Kotta mara
Kotta mara is used in riverine warfare, as an armed vessel or simply a blockhouse or fortification to prevent enemy advance in the river.
[7] The kotta mara with bastion, like the one seen by Jacob Jansz de Roy, is constructed from wooden logs of various size and diameter.
It is rectangular in shape, with various size from as small as 5 Netherland ell (3.5 m) long to as large as to "fill the entire space of river passage".
[6] The wall of the fort is double; the outer covering consists of vertical, slight inwardly sloping trees which, placed against each other, are forming a parapet of nearly 5 Nd.
However, the 4 main posts of the building had already been carved in the shape of a man with an exceptionally large nose, mouth with sharp teeth, and the lower part of the body ending in the tail of a caiman.
[12] There was enough room inside the building for about 50 people, however the operation of the artillery must have been difficult, since the braces and struts crossed each other frequently, but everything bore the signs of solid construction.
ells (0.63–0.7 m) Average draft: 6 Rijnland feet (1.884 m) According to W. A. van Rees, the kotta mara has been known by the Banjarese for centuries.
The first kotta mara encountered by European is from 1691, being mentioned in the book "Hachelijke reys-togt van Jacob Jansz de Roy na Borneo and Atchin, in sijne vlugt of Batavia derwaards ondernomen in het jaar 1691 en vervolgens" as floating water castle (drijvend Water-Kasteel).
According to Ahmad Barjie the kotta maras were ordered by Raden Jaya Anum of Middle Kapuas, also known as Juragan Kuat.
On those occasions, the Celebes came to Pulau Petak and steamed (27 July) with the Tjipanas to the Sungai Kayu to stop the Banjar plan by an offensive act.
Steamship Celebes then steamed the Kapuas river to Palangka on 5 August, without finding any trace of a benting (Malay fort) or hostility anywhere.
Second class sea lieutenant W. Steffens was sent in armed barkas[Note 1] on exploration, between Pulau Kanamit and the shore by rowing.
After about half an hour, the officer returned and announced that the barkas had come across a kotta mara that filled the entire space of the passage, that large masses of people on that fortification had curiously stared at the barkas, without starting hostilities, and that it might be possible to get the Celebes backwards in the passage to shoot the kotta mara with the aftside 30-pounder cannon.
The armed barkas Ardjoeno, under the command of sea Lieutenant Clifford Kocq van Breugel, protected the troops, and exchanged some rifle and cartridge shot with the enemy hiding in the undergrowth.
[16] The enemy shot guns on the sloops, but hastily left the fortification as soon as the steamship Celebes started to cooperate with the rear middle cannon.
