prahus

"Wonderful country; all palm-trees and jungles, and full of rivers and creeks, where the long row-boats, as they call prahus, runs up."

Middy and Ensign George Manville Fenn 1870

The reason is that, owing to the steep hills at the back of the site, there is little available flat land for building on, and, moreover, the pushing Chinese trader always likes to get his shops as near as possible to the sea -- the highway of the "prahus" which bring him the products of the neighbouring rivers and islands.

British Borneo Sketches of Brunai, Sarawak, Labuan, and North Borneo 1884

We met several palm-trees floating with their roots and some of their fruits above the water, like those we saw yesterday evening out on the Malacca Straits, looking like crowded Malay prahus with tattered mat-sails.

The Golden Chersonese and the way thither Isabella Lucy 2004

Europe discharging cargo into lighters, Malay prahus of all sizes but one form, sharp at both ends, and with eyes on their bows, like the Cantonese and Cochin China boats, reeling as though they would upset under large mat sails, and rowing-boats rowed by handsome, statuesque Klings.

The Golden Chersonese and the way thither Isabella Lucy 2004

Now, Chinese junks, Malay prahus, a few Chinese steamers, steam-launches from the native

The Golden Chersonese and the way thither Isabella Lucy 2004

The Leper Island looked beautiful in the dewy morning with its stilted houses under the cocoa-palms; and the island of Pinang, with its lofty peak, dense woods, and shores fringed with palms sheltering Malay kampongs, each with its prahus drawn up on the beach, looked impressive enough.

The Golden Chersonese and the way thither Isabella Lucy 2004

When 1 told him about the prahus he stared blearily into the dimming darkness and sniffed the breeze.

The Gates of Noon Rohan, Michael Scott, 1951- 1992

But the shot wasn't flying anywhere near us; the other prahus were standing off and cannonading the monster crocodile.

The Gates of Noon Rohan, Michael Scott, 1951- 1992

'We had enough trouble with three or four prahus\ How the hell could we face a dozen?

The Gates of Noon Rohan, Michael Scott, 1951- 1992

Those prahus must be laden to the bloody gunwales!

The Gates of Noon Rohan, Michael Scott, 1951- 1992