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Updated: July 16, 2025
Probably the sultan knew no better. As we were very short of water, we now made sail for Sooloo, and fell in with the Sooloo prahu, which had been sent to us as a pilot, and which we had never seen since she went up the river Panti before us. She had been waiting for us outside, and the people were very much pleased at finding us, as they feared being taken by the pirates of Tawee-Tawee.
This group of islands is inhabited by a fierce and warlike race, bearing in their personal appearance a strong resemblance to the Malays, although the two languages differ materially from each other. Great Sooloo, the residence of the sultan, is very mountainous. Many of the mountains are wooded to the summit, while others are covered with patches of cultivation.
The frigate was chiefly engaged in capturing Malay and other piratical craft, which at that time swarmed in those seas. She had just taken a large proa, with a villainous crew, and lay at anchor in a channel between Mindano and one of the Sooloo islands. The prize was anchored a short distance astern, most of her crew having been removed, while a guard was placed over the remainder.
But, notwithstanding all the insecurity of life and property, the Chinese annually resort to Sooloo in pursuit of gain, and occasionally as many as eight small vessels are seen there at a time, during the busy seasons, for trade, just after the changes of the monsoon.
Truly it was a pity to see the good deeds of the Balanguinguy expedition burlesqued by these ridiculous pageants. The lesson then taught the Sooloo chiefs did not, however, linger long in their memories; for their old habits of piracy, and kidnapping people for slaves, were resumed almost so soon as the Spaniards returned to Manilla.
Upon these occasions, surrounded by his post-captain sa-traps each of whom in his own floating island is king the Commodore domineers over all emperor of the whole oaken archipelago; yea, magisterial and magnificent as the Sultan of the Isles of Sooloo.
Mr Hooker, however, after our greetings were over, told us that as Tanda had been on the sea-shore, collecting shell-fish as a variety to their repast, he had seen, at no great distance from the land, several prows, which, from their build and general appearance, he was sure were those of Sooloo rovers, or perhaps pirates from the coast of Borneo.
Up to the present we know little of it except its coasts and a portion of its rivers; but it is here that our principal attention must be given, as in its rivers and the island of Sooloo the chief piratical hordes exist.
Saying this he sprung into the rigging and ascended to the fore-topgallant mast-head. When he came down, I asked him what he had seen. "A fleet of Malay craft, of some sort or other, there is no doubt of it," he answered. "They may be honest traders; but they may be Illanon pirates from Sooloo, on the coast of Borneo, bound on some plundering expedition.
Wyndham, who has settled at Sooloo, has already sent a vessel to trade on the south-east side of the island, near Gonong Tabor. So much for the southern portion of this immense archipelago. We have still to examine the more northern.
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