The canoes, generally, are built of tamarind-wood, having outriggers on each side to prevent capsizing; they are propelled by a paddle in the bow, and one on the quarter, and when the occupants are hurried they skim along with great velocity. One man will go out in his canoe, drop anchor, and smoke and fish all day long. Seeming to think the straits belong to them, they will neither move nor turn out for anybody. One day when we were towing a raft of water aboard, one of these canoes lay directly in our course. Finding gestures and the king’s English ineffectual in clearing the way, we merely sheered our boats so as to pass; but the raft continuing its course, caught in the outrigger of the canoe, and, despite the exertions of its owner, it was dragged for some distance before he was able to extricate it. All the time he was spluttering away in Malay, until, finally, he mustered enough English to sing out, “Let go;” but, as the current was strong, we had as much as we could do to hold our own, without helping him. Their cattle, which they call buffalo, do not, either in size, shape, or appearance, resemble the rovers on our Western prairies; they are small, formed like our ox, with slender legs, and hair the color of that of the deer. I at once pronounced them a variety of the musk ox, and when, a few days after, I partook of the flesh, my opinion was strengthened. The flesh was white and tender, but had so strong an odor and taste as to be unpalatable to us. I do not know whether the Malays eat them or not. The cows give a rich milk, which, like the flesh, tastes strong. Their horses are undersized, but appear active, hardy, and intelligent. Every family has numbers of poultry, and it is a favorite amusement to pit them against each other--houses for the purpose existing in several parts of the town. The ducks are the most peculiar that I ever saw; they stand erect, with their heads high in air, and are facetiously nicknamed “Balli soldiers:” they are excellent eating. The principal provisions we obtained here were sweet potatoes and pumpkins; the former were smaller and not near so good as ours at home, but formed a pleasant variety. We soon disposed of them; sixty bushels lasting only six weeks. The pumpkins, in shape and taste, resemble our squashes. We also managed to get a few yucas, which is an esculent resembling the potato, and, I think, a small variety of the yam. Beside these, we carried out large quantities of cocoa-nuts, bananas, and tamarinds--the bananas, being brought aboard in an unripe state, after a few days were fit to eat; our cook attempted to boil some, but the attempt proved a failure--we preferring them raw. The tamarinds were preserved in molasses and stowed away; they are valuable for their anti-scorbutic properties, and were kept aboard for years after leaving Balli.