The most powerful pirates of the present time are the Lanuns of Magindanau, and those who in Borneo reside on the streams flowing to the southern shore of Cape Unsang. It is at these latter stations that the Lanuns generally rendezvous. Mr. Wyndham describes these pirates as very fine men, brave, fierce, never giving quarter to Europeans, and cruising in vessels ninety feet long, propelled by from 100 to 120 oars. He had himself seen many of them at Sugh. The above are the largest class, most are much smaller. The Lanuns of Magindanau, it is well known, live on an extensive lake, with a very narrow entrance; and are still very powerful, no sufficient force having ever attacked them. They continue their piratical pursuits to this day, though they appear to be gradually withdrawing from the north-west and north coasts of Borneo. One of these marauders came to Mr. Wyndham, and, in selling his brass gun to him, said that since the English have been settled at Labuan, there are so many steamers about, it was no use pirating; so he sold his brass gun and returned home. Mr. Wyndham told us he had once a narrow escape from them. He was sailing as mate to a Spanish brig near Wette, with the captain and most of the crew unwell. There was a light breeze blowing, when he sent a man to the mast-head to look out. Presently he shouted--“A prahu in sight--two, three, four; I cannot count them, sir.” Mr. Wyndham immediately went aloft with his spy-glass, and reckoned at least thirty-eight large prahus. Guessing who they were, he thought the bold course the best; and, getting the captain on deck, they dressed in some old uniform and walked up and down the poop; then bore down upon the pirate prahus, and, coming between the two largest, each of the same size as the brig, they observed their guns carefully covered up with mats, and but few men on deck, though they could see others peeping out from under the native awning. Mr. Wyndham immediately began questioning them; they said they were traders. He answered, “We have heard of some pirates down here, and are come to look for them.” They assured him they had seen none, and requested permission to keep him company, for protection, to Makasar, to which port they said they were bound. He answered, they might if they could keep up with him. A breeze sprang up, and the brig went ahead, and towards evening were clear of them all. A calm came on during the night, but in the morning the traders were no longer near, they could be seen in the distance pulling away as hard as they could. The _ruse_ had succeeded, and they all felt more comfortable, for they could not have defended their vessel ten minutes.