Early on the following morning I despatched two of the boats, with a portion of my party, to Wokan, and at eight o'clock, by which time a large number of prahus had collected around the brig, I also departed in a third boat, accompanied by M. Dielwaart, under a salute from our guns. The large number of prahus, with which the chiefs accompanied us, presented a very imposing appearance. As we approached Wokan, a salvo was fired from a one-pounder gun, which we had in the boat, and on stepping ashore we were received with military honours by the twenty-eight armed European seamen who had preceded us, which, doubtless, made a proper impression on the Orang Kayas who awaited us on the beach. We now proceeded to the fort, from which shots were occasionally fired, while the people welcomed us with loud shouts of joy. Especial homage was paid to M. Kam, who subsequently arrived from Wama, as soon as he had stepped on shore; the schoolmaster, and a number of young men and women assembled around him, and commenced the twenty-fifth psalm, singing which they accompanied him until he arrived among us. They then placed themselves respectfully behind the clergyman, and after the psalm was finished they rested awhile, and prepared to commence another; but as I wished to finish my affairs as soon as possible, and at the same time was desirous of avoiding giving offence to the Mohammedan chiefs who were present, I requested them to defer it to another occasion. The Christian inhabitants of these parts take great delight in singing psalms, and they practice much: they know many of them by heart. Their respect for the Bible is also very great, and they preserve the portions of scriptures, which they formerly received, with as much care as if they were costly jewels. This betokens a strong inclination and capacity on their part to increase their acquaintance with our religion, and this trait in their character may, with a little attention, be made a powerful instrument in improving their condition. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 28: The pearls obtained were chiefly sent to Japan.--_Ed._] [Footnote 29: This large tree bears a yellow nut, which, when stripped of its husk and pounded, is mixed up with cotton and simmered over the fire in an iron pan, until it becomes an oily pap. Strips of cocoa-nut leaves, or small sticks of bamboo, are steeped in this, and thus formed into flambeaux, which give a clear light and are used by the islanders instead of candles.] [Footnote 30: Our useful countryman, G.H. Werndly, cannot be sufficiently praised for his Malayan translation of the Old and New Testament, and also of several psalms, which he has rendered into Malayan verse.] CHAPTER XII. THE ARRU ISLANDS.