You've got money invested with Ah Sing in two proas that are handling that end of the business.
None have such swift proas as they, and none can follow them into their lair, for only the Sadong pilots know the intricacies of that channel.
He remembered the heavy guns on the proasand his face became whiter still.
But the price they pay is the surrender of their strong men to row the proas of their masters, the pirates.
The armor doesn't probably reach very low, and some of these proas are poorly built.
If the crew laughed, the Malays did not, and when the captain of one of the proas was struck by a rocket, both crafts rested oars and came no nearer.
A little breeze came up and the brig drew away from the pirates, leaving the two proas to pick up those Malays from the water that the sharks had missed.
As she passed along with her train of proas between our house and the ship, she was saluted by several cannon from the ship, and by musket-shot from the shore.
There come to this place many junks from Jauby, laden with pepper, and several small proas belonging to this place trade with Banda; so that some mace and nutmegs are to be had here.
But with what instruments they make their proas or carved work I know not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron.
Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by us; and the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to the other, where there could not be less than three or four hundred more.
They have very neat paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, and make great way through the water.
The natives lay in their proas round us; to whom I showed beads, knives, glasses, to allure them to come nearer.
These had proas made of one tree, well dug, with outriggers on one side; they were but small, yet well shaped.
There may be fifty canoes full of them in the reeds, and proasflying here almost.
As we looked down the river we could see all the houses in a blaze, and here and there people running off into the woods, while we made out half a score or more of the dark proas stealing up along the shore.
Just then one of their proascaught fire, and sent up such clouds of smoke that for some time, as we were near her, we could not be seen.
As soon as it was daylight I went aloft, and saw the proas the same distance off that they had been at nightfall.
While we were just shoving off, a dozen or more of these proas came round us.
While turning into the harbour under Spanish colours, one of the proas came under our stern, in which were two Spaniards, who came on board in consequence of being assured that we were friends.
Fifty islands are said to be tributary to this king, who sends his proas once a year to gather their stated tribute, which consists in slaves, every island giving him ten inhabitants out of every hundred.
While running along the shore of Guam there came several flying proas to look at us, but run past with great swiftness, and none of the people would venture on board.
The Stronagu, as they are called, are bold navigators and traders, their proas making long and hazardous voyages in all the adjacent seas to exchange commodities with other tribes.
The trading proas of the Stronagu are permitted to enter certain ports, but when one arrives she must anchor at a little distance from shore.
In the morning Captain Woodward again waited on the Rajah, and begged to be sent to Macassar; telling him that the Governor had sent for them, who would stop all his proas at Macassar if he detained them.
As they approached the shore they saw twoproas full of natives, who immediately put themselves in a posture of defence.
They passed many towns and saw many proas within the harbors.
On the 28th of March, six Malay proas came in and were soon followed by others, their owners soliciting permission to erect their establishments for curing trepang under the protection of the British flag.
The number of Malay proas that visit this part of the continent, would also furnish facilities for the escape of convicts from the neighbourhood of Port Essington.
On the beach two Macassar proas were hauled up to repair, and their crews had erected houses, similar to those at Arru, for the purpose of carrying on their trade.
Captain Robbins, Mr. Kite, bear a hand up; the bloody proas are aboard us!
Just as the sun set, however, the horizon became clear, and we got a sight of two small sail, seemingly heading in toward the coast of Sumatra, proas by their rig and dimensions.
It seems two of the last had been ordered in the fire, when we saw the proas at sunset; and they were now in excellent condition for service, live coals being kept around them all night by command.
The proas tacked, too, and, laying up much nearer to the wind than we did, appeared as if about to close on our lee-bow.
On the forecastle, it appeared to us all that we should be boarded in a minute, for one of the proas was actually within a hundred feet, though losing her advantage a little by getting under the lee of our sails.
We were no sooner clear of the proas than the order was given, "Ready about!
The proas saw there was no time to lose, and attempted to close before we could fill again; and this they would have done with ninety-nine ships in a hundred.
The proas did not alter their course, but neared us fast.
I felt vexed, even while touched with the fellow's attachment and self-devotion, but had no time to betray either feeling before the crews of the proas gave a yell, and discharged some fifty or sixty matchlocks at us.
By this time the ship was on a wind, steering a good full, while the two proas were just abeam, and closing fast.
Proas in that quarter were usually distrusted by ships, it is true; but the sea is full of them, and far more are innocent than are guilty of any acts of violence.
The largest of these proas belonged to Raga, who received by the fleet of proas, in which I came, his regular supplies of arms and ammunition from Singapore.
The proas returned to the point, and I was given to understand I might go on shore in safety.
The chief of this last has seventy or eighty proas fit to undertake piratical expeditions.
The western coast of Celebes, for about 250 miles, is absolutely lined with proas belonging principally to three considerable rajahs, who act in conjunction with Raga and other pirates.
The Malay piratical proas are from six to eight tons burden, and run from six to eight fathoms in length.
We had not, however, to wait long, for the proas left Bowen's Strait the next morning, and crossed the bay to the westward.
It is carried to Timor and sold to the Chinese, who meet them there; and when all the proasare assembled, the fleet returns to Macassar.
One of the proas soon afterwards passed by with Dutch colours displayed, to which its crew repeatedly pointed, at the same time hailing us in an unintelligible jargon, of which Macassar and Trepang were the only words that were distinguished.
The presence of a fleet of Malay proas in the roads has been before mentioned; it had just returned from an unsuccessful voyage on the south coast of Timor in search of trepang.
A fleet of Malay proas were lying at anchor in the bay, and two small trading vessels were in the river, one of which was undergoing a repair that was very creditable to the shipwrights of this place.
On preparing to weigh the next morning, four Malay proas were observed steering across the bay out of an opening which trends round the south head of Palm Bay, and which proved to be a strait communicating with Mountnorris Bay.
On approaching it, however, we were surprised with the sight of the Malay fleet steering through Macquarie Strait, towards two of their proas that had already anchored in a sandy bay on the South-West side of Sims' Island.
Their sailing proas for this purpose have outriggers generally to windward, above the water, on which, one or more men are placed, to move occasionally further from or nearer to the vessel as the wind freshens or slackens.
We have no sailing-boats equal to the flying proas of of the South Seas, no rowing or paddling-boat equal to that of the Greenlanders for swiftness and safety.
There had been five proas when the first gun was fired, but before we had reloaded one had disappeared, and there was shouting and confusion in one of the others.
There are five or six proas coming towards us, sir, and we have reason to believe that the canoes on shore are all launched and ready to attack us.
A canoe, if the men take pains with their paddling, will come within a hundred yards of you before you hear them, but as the proas row oars, you can make them out a long way off on a still night like this.
Two of the proas ceased rowing altogether, and some of the oars of the other dropped into the water and hampered the efforts of those who still continued to row.
The three proas were within fifty yards of us when he gave the order, and the eight guns poured their contents into the crowded decks.
There was way enough on the proas to bring them all alongside, but either the men at the steering oars were all killed or they had lost their heads, for, instead of bringing them up alongside, they simply came up bows on.
Captain,’ Purvis said in a loud voice, ‘Pinder and I have come to tell you that the proas are within a mile of us, and to ask you to take the command and fight the ship.
Train them so as to take the proas between wind and water,’ the captain said; ‘then run the port guns back to their places; we shall be attacked on that side directly.
When amongst the English Company's Islands, a fleet of proas was met with, fishing for trepang.
After the description, certainly a very imperfect one, of the Ladrones, which now follows, the author gives a curious account of the proas or prows so much used among them.
The barque happened at the moment to be lying with her head pointing about south-east; these proas were therefore broad upon our larboard beam, and they were the first objects that met my sight.
We had unwittingly run down one of the proas that had essayed to attack us.
In the evening I sent my boat round the point, where they observed a town, with a junk riding close by the shore, and several proas fishing.
Next day another boat was observed coming towards the shore from the same ship; and, on the king being informed of this, he gave immediate orders for twenty proas and corracorras to be manned and launched.
We did so accordingly, and they brought pepper off to us in proas as fast as we could conveniently weigh it, and continued to do so till we had got about 200 bahars.
They came over to Puloroon in the night with proasand corracorras.
For my part, I was surprised one of theproas did not get down his throat, his grin being wide enough, during the whole affair, to admit of the passage of a two-decker.
It was still early, when the proas were near enough to commence serious operations.
Just as the sun set, however, the horizon became clear, and we got a sight of two small sail seemingly heading in towards the coast of Sumatra, proas by their rig and dimensions.
We were no sooner clear of the proas than the order was given, "ready about!
The pirate proas are vessels of considerable size, upwards of 60 feet in length and 12 in beam; though, as they draw scarcely four feet of water, they can run up into shallow rivers and escape.
The towns of Pandassan and Tampassuck, notorious haunts of Illaun pirates, were destroyed by Captains McQuhae and Mundy, and numerous piratical proas captured, sunk, or burnt.
Commander Farquhar seeing two large proas escaping seaward, ordered the steam-tender to chase.
Did she scour the Pacific, competing with the Malay proas which still infest it?
But fifty miles could be easily crossed, either by Malay proas or by the large Polynesian canoes.
A score of native proas manoeuvring at a distance singly or by twos caused Roger to call up the watch and prepare for any eventuality; but they vanished as silently as they had appeared.
With knives between their teeth, men from the proas on my right and left boarded the ship by the chains, by the rail, by the bulwark.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "proas" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
