Yasin was a young man, pale, with a dissipated look, but quiet and pleasant in his manners. He was clothed in a short dark cloak with arms, a dress peculiar to the people on this coast, half Chinese, half European. We entered into conversation on various subjects, but principally about piracy and his recapture of the English schooner. Of this he gave the following account. That having heard there was a ship off the entrance of the river, he made inquiries of a Lanun who had just come up to the village. The man said the schooner was his; afterwards he wished to make out he had captured it from the Spaniards, but the Tuanku being informed that it was an English vessel, endeavoured to seize the Lanun, but he resisted and escaped into the jungle, persuading the Portuguese cook and a Lascar to follow him. The Tuanku then sent down a strong force to retake the schooner, which he succeeded in doing; the only men who showed resistance were two Lanuns, whom he put to death for killing the white men; the Sulus he could not kill, as that might have excited the resentment of the Sulu rajahs. He brought the vessel up the river, and put a strong guard in her, fearing the Lanuns would return, Memadam, of Tungku, having threatened to come back and recapture the schooner. All present made great complaints of Tungku and other pirate places, saying it was impossible to carry on their trade in safety. Tuanku Yasin had only lately come to Benggaya from Labuk river; he intended opening a new country; he would have lived on the sea coast, but feared piratical attacks. Such was the account he rendered. He furnished us with supper, cooked by my servant, Ali; omelettes, stews, sliced sweet potatoes, rice, soup, which we enjoyed, and a bottle of wine made the meal complete. Tuanku Yasin had unfortunately taken to opium, and this drug is doubtless the cause of his dissipated look. When I asked him whether we were the first Europeans he had met, he smilingly answered no, he had seen them once before. I afterwards found he had been a backer of Sherif Usman’s, and had defended the Maludu forts with great bravery, being the last man to quit the guns, and then only when the English force had cut away the boom and penetrated to the defences. About one we intimated a desire to retire, and a comfortable raised sleeping place was provide for us, at the end of which three young chiefs slept with drawn krises, a guard of honour, I suppose, over us. Some of the people had never seen a white face before, and the town was in alarm, fearing all the sailors were about to ascend.