_28th._--Went with the watering-party, but were unable to penetrate far, on account of heavy rain and the incivility of the natives, who waved us back. No answer, as yet, from the sultan. _30th._--Landed at the watering-place, where the mountaineers were assembled at a sort of market, bartering, buying, and selling. We walked about a little, and then returned to the beach, where we were surrounded by some scores of men, women, and children from the mountains and neighbourhood; the former are said to be of a different race, but we saw little signs of it. The women, on the whole, are better-looking than the Malays, and some of the little girls were quite pretty; they are civil enough, but anxious to know our business. In the afternoon we went to an audience with the sultan. Having landed at Mr. Wyndham’s, who led us by a long shaky platform to the shore, where we found numbers of armed natives assembled, an officer from the sultan led the way along a broad rough road with a high stockade on the left, and houses on the right. We passed in, through ever-increasing crowds, to a market-place, where the women were selling fowls, fish, and vegetables, till we came to a creek, over which a rude bridge took us to the palace. Before crossing, we observed a large brass 24-pounder showing through an embrasure. The stockade continued on the left, until we passed a large gate, where on a green were assembled some hundreds of men, armed with muskets, spears, heavy Lanun swords, and krises, and defended by shields, and some brass armour, and old Spanish-looking helmets. The audience hall was on the right, and the house of prayer on the left. The crowd opening, we mounted some steps, and crossing a verandah thronged with armed men, found ourselves in the presence of the sultan. The audience hall is large, but perfectly bare of ornament, as all their valuable silks and hangings were packed up, and mostly sent to the hills, on account of an absurd report spread by the mate of the Spanish brig we found anchored near, which, when we came in sight, began to get under weigh, and stand out to sea. On being questioned by the Chinese passengers, he said that we had given him notice to get out of the way, as we were about to bombard the town. The rumour having spread, the natives packed up their valuables, and spent the night in carrying their goods off to the hills, and in removing their women and children. This caused the suspicious behaviour of the people, and what tends to keep up their apprehensions a little is that the Spanish brig has not yet returned to her proper anchorage.