The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-12-12
CAPTURED BY MALAYS.

ing vessels hailing from that port were
long overdue from the Java sea, and that
there were grave reasons to fear they had
fallen into the hands of the Malays. Such
a statement has an odd sound to the reader
who is not well posted in the locality and
its surroundings. The Java sea, which
separates Borneo fro Java, contains over
thousand islands, great and small. Mac
assar straits, to the east of Borneo, con-
tainS almost as many more. From Bat
avia, looking north, the Chinese sea is
studded with islands for two thousand
miles. 1t is an old saying among sailors:
when Nature created Borneo she meant
that every man who ever lived on the island
should be pirate"
That four-fifths of the coast people have
for the last 200 years been engaged in this
business, no one doubts The Malays hold
the sea front, while the Dyaks and other
tribes holds the interior. While piracy by
organized fleets no longer exists, every Ma
lay craft stands ready to do business on its
own hook. | was captured by n single
craft, and small one ut that, and will
now give you the particulars.
The English firm of Warner g. HILL at
Batavia, employed three or four small
trading schoonerS to cruise among the isl
ands after fine woods, furs shells, hides,
roots, dyestuffs, etc. was left in Batavia
off an English steamer, my father having
died on the voyage, and the firm spoken of
gave me birth on the Orient, one of their
schooners. She was of ninety tons burden,
and carried a captain, mate, cook, two
foremost hands and a boy.
The captain STOOL his watch turn and
turn about, and the cook was on call as
sailor. This gave us three hands to
watch, which made handling the craft an
easy matter. We took out axes, matches,
powder, lead, hoes, seeds, shoes and vari-
GUS trinkets, and more or less money, and
as an armament we had seven or eight good
muskets. This was my third trip, and we
left Batavia for al island called Anello.
This is situated about forty miles south of
the southeast point Of Borneo and at that
time was an island containing about 200
people. We reached it after pleasant run,
and for the next week were anchored in a
bay on the north side. In this time we had
secured about half cargo, and at the end
of the week were ready to up anchor and
sail for another island to the south
The king of Anello wanted to prove his
friendship for us, and therefore made
w WHICH were IUNlIeu. NO
doubt all would have gone, but that after
noon l accidentally cut my foot, and it
panied me so much that begged to remain
aboard as shipkeeper. All others went
ashore at shutdown. We lay within 200
feet of the beach, ard the village was right
there. Several large fires were built, and
could see and hear almost everything. 1t
was a warm, balmy night, and after
while lay down on deck, and despite the
noise on shore went to sleep. When /
opened my eyes again some one was tying
my wrists, having already neatly per-
formed that job on my ankles As tried
to sit up received q smart tap on the head
from club, and a voice which knew be
longed to Malay warned me to lie quiet.
had picked mp enough of the lingo to IN
derstand what he meant, and rs | caught
sight of five or six other figures on deck,
and also realized that the schooner was in
motion, lay back and kept quiet
The craft was in the hands of the Malays.
They had sneaked into the harbor under
cover of darkness, cut her hempen cable.
and she had drifted out with the tide She
must have been a mile off shore when |
awoke, for they now proceeded to get her
head around and give her all sail In about
an hour the leader of the gang approached
me and cast off my bonds, and motioned
me into the fo'castle | was glad enough
to go, for was in a terrible fright. had
seen Malays about Batavia often enough,
but had been told that the real residents of
Borneo were a cruel and savage lot, and
that an Englishman unfortunate enough
to fall into their hands could hope for no
mercy.
Therewas a fine and favorable breeze,
and the fellows on deck knew how to han
die the craft. She was kept going all
night, and so clustered was that my eyes
did not shut for a minute. About O'Clock
in the morning we ran into harbor on
the south side of the island of Laut, which
is on the southeast coast of Borneo, and
separated from the mainland by narrow
channel. AS the anchor went down l was
ordered on deck. We were in land
locked harbor, and not over 100 feet off the
beach. Right opposite was large village,
and several hundred people had rushed
down to the shore to yell and cheer. A
dozen sampans were soon alongside, and
into one of these | was placed and taken
ashore. A white man was no great curios-
ity to the natives, even at that day, and |
was scarcely noticed as l was conducted
through the crowd to hut in the center
OF the village. There was only mat hang
ing at the door, but they well knew that
no guard was needed to keep me there.
1t was noon before they gave me any
thing to eat or drink, and then L was told
that l might walk about the village if
desired. l didn't care to take advantage
of this offer, but sat in the door of my hut
and saw them haul the schooner ashore
and land her cargo. There were over two
hundred men engaged about her. While
some broke out the cargo others went
stripping her of sails and cordage. Before
dark there was nothing left but bare
hull and two masts. The bowsprit and
topgallant masts were sent ashore, and
everything was taken out except the bal
last. don't think they left II foot of rope
or chain, and every board or beam they
could get at was taken away. The last
thing was cutting away the masts. Soon
after they went overheard the hull floated
off the sand, and they then towed her out
of the hay and scuttled her.
AS fast as the cargo was landed it was
taken TO two large storchouses in the CEN
ter of the village, and had our captain ar
rived at shutdown in pursuit of his craft he
wolld have found nothing whatever on
the beach to tell him what had occurred.
About dark woman brought me food
and drink, and seeing that was in pain
with my foot she brought water and