through a line of Dyaks to the hall of audience, which, as usual, was crowded to excess with armed Malays. The sultan, who was a stout athletic man, received us very cordially, but his confused manners and restless eyes showed that he was not at his ease. His dress consisted of a yellow satin jacket, over which he wore another of purple silk, worked and hemmed with lace. His trousers and turban were made of similar materials. Shoes and stockings he had none, and wearing both jackets open, his chest was exposed. The sultan acknowledged that the Lascars were still in his territory, but, as two of them were at some distance in the interior, it would require a few days to bring them in. He appeared very glad that the business was settling so easily, for he no doubt expected an inquiry and a demand for all the ship's stores, the major portion of which had found their way to Baloongan. The chain cables must have been invaluable to the natives, and I detected several links which had been partly converted into spear-heads. There was nothing worthy of remark in the town of Baloongan. We were very much interested in the Dyak tribes, who were the same as those described at Gonong Tabor, and in greater numbers. They were equally tall, and appeared to be the very perfection of savage warriors. They invited us several times to pay them a visit on the hills, where they resided. These Dyaks appeared very friendly to us, and one of them, an intelligent fellow, of the name of Meta, volunteered to take a letter overland to Mr. Brooke: his mode of travelling was by pulling up the Saghai river to its source in his canoe, till he came close to the source of the Coran, and by his account the two rivers nearly meet. He took the letter, binding it round his head with a piece of linen; but I do not know if ever it was delivered. One observation I made relative to these Saghai Dyaks, which was, that much as they must have been astonished at our arms and equipments, like the North American Indians, they never allowed the least sign of it to be perceived.