July, 1849.
The efforts of Sir James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, to establish a
peaceable and commercial community on the coasts of Borneo, had been
greatly impeded by the sanguinary onslaughts of bands of pirates, who
massacred or led into captivity all who came in their way, burning
their ships and villages, and committing the most horrible
barbarities.
The season when those worst of barbarians, the pirates of the Indian
seas, commence their operations having arrived, and their fleets
being known to be at sea, an expedition was prepared to chastise
them. The force consisted of Her Majesty's brigs 'Albatross' and
'Royalist,' H.E.I.C. steamer 'Nemesis,' and the steam-tender 'Ranee,'
under the orders of Commander Farquhar. To these was joined a native
flotilla under Rajah Brooke. The force took up a position across the
mouth of the Sarebas River, the inhabitants of which district were
known to have been marked out for massacre. In this position they
remained until the evening of the 30th, when tidings were brought
that the pirates had attacked Palo, and after threatening destruction
to the inhabitants unless they supplied them with salt, had gone to a
river named Si Maring, where they were then lying. On the evening of
the 31st, the 'Ular,' one of the scout-boats, arrived with the
intelligence that the pirate fleet was advancing in full force. In
about 15 minutes all were in motion to meet them, the 'Nemesis'
proceeding seaward to command them, and prevent their escape to sea.
As soon as she was descried by the pirates, they made at once for the
Kaluka River, where their progress was intercepted by the native
boats, and those commanded by Lieutenants Welmshurst and Everest.
The pirates then, as a dernier resort, made a dash to reach their own
river, when they came in immediate contact with the men-of-war boats,
and the action became general. It was now dark, and the great danger
was that of firing into each other, or into the native allies. The
pass-word selected was "Rajah," and the Malays screamed this out at
the top of their voices when they thought any of the Europeans were
near them. Commander Farquhar, who directed the operations, was in
the midst of the _mêlée_, giving orders, and exhorting the crews of
the various boats to be careful and not to fire into each other. Two
large prahus were seen by the Commander escaping seaward, and the
steam-tender was ordered to chase; the nearest one, having barely
escaped one of her six-pounder rockets, made for the river, and met a
pirate's doom. The 'Nemesis,' which had been dealing death and
destruction to all around her, ran her down, and the scene which took
place, as her crew, above 60 in number, came in contact with the
paddle-wheels, was fearful. A large Congreve rocket from, the little
steamer entered the prahu that had continued out to sea, and rendered
her destruction complete. A signal was now made to close.
A rapid running fire was kept up along the margin of the bay, which,
having gradually subsided at half-past 12 on the morning of the 1st
July, Commander Farquhar ordered the boats of the various vessels in
tow; and having sent the 'Ranee' with despatches to Sir James Brooke,
then in some part of the Kaluka River, commenced the ascent of the
Sarebas, to prevent the escape of the pirates by the Rembas branch.
At daylight the bay was one mass of wreck; shields, spears, and
portions of destroyed prahus extended as far as the eye could reach,
whilst on the sandy spit which extends a considerable distance
seaward, on the left bank of the Sarebas, were upwards of 70 prahus,
which the natives were busy clearing of all valuables and destroying.
The punishment inflicted on these fierce barbarians was most
complete. Of 120 prahus which are said to have started on the
expedition, and all of which were in the bay on the preceding
evening, more than 80 were destroyed, and the loss of life on their
side must have been immense--scarcely under 1,200 men. On the part
of the British, saving a few slight casualties, all were unscathed.
No more convincing proof of the inhuman disposition of the pirates
need be cited than the fact, that the bodies of women were found on
the beach decapitated and gashed from the shoulder to the foot.
These are supposed to have been captives taken by the pirates in the
expedition from which they were returning. The force having
rejoined, sailed up the river, and destroyed a piratical town, some
villages and war-prahus; they then passed up the Rejang River, and
severely chastised the natives, who were known to be addicted to
piracy. Some prisoners were secured, among whom was a child
apparently of European origin. In other districts hostages were
taken for the future peaceable demeanour of the inhabitants. It was
hoped that this severe example would check their piratical habits
effectually, and give an opportunity to the nascent civilization of
those regions to develop itself. Nevertheless the occurrence gave
rise to severe animadversions at home, and it was represented in some
quarters as an unjustifiable massacre, dictated by motives personal
to Sir James Brooke.