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Here, while off their guard and carousing on shore, the brig was attacked, and she was seized. The assailants were Illanons from Sooloo, the boldest pirates of the Archipelago. She thought she should have died through fear when they rushed into the cabin.
"At first I thought they were approaching their homes, and they might be Bornean pirates from the west coast; but I have now no doubt that they are Illanons from Sooloo. They more nearly answer the descriptions I have had of the latter; but, as you know, my cruising has been more to the south and to the eastward, so that I have not fallen in with them." All night long we lay in perfect silence.
They had also long sharp knives called parangs, spears, and shields, in addition to the fire-arms, which they procure where they can find them. Reaching the mouth of the river without interruption, we stood out to sea. The prahus were now so deeply laden that the Illanons were anxious to return as fast as possible to their own country.
The Illanons, who are well accustomed to discern the various classes of vessels, and to know their armaments, that they may avoid catching a Tartar, were of our opinion. The stranger was to windward, so that they would have had but small chance of escaping, even by attempting to pull up in that direction.
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