During many years the Siamese have been making annual excursions into the Malay Peninsula, apparently for no other purpose than to procure slaves…. Two junks arrived in the river during my stay. The decks of the junks could not contain these miserable captives, and platforms were erected on the outsides of the vessels for the purpose of affording greater space. These unfortunate creatures were tied hand and foot during the voyage in order to prevent them from throwing themselves overboard. Which many would have done had they been at liberty to do so. …. During the few days of their detention … numbers of them, particularly the children, died from want of food, and from the horrible state of disease which prevailed ….
