The first buildings we saw were those in which the natives were making salt. I have already described the process pursued in the Abai, but here it was somewhat different, as they burnt the roots of the mangrove with those of the nipa palm, as well as wood collected on the sea-beach, and therefore impregnated with salt. In one place, I noticed a heap, perhaps fifteen feet in height, sheltered by a rough covering of palm-leaves, and several men were about checking all attempts of the flames to burst through by throwing salt-water over the pile. This, doubtless, renders the process much more productive. In one very large shed, they had a kind of rough furnace, where they burnt the wood; and suspended around were many baskets in which the rough remains of the fire are placed, and the whole then soaked in water and stirred about till the salt is supposed to have been extracted from the charcoal and ashes. The liquid is then boiled, as at Abai, in large iron pans purchased from the Chinese. The village of Menggatal contained about a hundred houses scattered among the trees, and in the centre was the residence of Pañgeran Madoud, tolerably well built of thick posts and plank walls. We found chairs and tables had already penetrated to this secluded spot, and the Pañgeran was not a little proud of being able to receive us in European fashion. He was at the period of our first visit about forty, tall, and with rather a pleasant, quiet countenance; but having little strength of character, was willing to enter into intercourse with the pirates, if by so doing he could gain anything. He had, in fact, just purchased from them a trading prahu, which they had captured north of Labuan, after having killed two of the Bornean crew, who were his own countrymen. Like all the other chiefs, he attempts to monopolize the trade of his district, and thus reduces it to a minimum. While we were conversing, there came in a party of the Ida’an, whose young chief had a very intelligent countenance, broad-shouldered, with his waist drawn in as tightly as he could; over his breast he wore strings of cowrie shells, and round his loins neatly-worked rattan rings, and on his neck a brass collar open at the side, enabling him to take it off with ease. Their baskets were filled with hill tobacco for the Pañgeran, who is said subsequently to have so oppressed the neighbouring villages of Ida’an, that they threatened to attack him, and being rather timid, he retired before the storm. Building their houses at Gantisan on freshly cleared jungle, the Malays suffered severely from fever; the whole population is said to have been attacked, of whom many died.