As we were nearly on the parallel of a deep bay, which occurs on the eastern coast of this island, and in the S.W. extremity of which the Spanish settlement of Tai-tai is situated, I conceived the idea of endeavouring to effect a communication with that place by making a journey across the island; which, if accomplished, would give me a good insight into the topography of the country, &c. Fortunately for my plan, I fell in with a native, from whom it appeared that it was quite practicable. He readily enlisted himself as our guide; but to take the shortest route across, and prevent the necessity of sleeping in the jungle, it was requisite to go in a boat and disembark at a place called Pancol, distant about twenty miles.

Accordingly the following morning a party left the ship at daybreak, with three days' provisions; and after a long pull arrived at Pancol about noon.

Pancol is the second Spanish settlement on the coast, and contains a population of 50, exclusive of women and children. It is situated on the eastern shore of an extensive sound, (lat. 10° 53′ N.,) and bears E.N.E. from the high table land of Malampaya.

Here we were told we could shorten our journey by pulling five miles further in a south-easterly direction, and disembarking at the head of a mangrove creek, running well in to the body of the island; but if we did not care about passing the night in the jungle, we could start at once for Pancol. We adopted the former, and arrived at the point of debarkation at 8 P.M., leaving our boat to take shelter for the night at a stockade that commanded the entrance of the creek.

After wading through a swamp entangled by mangrove-roots, we emerged into somewhat clearer ground, and then soon came upon a foot-path. This, however, was difficult to preserve, owing to the thickness of the underwood. Ultimately we gained a clear path, which led in a south-easterly direction through an open tract of country; then bending to the eastward, it passed over some rising ground and took the direction of the dry bed of a rivulet between two ranges of hills. The soil in the body of the island is of a sandy description, and the long coarse grass, which is so perplexing to the clearers of land at Singapore, grows in luxuriance here.

The highest point ascended crossing the island, was 110 feet above the level of the sea. We arrived at Tai-tai at sunset, very much to the astonishment of some of our former acquaintance, who immediately recognized us. We were received with the greatest hospitality by the Spanish authorities, some of whom we had seen when we visited the place last year.

They informed us that their gun-boat squadron had been engaged with four piratical prahus in the neighbourhood of Tae-boo-loo-lu, the latter being the aggressors, which resulted in the total defeat of the pirates; but with a loss on their side of one gun-boat and her crew, blown up.

We left Tai-tai the following day at noon, and returned by the same route.

On our arrival at Pancol, at 5 P.M., we found the village in a state

of excitement from a report brought by one of their own boats that seven large pirate prahus were in the neighbourhood. Being twenty miles from the ship, and weather unfavourable, we abandoned the idea of proceeding further that night. The report of the pirate fleet also being in the neighbourhood influenced this determination, as they could be here for no other purpose than to make a descent upon Pancol, in which case half a dozen English seamen would do more to disappoint them than the whole village with their stockade and swivels put together.

We bivouacked on the beach in advance of the village for the night, the inhabitants of which, from the noise they made throughout it, relieving us of the necessity of keeping a look out. Daylight appeared and we set out on our return to the ship.

The extent of Malampaya (through which we had to pull) including the Endeavour Strait, is twenty miles in a north and south direction, and averages eight miles in an east and west. Its resources for giving security to any number of pirates, are greatly owing to the quantity of islands of various sizes contained in it, most of the shores of which are broken by mangrove creeks, the entrance being imperceptible until close to, on account of the sameness of the foliage.

We had only proceeded about five or six miles, when three boats, pulling a number of oars, were discovered steering in a direction to cut the gig off. The fact of these being the light detachment of the pirate fleet, admitted of little doubt in my own mind, and as they were evidently bent on being the aggressors, I pulled towards them, thinking the display of an English ensign might have the effect of altering their intentions, failing in which, it was my determination to become the attacking party, as I considered the moral effect would be greater, and our chance of success against such a superior force much augmented by it. This movement on my part had not the effect anticipated; they merely slackened their speed and closed upon the centre boat, in order that they might be better supported by five large prahus, which now made their appearance from behind a small island.

Their true character now became manifest. The large prahus (each carrying from 50 to 60 men, with their fighting stages erected over the rowers, exhibiting a formidable appearance) advanced in open order, in the form of a crescent, apparently with the intention of hemming us in. At this juncture we discovered the ammunition to be damp, which was owing to the torrents of rain that had fallen during the night and afternoon of our crossing the island.

Considering we were fifteen miles from the ship and the channel difficult to identify under the most favourable circumstances, I deemed it prudent to make the best of our way to the vessel, and as they were sure to follow, it would place me in a better position to effect their destruction, by opposing them with an adequate force. Accordingly we bore up, and being favoured with a light breeze, which reached the gig before it did them, we were enabled, much to our satisfaction, to widen the distance between us a little.

The chase now became general, and witnessing the effect the lofty

sails had upon the large prahus, frequently damped the hopes we entertained of reaching within sight of the vessel before they could overtake us. The pirates, seeing the advantage they were gaining, opened fire with their setahs, and followed up each discharge with a hideous yell. Their shot fell wide and beyond us. We had now arrived within three or four miles of the ship, when the pirates (probably suspecting the proximity of the vessel) suddenly lowered their sails, after nearly two hours' chase, and came to in the middle of the strait. Making the best of our way on board, the signal was thrown out-" Man and arm boats"-immediately the ship hove in sight. A short period sufficed to see the whole of our boat-force, under the command of Lieut. Pasco, retracing the gig's track, and the ship under weigh, worked by a few convalescents and boys, endeavoured to get to the southward for the purpose of blockading the only available channel known to us by which they could possibly get to sea. Light adverse winds prevented the ship from taking up the desired position until midnight, when the boats came on board, after a long pull, mortified from want of success.

At daylight the boat-force was again on the move, and we communicated with Pancol, now only nine miles distant, in hope of gaining some intelligence of the whereabouts of the pirate fleet.

The inhabitants were desired to communicate with the authorities of Tai-tai, and acquaint them with the circumstances, which, if energetically responded to, would bring the gun-boats round the north extremity of Palawan, and probably cut them off on their way to the northward, as I think our presence had the effect of driving them in that direction.

The pirate fleet (which we now left behind us, having other work on hand) was estimated to consist of 400 men, disposed in eight prahus; a force sufficient to devastate any portion of country in this neighbourhood, and consign its inhabitants to perpetual slavery.

I have entered more fully into this subject than I should otherwise have done because the impression appears to be gaining ground that there are no such persons as pirates in these seas, whereas I know both on the cast and west coasts of Palawan the people are kept in constant dread of them and I only regret the opportunity was denied me of saying to them-" Hitherto shalt thou come and no further."

access.

As the coast to the southward of Malampaya recedes and forms a deep bight very much exposed to this monsoon, we pushed on for Oolongan Bay, lat. 10° 10, and made a survey of it on a large scale. Oolongan affords excellent shelter from all winds, and is easy of The charts give very inaccurate representations of its western shore, with the exception of Mr. Crighton's; but even this gentleman appears to have greatly exaggerated the dangers in approaching the bay. The water is deep for common anchorage 18 and 22 fathoms ; but a greater drawback exists, viz., the absence of fresh water. The only spot in the neighbourhood where it can be obtained, is in Shingle Bay, seven or eight miles to the north-eastward of the anchorage, with 28 fathoms as close as it would be prudent for a ship to lay. In the S.W. monsoon it is much exposed, and the heavy swell rolling in upon

the coast, frequently renders landing impracticable. The Royalist was compelled to water in this bay, and I must say my mind was relieved when the operation was over.

We met with a disaster here which affected our surveying operations during the cruise, and will continue to do so until assistance is obtained. When climbing a small island (Three Peaks on the chart) at the entrance of the bay, the surface of which was composed of very loose rock, a portion of it gave way from under the man who was carrying an instrument, he was precipitated 30 feet, when providentially his fall was arrested by a slight projection on the edge of a cliff, one foot beyond which a perpendicular fall of 60 feet was beneath him. The instrument, which had acquired considerable momentum from the first fall, bounding over his body when in this position, was broken to pieces on the rocks below, and most of the fragments lost in the water.

There are three men belonging to Bo-quet settled about 2 miles up a small river, called Ban-ha-ly, which empties itself into the south extremity of the bay. These men compel the aborigines to collect bee'swax, and when sufficient is stored, it is sent to Bo-quet.

The eastern shore of Oolongan Bay is distant only 4 miles from the coast on the opposite side of the island; the old charts make it 14 miles. Leaving Oolongan Bay the 1st of July, and prosecuting the survey on the coast, we arrived off Long Point, on the 12th. (lat. 9° 40′.) Beyond the details of our departure nothing interesting occurred. rather remarkable incident however may be worthy of mention. The coast we had just surveyed, to all appearance was perfectly destitute of inhabitants, and it was thought we had arrived at that point where we knew a transition of races takes place; Lieut. Pasco however discovered a native from the boat when surveying, and as this was rather an unusual phenomenon, he was anxious not to lose the opportunity of communicating.

The only attire worn by the native was a dirty description of white shirt, of which he soon divested himself, for the purpose of displaying a "flag of truce." Mr. Pasco, much to his astonishment, found his own name on the article, and immediately recognised the shirt as one he had disposed of last year, when on the east coast, at Port Royalist.

We were detained several days at Long Point, riding out southwesterly gales, which was the first indication we had of the south-west monsoon. Here is a small settlement, called Apor-ru-wan, they are chiefly Boquet men, and live in scattered huts extending over a large area of ground. They cultivate rice, maize, sweet potato, tobacco, and an inferior description of cotton, of which they manufacture, and colour with native dye, the coarse cloth usually worn round their loins.

Bee's-wax and tortoise-shell are collected for exportation to Boquet. We were informed we could go to Port Royalist, but that it would take four days and nights in the jungle to accomplish the journey.

Apor-ru-wan is the last settlement of the Manila people, on this side, and it would appear the line of demarcation between the Christian and Mahommedan races, crosses the island in about this parallel. They spoke in very disparaging terms of their southern neighbours, and

told us we should not be able, after leaving Apor-ru-wan, to go about in our small boats, as we had been accustomed to do to the northward, for "there were plenty of Mooros (pirates) there." Quitting Long Point on the 19th, we arrived off Maltar-nat, lat. 9° 17' on the 2nd of August. The survey of the intermediate coast being much retarded by bad weather. Maltar-nat (or Tobagoo as it is called in the chart) is situated on the bank of a small river, which disembogues on the eastern shore of a deep bay indenting the coast in a southerly direction. It has several small islands to the N.W., and one north of it, which form anchorage in either monsoon.

The bay is difficult of access to a stranger, owing to the extensive reefs which project from the island forming the channel into it. It was our misfortune to have a foul wind in, and although on the day previous, the precaution had been taken to sound the bay, we nevertheless discovered a rock in the very centre of the channel by striking upon it.

The Sultan, as he styles himself, of Maltar-nat was exceedingly hospitable; his boats boarded us when at a considerable distance from the place, and they were very anxious that we should understand they were great friends with the English. They presented a port clearance from Labuan, and knew Sir James Brooke very well*. The sultan supplied the ship's company most bountifully with provisions, which was a welcome adjunct to their usual salt meat meals, for the whole coast is very deficient in supplies, and we never had fresh meat, &c., from the commencement to the end of our cruise.

South of the latitude of 10° the navigation of the coast is dangerous,

The influence of Sir James Brooke, had even extended to the shores of Palawan, from Borneo. Our reader is aware that this gentleman was entertained at a public dinner at the London Tavern, on the 30th of April last; on which occasion, the chairman, R. W. Crawford, Esq., read the following letter from Lieut. Pasco, an officer mentioned above, who had been compelled to leave the Royalist, for the benefit of his health.

10, Wharton-street, Pentonville, April, 30th, 1852. SIR.-Just hearing that you are to preside at the dinner to be given to him whom all honest men delight to honour, I venture to relate to you a circumstance which occurred to myself about two years since, whilst surveying the coast of Palawan (from which I have but a few days returned), which I consider a strong evidence of the moral influence the proceedings of the Rajah (Sir James Brooke) have obtained in that quarter, even beyond where he has been seen :-Landing on the eastern shore of Palawan, in a boat, with six men, in the execution of surveying duties, I was met by a corresponding number of Malays, armed, who, assuming a threatening attitude, warned me off. I told them we were English, and inquired what they were afraid of? This appeared to inspire something like confidence; when one of the party asked, "Did I know Tuan Brooke?" Replying in the affirmative, he exclaimed, "Bargoose! Tuan Brooke," or, "Very good Mr Brooke;" placing his arm on my shoulder at the same time, his confidence being fully confirmed.

It was my good fortune, a few months later, to meet a man on the same coast, named Sherriff Hassen, a native of Maludu, which was so notorious in 1845 as being a den of piracy. This man produced a paper, given him by the Rajah, certifying to his honest character, and recommending him to any Europeans with whom he might meet. The certificate was dated on board H.M.S. Maander, at Malludu, in 1848.

That His Excellency may long be spared as an instrument of Divine Providence