Went on shore at the watering place; had a short walk and a delicious bathe. I roughly measured the circumference of the big tree, and as I have elsewhere stated, it was above forty feet in circumference. In the evening we landed in order to have a farewell interview with the sultan. It was quite a private meeting; a few people only followed us who saw us land; and when we arrived at the sultan’s palace we found that he was in a small house, the residence of his young wife. While waiting, I looked about the place; all showed symptoms of decay. Near us was the skeleton of an old gaol fallen to pieces, and farther the timbers of the residence where the late sultan had died; for it is a custom of theirs never to dwell in a house where a great man has expired. Presently a couple of the datus joined us in our walk, and proceeding over a small stream along a roughly raised boarded path we reached the little dwelling of his bride. We found the sultan resting on a bed filling nearly half the room. Taking off our shoes, we mounted, and reclined on numerous pillows brought by the attendants. After a few minutes’ conversation, a sort of window at the head of the raised platform was opened to allow the sultan’s ladies to obtain a sight of the English visitors. Their room was too dark for us to see more within it than a few dim shadows, and their candles give so imperfect a light, that I could not clearly distinguish the features even of those women who came to the door; they appeared to have fat, laughing faces. Some more of the datus arriving, conversation became very animated, and their inquiries were very numerous with regard to European affairs and European discoveries. This was a little interrupted by the arrival of chocolate and cakes, with some spirit like spiced aniseed, and by the sultan’s frequent puff of the opium pipe with a barrel as thick as a large bamboo and a brass bowl. About five inches from the end this bowl had a small centre hole, in which, with infinite trouble, the sultan introduced the drug. They all appeared remarkably friendly, and said if we would only come and spend a little time there after the rice crop was in, they would take us up to the mountains to hunt deer on horseback; or if we liked a change, we might go shooting, or do anything we pleased. I should in truth have liked very much to spend a month in Sulu. We stayed till about ten, and then shaking hands with all, left the house. On the whole, I was greatly pleased with these people; they appeared manly, and not too cunning. We returned to Mr. Wyndham’s house, and remained a short time with him. He was a shrewd man, entirely self-educated, and appeared anxious to assist us in every way. His leaning, as I have observed, was towards the Spaniards, but the natives had such a determined hatred both to the Dutch and Spaniards, that he could not alter their disposition.