The 'Emily' schooner-yacht, belonging to Mr. Whitehead, of Singapore,
being expected from thence, Captain Keppel sent a boat lent by Mr.
Brooke, called the 'Jolly Bachelor,' fitted with a brass six-pounder
long gun, and with a volunteer crew of a mate, two midshipmen, six
marines, and twelve seamen, and a fortnight's provisions, under the
command of the Second Lieut. Mr. Hunt, to cruise off Cape Datu. Mr.
Douglas, who spoke the Malayan language, volunteered his services.
After being out five days, all hands being overcome with fatigue,
they had dropped an anchor close to some rocks, and had fallen
asleep. Just as the moon was about to rise, Lieut. Hunt happening to
awake, observed a savage brandishing a kris, and performing his
war-dance on the little deck, delighted at the ease, as he supposed,
with which he had got possession of a fine trading-boat. The
lieutenant's face, unsurmounted by a turban, gave the first
intimation to the savage of his mistake. He on this plunged
overboard, and before Lieut. Hunt knew whether or not he was
dreaming, or could rouse up his crew, a discharge from three or four
guns, and the rattle of the various missiles with which they were
loaded, convinced him there was no mistake. As the men were lying
down, no one was hurt; but on jumping on their legs, they found
themselves pressed by two large war-prahus, one on each bow. To
return the fire, cut the cable, man the oars, and back astern, was
the work of a moment. The men fought as British seamen always do:
the deadly aim of the marines prevented the pirates from reloading
their guns. The Illanun prahus are built with strong bulwarks or
barricades, grape-shot proof across the fore part of the boat,
through which ports are formed for working the guns. When these
bulwarks were cut away by round-shot from the 'Jolly Bachelor,' the
musketry, grape, and canister told with fearful effect. In the mean
time the prahus had been pressing forward to board, while the 'Jolly
Bachelor' backed astern; but as soon as this service was achieved,
the men dropped their oars, and seizing their muskets, dashed on: the
work was sharp but short, and the slaughter great. While one
pirate-boat was sinking, and an effort was being made to secure her,
the other effected her escape by rounding the point of rocks, where a
third and larger prahu, hitherto unseen, came to her assistance, and
putting fresh hands on board, and taking her in tow, succeeded in
getting off, although chased by the 'Jolly Bachelor.' The other
being set on fire, blew up and sunk. The captured boat, when
boarded, presented a dreadful sight, filled with the mangled forms of
the dead and dying.