Ascent of the left-hand river to the Stabad.--Remarkable cave
in the Tubbang.--Diamond works at Suntah.--Return.--Infested
by Dyak pirates.--A meeting of prahus, and fight.--Seriff
Sahib's treatment of the Suntah Dyaks.--Expedition against the
Singe.--Their invasion of the Sigos, and taking heads.--The
triumph over these trophies.--Arms and modes of war.--Hot and
cold council-houses.--Ceremonies in the installation of the
Orang Kaya Steer Rajah.--Meeting of various Dyak tribes.--Hostile
plans of Seriff Sahib, and their issue.--Resolves to proceed to
Borneo Proper.
The next portion of Mr. Brooke's Journal details another excursion
up the country, and then proceeds to describe the early incidents of
his infant government. As he advanced on his way, affairs began to
assume more important aspects; and yet they could hardly be painted
with greater force or interest than in his simple notes.
"_April 25th._--Ascended the left-hand river, in order to introduce the
Kunsi Simbock to their new territory; passed the night on a pebbly
bank; moon at full, bright and unclouded, tinging the luxuriant
foliage, and glancing on the clear rapid stream. Four distinct and
distant races met on this lonely and lovely spot--English, Chinese,
Malays, and Dyaks! What a scope for poetry and reflection--the time,
the clime, the spot, and the company!
"_26th._--After our morning meal and bath, entered the small river
Stabad, which, according to report, runs from a source two or
three days' journey further into the interior. At present it is so
obstructed by fallen trees, that we were forced to return, after
ascending about four miles. We left our boats near its entrance,
and walked to the small but steep mountain, Tubbang. Its length may
be about 400 feet. After mounting, by a winding path, about half-way
up toward the top, we arrived at the entrance of a cave, into which
we descended through a hole. It is fifty or sixty feet long, and the
far end is supported on a colonnade of stalactites, and opens on a
sheer precipice of 100 or 150 feet. Hence the spectator can overlook
the distant scene; the forest lies at his feet, and only a few trees
growing from the rock reach nearly to the level of the grotto. The
effect is striking and panoramic; the grotto cheerful; floored with
fine sand; the roof groined like Gothic, whence the few clear drops
which filter through form here and there the fantastic stalactites
common to such localities. The natives report the cave to be the
residence of a fairy queen; and they show her bed, pillow, and other
of her household furniture. Within the cave we found a few remnants
of human bones; probably some poor Dyak who had crawled there to die.
"Having finished our survey of the place, and wandered sufficiently
about the mount, we reembarked, and dropped a short way down the
river, and started again into the jungle to look for antimony ore,
but without success, our guide having forgotten the road. After a
couple of hours' wandering, the latter part in a heavy storm of rain,
we reached the boats; and I thence ascended to Suntah, where we were
all glad to house ourselves, as the deluge continued.
"_27th._--I will say nothing of my works at Suntah, except that they
run away with my money, are badly conducted by my Chinese hadji,
and, above all, that I have great reason to suspect the integrity
and steadiness of this said hadji. I must therefore make up my mind
either to change him when the business is finished, or to watch him
very narrowly; for the honesty of a diamond-worker, like the virtue of
Caesar's wife, must be above suspicion, or he must be watched closely;
but how?
"_28th._--Descended the river, and, arriving at Sarawak, found
both work and cause for inquietude. The rajah had heard of Dyak
pirates, and dispatched four boats, two large and two small: the
Snake, weakly manned by the Tumangong's people, and the rest led by
Pangerans (who neither work nor fight) and a wretched crew, chiefly
Borneons. Mr. Crimble, taking my servant Peter and four Javanese,
went most imprudently in the second of the large boats. The whole,
being dispatched in haste (foolish haste), insufficiently provided
in every respect, may fall into trouble, and involve me in very
unpleasant circumstances.
"The other cause for uneasiness is the attack of a Chinese boat at the
mouth of the river. The boat that attacked her is a small one, with
eight or ten men, which came out of Sadong, and had been lying here
for a week or more. She is commanded by a Pangeran named Badrudeen,
has some Illanuns on board, and is bound on a piratical cruise. As she
descended the river, she met with the small China boat, likewise from
Sambas, with eight men, which she treacherously assailed, desperately
wounding one man and severely another; but the China boat's consort
heaving in sight, the pirate pulled away. I must redress this, if it
be in my power; and have ordered the Datus to gather men to follow
the rascals, as it is probable they will be lurking not far from
hence. In the mean time it gave me great pain dressing the hurts of
these poor Chinese, one of whom I think must die, being cut along the
back and side--across the body from the side nearly to the backbone,
a ghastly gaping wound, beside having his arm slashed through. The
other man is very severely, and perhaps, without medical attendance,
mortally, hurt, having his arm half cut through at the muscular
development between the shoulder and elbow--poor fellow! I must say
for the Chinese, they seem very grateful for any attention shown them.
"_29th._--My birthday. Men collected, and to-morrow we start for
Telang Telang. This morning, much to my relief, our fleet returned,
after an encounter with thirteen Dyak boats. About one o'clock
on the 28th, pulling into a bay between Morotaba and Tanjong Poe,
they came unexpectedly on them. One Borneon boat had lagged behind;
the Pangeran who commanded deserted the second, and sought refuge with
the Tumangong, trying to induce him to fly; and the crew of the third,
a large boat with my two Europeans on board, was, by their account,
in a state of fear, which totally incapacitated them from acting. All
rose, none would pull; all shouted, none would serve the guns; all
commanded, none obeyed; most were screaming out to run; all bellowing
out, in hopes of frightening the enemy; none to direct the helm. The
Tumangong, with only seventeen men in all, insisted on advance;
and the Borneons, encouraged by threats from the Europeans, and the
good example of the Javanese, did not fly. The two boats opened their
fire; the Dyaks retreated in confusion and alarm: but from the tumult,
the noise, and the rocking of the boat, Mr. Crimble could only fire
three times with the bow six-pounder carronade, and from other guns
loaded with grape and canister, while the rascally Borneons never
fired at all. The Dyaks suffered loss, and left behind them clothes,
rice, fish, cooking-pots, swords, &c.; and, considering the state
of the Borneons, it was lucky the dread of our prowess put them to
flight so easily. Crimble assured me that, with a Siniawan crew, he
could have destroyed half their force. The Dyaks behaved very well,
pulling off with great steadiness and without noise.
"_June 20th._--The events of the month may be compressed into a
narrative comprising the internal and external.
"The internal state of the country is decidedly improving
and flourishing, and bears the aspect of gradually increasing
prosperity. Justice has been strictly administered. Robberies, which
a few months ago were of nightly occurrence, are now rarely heard of;
and that vile intriguing to make poor people slaves, from debt or
false claims, is entirely stopped.
"The people who had scattered at the close of the war have been
collected, and are building their houses a short way up the river
at the Campong Jekiso, which, when finished, will be a neat-looking
village.
"The Pangeran Macota is intriguing; but as he is sure to do that,
it need not be insisted upon.
"Muda Hassim is true and agreeable, and entirely reconciled to the
Patingi and Tumangongs; so far, indeed, nothing can be better than
our internal state: there is peace, there is plenty; the poor are
not harassed, and justice is done to all.
"The Dyaks of the interior are improving and content, and gaining
courage daily to complain of any wrong that may be offered them. To
the sena, or forced trade, I have almost put a stop, by confiscating
the goods wherever met with; and this plan once acted on, the Dyaks
have not been slow to bring me bundles of bidongs (Dyak cloths),
iron, and the like.
"The tribes that continue unsettled are the Suntah and Singe: the
affairs of the latter I will mention hereafter.
"Suntah has been for a long time under the government of Seriff Sahib
of Sadong, and through his _paternal_ charge has dwindled away from
four hundred to fifty or sixty families. Shortly after my assuming the
reins of government, he dispatched (according to custom) a mixed party
of Malays and Dyaks, and falling on my helpless tribe of Sanpro, killed
some, and carried away twenty women and children into captivity. I was
not strong enough to resent the injury; but wrote him a strong letter,
demanding the women, and telling him he was not to send, under any
pretext, into my country. The women I did not get; but I heard that
the communication frightened him: for, of course, they deem I am
backed by all the power of my country. While the Royalist still lay
here, I heard that his people were raising the revenue from the Suntah
Dyaks; but it must be remarked, that the Suntah are on the edge of my
territory, having left the former location. As this was done in the
face of my caution not to intermeddle without my consent, I resolved
at once to put the matter to the issue; and having armed four boats,
went up and seized all the rice and padi collected for my neighbors'
use. The Suntah Dyaks were and are alarmed to a pitiable degree;
for they fear Seriff Sahib with good reason; and yet my being on the
spot gave them no option of evading my demand. Thus the matter was
brought to a crisis; and having taken the revenue (as it was called)
for the poor Dyaks themselves, I shall be able to keep them from
starvation, to the verge of which, so early in the season, they are
already reduced. The Dyaks remain unsettled; but I am now in hopes of
bringing them to the interior of the Quop, which is further within our
own territory. Muda Hassim wrote to Seriff Sahib to tell him the Dyaks
were no longer his, but mine; and Seriff Sahib, sore-hearted, conspired
against us, and held for some time a higher tone than his wont.
"I shall now narrate my proceedings at the mountain of Singe,
from which I have just returned. The mountain, with its groves of
fruit-trees, has been already described; and as a preface to my present
description, I must particularize the circumstances of the Dyak tribe
of Singe. The tribe consists of at least 800 males, the most ignorant,
and therefore the most wild, of the Dyaks of my country; and, from
their position, they have never been overcome or ruined, and are
therefore a rich community, and proportionately independent. Their
old chief is by name Parembam, and the Panglima, or head-warrior, his
younger brother, by name Si Tummo. These men have for a very long time
ruled this tribe; and the elder has certainly acquired from the Malays
a portion of cunning and intrigue, and lost the general simplicity of
the native Dyak character. He is unquestionably a man of ability. His
sway, however, on the mountain has for a long time been unpopular;
and a large proportion of the people, dissatisfied with his extortions,
have been attached to a younger chief, by name Bibit. Some time past,
finding it impossible to manage this old chief, Parembam, and being
convinced that the change might readily be made, I called Bibit, and
made him chief, or Orang Kaya of the tribe. Parembam neither was nor is
inclined to give up his authority without a struggle; and though the
mass adhere to the new chief, by title 'Steer Rajah,' yet Parembam's
long-established customs, his great wealth, and his talents, render
him a dangerous old man to the younger leader. One quality, however,
Parembam is deficient in, as well as his brother the Panglima, and
that is _bravery_; and on this much depends in a Dyak tribe. Steer
Rajah, on the contrary, has always been renowned in war, and is the
envied possessor of many heads. The Dyaks have among them a fashion
which they call bunkit, or vaunting; for instance, in the present
case Steer Rajah and Parembam dared each other to go on excursions
to procure heads, _i. e._ against their enemies--this is bunkit. One
of Steer Rajah's followers went accordingly, and quickly procured the
head of a hostile warrior far out of my territory; and on the return
of the party, Parembam in turn sent forty men to Simpoke, which is
a tribe attached to Samarahan, and on our immediate border. Close to
the Dyaks of Simpoke live a party of the Sigo Dyaks, who belong to me;
and this party of Parembam's, confounding friends and enemies, killed
some of the Sigo Dyaks--how many is not certain. The Sigos, taking
the alarm, cut off their retreat, and killed two of the Singe Dyaks;
and many beside were wounded by sudas and ranjows, and, all broken,
fled back to their own country. Thus, though they obtained five heads,
they lost two, and those belonging to their principal warriors. This
news reaching me, I hurried up to the hill, and arrived just after
part of the war-party had brought the heads.
"I may here remark, that I have positively forbidden the Dyak tribes
within my territory to war one upon the other; and this, therefore,
was a serious offence against me on the part of Parembam. At once to
aim at more than this restriction would be fruitless, and even risk
my ability to effect this first step on the road to improvement. I
likewise came up here to go through the ceremony of installing the
Orang Kaya Steer Rajah in his office; and thus I have had an excellent
opportunity of seeing their customs and manners. What follows will
be a personal narration, or nearly so, of what I have seen; and it
applies, with slight difference, to almost all the interior tribes.
"On our ascending the mountain, we found the five heads carefully
watched, about half a mile from the town, in consequence of the
non-arrival of some of the war-party. They had erected a temporary
shed close to the place where these miserable remnants of noisome
mortality were deposited; and they were guarded by about thirty young
men in their finest dresses, composed principally of scarlet jackets
ornamented with shells, turbans of the native bark-cloth dyed bright
yellow, and spread on the head, and decked with an occasional feather,
flower, or twig of leaves. Nothing can exceed their partiality for
these trophies; and in retiring from the 'war-path,' the man who has
been so fortunate as to obtain a head hangs it about his neck, and
instantly commences his return to his tribe. If he sleep on the way,
the precious burden, though decaying and offensive, is not loosened,
but rests on his lap, while his head (and nose!) reclines on his
knees. The retreat is always silently made until close to home,
when they set up a wild yell, which announces their victory and the
possession of its proofs. It must, therefore, be considered, that
these bloody trophies are the evidences of victory--the banner of the
European, the flesh-pot of the Turk, the scalp of the North American
Indian--and that they are torn from enemies, for taking heads is the
effect and not the cause of war. On our reaching the Balei, or public
hall, of the Orang Kaya Steer Rajah, I immediately called a number of
their chiefs together, and opened a conference with them on the subject
of Parembam having attacked and killed the Dyaks of Sigo. They _all_
disapproved of it most highly, asserting that the Sigos were their
younger brothers; that no sufficient cause had ever existed; that
Parembam had acted badly, and must pay to purchase _peace_. Were they,
I asked, willing to force Parembam into payment? They were. Would
they insist on the heads being restored to the Sigos, and receive
those of their own people? They would!
"It may be observed, that their causes for war, as well as its
progress and termination, are exactly the same as those of other
people. They dispute about the limits of their respective lands; about
theft committed by one tribe upon another; about occasional murders;
the crossing each other on the war-path; and about a thousand other
subjects.
"When a tribe is on a warlike excursion, it often happens that their
track (or 'trail') is crossed by another tribe. Those who strike the
trail guard it at some convenient spot, apprehending the party to be
enemies; they plant ranjows in the path, and wait till the returning
party are involved among them to make an attack. If enemies, and they
succeed, all is well; but if friends, though no attack be made, it
is a serious offence, and mostly gives occasion to war if not paid
for. The progress of the contest consists in attacking each other
by these surprises, particularly about the time of sowing, weeding,
and cutting the rice-crops. When one party is weaker, or less active,
or less warlike than the other, they solicit a peace through some
tribe friendly to both, and pay for the lives they have taken: the
price is about two gongs, value 33 1/2 reals, for each life: thus
peace is concluded. This is the custom with these Dyaks universally;
but it is otherwise with the Sarebus and Sakarran. But Sarebus and
Sakarran are not fair examples of Dyak life, as they are pirates as
well as head-hunters, and do not hesitate to destroy all persons they
meet with.
"Parembam, having been called before me, declared that these heads
belonged to the Simpoke Dyaks, and that they had not attacked the
Sigos. As I was not quite certain of the fact, I thought it unjust
to proceed against him till I had stronger proof.
"On the following morning the heads were brought up to the village,
attended by a number of young men all dressed in their best, and were
carried to Parembam's house amid the beating of gongs and the firing
of one or two guns. They were then disposed of in a conspicuous place
in the public hall of Parembam. The music sounded and the men danced
the greater part of the day; and toward evening carried them away
in procession through all the campongs except three or four just
about me. The women, in these processions, crowd round the heads as
they proceed from house to house, and put sirih and betel-nut in
the mouths of the ghastly dead, and welcome them! After this they
are carried back in the same triumph, deposited in an airy place,
and left to dry. During this process, for seven, eight, or ten days,
they are watched by the boys of the age of six to ten years; and
during this time they never stir from the public hall--they are not
permitted to put their foot out of it while engaged in this sacred
trust. Thus are the youths initiated.
"For a long time after the heads are hung up, the men nightly meet
and beat their gongs, and chant addresses to them, which were rendered
thus to me: 'Your head is in our dwelling, but your spirit wanders to
your own country.' 'Your head and your spirit are now ours: persuade,
therefore, your countrymen to be slain by us.' 'Speak to the spirits of
your tribe: let them wander in the fields, that when we come again to
their country we may get more heads, and that we may bring the heads
of your brethren, and hang them by your head,' &c. The tone of this
chant is loud and monotonous, and I am not able to say how long it is
sung; but certainly for a month after the arrival of the heads, as one
party here had had a head for that time, and were still exhorting it.
"These are their customs and modes of warfare; and I may conclude by
saying that, though their trophies are more disgusting, yet their
wars are neither so bloody, nor their cruelties so great, as those
of the North American Indian. They slay all they meet with of their
enemies--men, women, and children; but this is common to all wild
tribes. They have an implacable spirit of revenge as long as the war
lasts, retort evil for evil, and retaliate life for life; and, as I
have before said, the heads are the trophies, as the scalps are to the
red men. But, on the contrary, they never torture their enemies, nor do
they devour them; and peace can always be restored among them by a very
moderate payment. In short, there is nothing new in their feelings,
or in their mode of showing them; no trait remarkable for cruelty; no
head-hunting for the sake of head-hunting. They act precisely on the
same impulses as other wild men: war arises from passion or interest;
peace from defeat or fear. As friends, they are faithful, just, and
honest; as enemies, blood-thirsty and cunning, patient on the war-path,
and enduring fatigue, hunger, and want of sleep, with cheerfulness and
resolution. As woodmen they are remarkably acute; and on all their
excursions carry with them a number of ranjows, which, when they
retreat, they stick in behind them, at intervals, at a distance of
twenty, fifty, or a hundred yards, so that a hotly-pursuing enemy gets
checked, and many severely wounded. Their arms consist of a sword, an
iron-headed spear, a few wooden spears, a knife worn at the right side,
with a sirih-pouch, or small basket. Their provision is a particular
kind of sticky rice, boiled in bamboos. When once they have struck
their enemies, or failed, they return, without pausing, to their homes.
"To proceed with my journal. My principal object in coming up the hill
was, to appoint the Orang Kaya Steer Rajah as the chief, beside Pagise
as Panglima, or head warrior, and Pa Bobot as Pangeran, or revenue
officer. It was deemed by these worthy personages quite unfit that
this ceremony should take place in the public hall or circular house,
as that was the place wherein the heads are deposited, and where they
hold councils of war.
"With the Dyaks, all council is divided into hot and cold; peace,
friendship, good intentions, are all included under the latter
head--war, &c., are under the former. Hot is represented by red, and
cold by white. So in everything they make this distinction; and as the
public hall is the place for war-councils and war-trophies, it is hot
in the extreme, unfit for friendly conference. A shed was therefore
erected close to the Orang Kaya's house, wherein the ceremony was to
take place. About nine in the evening we repaired to the scene; loud
music, barbarous but not unpleasing, resounded, and we took our seats
on mats in the midst of our Dyak friends. A feast was in preparation;
and each guest (if I may call them such) brought his share of rice
in bamboos, and laid it on the general stock. As one party came up
after another, carrying their burning logs, the effect was very good;
and they kept arriving until the place and its vicinity was literally
crammed with human beings. A large antique sirih-box was placed in
the midst; and I contributed that greatest of luxuries, tobacco.
"The feast, in the mean time, was in preparation, some of the
principal people being employed in counting the number who were to
eat, and dividing the bamboos into exactly equal portions for each
person. About six inches were allotted to every man; and it took a
very long time to divide it, for they are remarkably particular as
to the proper size and quantity to each share. The bamboos of rice
being, however, at length satisfactorily disposed, the Orang Kaya
produced as his share a large basin full of sauce, composed of salt
and chilis, and a small stock of sweetmeats; and then the ceremony
of his installation commenced as follows:
"A jacket, a turban, a cloth for the loins, and a kris (all of
white) were presented to the chief as a token of sejiek dingin,
or cold, _i.e._ good. The chief then rose, and, taking a white
fowl and waving it over the eatables, repeated nearly the following
words:--(The commencement, however, is curious enough to dwell upon:
the opening is a sort of invocation, beginning with the phrase,
'Samungut, Simungi.' Samungut is a Malay word, Simungi signifying
the same in Dyak; the exact meaning it is difficult to comprehend;
but it is here understood as some principle, spirit, or fortune,
which is in men and things. Thus the Dyaks, in stowing their rice at
harvest, do it with great care, from a superstitious feeling that the
Simungi of the padi will escape. They now call this principle to be
present--that of men, of pigs (their favorite animal), of padi, and
of fruits. They particularly named my Simungi, that of my ancestors,
of the Pangeran from Borneo, of the Datus and of their ancestors,
and of the ancestors of their own tribe. They call them--that is,
their Simungi--to be present. They then call upon Jovata to grant
their prayer, that the great man from Europe, and the Datus, might
hold the government for a length of time)--'May the government be
cold' (good); 'May there be rice in our houses;' 'May many pigs
be killed;' 'May male children be born to us;' 'May fruit ripen;'
'May we be happy, and our goods abundant;' 'We declare ourselves to
be true to the great man and the Datus; what they wish we will do,
what they command is our law.' Having said this and much more, the
fowl was taken by a leading Malay, who repeated the latter words,
while others bound strips of white cloth round the heads of the
multitude. The fowl was then killed, the blood shed in a bamboo,
and each man dipping his finger in the blood, touched his forehead
and breast, in attestation of his fidelity. The fowl was now carried
away to be cooked: and when brought back, placed with the rest of the
feast, and the dancing commenced. The chief, coming forward, uttered
a loud yell ending in 'ish,' which was oftentimes repeated during
the dance. He raised his hands to his forehead, and taking a dish,
commenced dancing to lively music. Three other old chief men followed
his example; each uttering the yell and making the salute, but without
taking the dish. They danced with arms extended, turning the body
frequently, taking very small steps, and little more than lifting
their feet from the ground. Thus they turned backward and forward,
passed in and out of the inner rooms, and frequently repeating the
yell, and making the salutation to me. The dish, in the mean time,
was changed from one to the other: there was little variety, no
gesticulation, no violence; and, though not deficient in native
grace, yet the movements were by no means interesting. The dance
over, the feast commenced; and everything was carried on with great
gravity and propriety. I left them shortly after they began to eat,
and retired, very fagged, to my bed, or rather, to my board; for
sitting cross-legged for several hours is surely a great infliction.
"I may add to this account that, while writing it, the Dyak land-tribes
of Siquong, Sibaduh, and Goon, sent their deputies to me. These people
are not under any Malay government, and it is now for the first
time they have trusted themselves as far as Sarawak. They have an
objection to drinking the river-water, and expressed great surprise
at the flood-tide. Their confidence is cheering to me, and will,
I trust, be advantageous to themselves. Their trade in rice is very
considerable: and toward Sambas they exchange eight or ten pasus of
rice for one of salt.
"Our conference was pleasing. They desired protection, they desired
trade. 'They had all heard, _the whole world had heard_, that _a
son of Europe_ was a friend to the Dyaks.' My visitors drank Batavia
arrack with great gusto, declaring all the time it was not half so
good as their own; however, at a pinch anything will do. Some other
Dyaks met these strangers; they were not adversaries, and so they
chewed sirih, and drank grog in company; but among enemies this may
not be: they can neither eat nor drink in company without desiring
a reconciliation. I may add, that the Siquong tribe consists of at
least four hundred families, with forty public halls, or baleis,
for heads. A Dyak family cannot be estimated at fewer than twelve
people, which will give four thousand eight hundred or five thousand
people. Sibaduh and Goon may be about seventy-five families: beside
these, Si Panjong and Sam Penex want to come in to me, which will
give one hundred and one more families. What might be done with these
people, if I had a little more power and a little assistance!
"I was going to close my account of the Dyaks; but I had scarcely
penned the last sentence when a large party of Singe Dyaks and
five Dyaks of Sigo arrived--thus all these enemies meeting. In
the conference which followed, the Singe allowed they were wrong in
attacking Sigo, and laid all the blame on the old chief, Parembam. They
likewise allowed it to be just that Parembam should be forced to pay,
and conclude a peace. With the Goon and Sibaduh Dyaks they had long
been at enmity; but they agreed to make peace if Sibaduh would pay
two gongs, formerly demanded, as the price of peace. The Sibaduh,
however, did not allow the justice of the demand; but the parties were
reconciled so far as that each promised to maintain a truce and to eat
together: and the Singes declared they would not attack the Sibaduhs on
account of the two gongs, but obtain them in a friendly conference. I
have (being hurried) briefly mentioned these circumstances, which took
a long time to settle, as the Dyaks are very fond of speechifying,
which they do sitting, without action or vivacity, but with great
fluency, and using often highly metaphysical and elegant language. It
was a great nuisance having fifty naked savages in the house all night,
extended in the hall and the anterooms. They finished a bottle of gin,
and then slept; and I could not avoid remarking that their sleep was
light, such as temperance, health, and exercise bestow. During many
hours I heard but one man snore, while half the number of Europeans
would have favored me with a concert sufficient to banish rest.
"I shall now briefly mention our _foreign policy_ for the last
few months.
"For a time we were annoyed with incessant reports of their coming to
attack us in force; but, though scarcely believing they would be bold
enough, I took precautions, pushed on the completion of our boats,
built a fort, and made a fence round the village. These precautions
taken, and fifteen boats in the water ready for action, I cared very
little, though the news reached me that Byong, the Sarebus chief,
had hung a basket on a high tree which was to contain my head.
"_Sadong._--Our relations with Seriff Sahib were very unsettled;
and by the bullying tone of the people of Singe I thought it probable
he might be induced to measure his strength, backed by the Sakarran
Dyaks, against us. I have already mentioned his attack upon my Dyaks of
Sanpro, and the second dispute about the Suntah Dyaks; in the first of
these he came off with impunity; in the second I met him with success,
and out-manoeuvered him, and wrested the Dyaks from him. Shortly after
the transactions at Suntah, a boat of Sakarran Dyaks came to Sarawak
nominally _to trade_, but in reality to tamper with the fidelity of the
Datus and others. They proposed to the Tumangong to join Seriff Sahib,
stating that they were sent by him to try all the people here. 'They
had been ruined here; Seriff Sahib would restore them their property;
and if they left Muda Hassim, James Brooke, and the Chinese, they
could afterward easily make a prey of the Dyaks and Chinese, with
Seriff Sahib's assistance, and get plenty of slaves.'
"The plan proposed for the removal was as follows:--Seriff Sahib,
with forty Malay boats, and the Sakarrans with one hundred boats,
were to request permission from Muda Hassim to attack the Dyak tribe
of Siquong, and under this pretence were to come up the river, when
the Datus were to join, with their wives and children, and all were to
take flight together. The Tumangong told me this as soon as he heard it
himself; and, to make sure, I sent Patingi Gapoor to fish their story
out of them, which he did most successfully. Being assured of the fact,
I called the Dyaks, and, before some dozens of our people and one or
two persons from Singe, taxed them with their guilt. They were obliged
to confess, and insisted upon it that Seriff Sahib had sent them,
&c. Many urged me to put these Dyaks to death; but the reluctance we
all have to shedding blood withheld me, and I had no desire to strike
at a wren when a foul vulture was at hand. I dismissed the emissaries
scot-free, and then both Muda Hassim and myself indited letters to
Seriff Sahib, that of Muda Hassim being severe but dignified. Before
they were dispatched, an ambassador arrived from Singe with letters
both to the rajah and myself, disclaiming warmly all knowledge of the
treachery, swearing _the most solemn_ oaths in proof of his truth, and
declaring that, so far from having committed so shameful an action,
he had never even dreamed of such a thing in his worst dreams, as
he hoped that God would save him. Our letters were sent before his
ambassador was received, and a second disclaimer, like the first,
quickly reached us. Of course it was my policy, whatever my opinion
might be, to receive his offers of friendship and to believe all he
said; and, therefore, the matter ended, and ended so far well, that
Seriff Sahib lowered his former tone; and, certainly, whatever he may
desire in his heart, or _dream_ of, he wants to be well with us here,
and, I can see, fears us. I am content, because I really wish for
peace, and not war; Muda Hassim is content, because he has humbled
Seriff Sahib, and acted decisively; and the seriff is content as the
fiend in the infernal regions. I leave it to all gentle readers to
form their own opinion of his truth or treachery; but I must hint to
them my private opinion that he did send agents to tempt, and would
have gained the Datus if he could; and as for his oaths, my belief
is, he would swear a basketful of the most sacred before breakfast to
support a lie, and yet not lose his appetite! The Datus were too old,
and knew him too well, to be caught in his trap.
"Seriff Sahib has now sent a fleet of boats up the Sarebus river;
but the result I do not yet know.
"To conclude our foreign policy, I must mention Borneo Proper.
"My great object is to reconcile Muda Hassim and the sultan, and
to restore the former to Borneo, before the coming of Mr. Bonham on
his diplomatic mission. To effect this, I have resolved to proceed
myself; and Muda Hassim, equally anxious, has letters and two of
his brothers ready to accompany me. If we can gain this object, I
shall be firmly established, and relieved from the intriguing, mean,
base Borneons. And it will be an advantage to the government measure,
in as far as they will be enabled to form their arrangements with all
instead of a single faction of the Borneo Pangerans. From all I hear,
Muda Hassim is more powerful than either the sultan or Pangeran Usop;
and if he appeals to arms, I am assured he will carry his point,
and become the sovereign of Borneo virtually, if not nominally.
"The Royalist now waits for us at the mouth of the river, which
I hope to reach on the 14th, this being the 12th July. Heigh for
the sea once more! But yet, though I go, I take my cares with me,
and but for the necessity, the absolute necessity, of bringing the
Borneo question to a crisis, good or bad, I would fain stop where I
am. For even during one short month's absence I fear my poor people
will suffer from the intrigues of the rascally Borneo Pangerans. In
this I do not include Muda Hassim, who, with a most amiable private
character, and with integrity and good faith, desires to do right,
as far as his education and prejudices will permit. It is sad to
reflect that this very prince, who really wishes to do good, and to
conduce to the comfort of his people, should, from want of energy,
have been so fearful an oppressor, through the agency of others; and
it is not here alone that vile agents for vile purposes are plentiful."