Later portion of Mr. Brooke's Journal.--Departure of Captain
Keppel, and arrival of Sir E. Belcher.--Mr. Brooke proceeds, with
Muda Hassim, in the Samarang to Borneo.--Labuan examined.--Returns
to Sarawak.--Visit of Lingire, a Sarebus chief.--The Dyaks of Tumma
and Bandar Cassim.--Meets an assembly of Malays and Dyaks.--Arrival
of Lingi, as a deputation from the Sakarran chiefs.--The Malay
character.--Excursion up the country.--Miserable effects of excess
in opium-smoking.--Picturesque situation of the Sow village of
Ra-at.--Nawang.--Feast at Ra-at.--Returns home.--Conferences with
Dyak chiefs.
The return to England of Captain Bethune, C.B., bringing with him a
further portion of Mr. Brooke's Journal to my charge, enables me to
afford my readers some interesting details relative to the important
events that have occurred in Borneo subsequent to my departure from
Sarawak.
"_January_, 1845.--The departure of the Dido left me sad and lonely,
for Captain Keppel had been really my companion and friend; and he
so thoroughly entered into my views for the suppression of piracy,
and made them his own, that I may not expect any successor to act
with the same vigour and the same decision. Gallant Didos! I would
ask no further aid or protection than I received from you. Sir
Edward Belcher, with the Phlegethon in company, arrived not long
after the Dido's departure, and conveyed the Rajah Muda Hassim and
his train to Borneo Proper. H.M.S. Samarang and Phlegethon visited
and examined Labuan, and proceeded thence to Ambun. Ambun is a
miserable village; and it at once gave the lie to the report of a
European female being there in captivity, for no _poor Orang Kaya_
could retain such a prize. The inhabitants of Ambun are Badjows,
and the country people or Dyaks of the interior are called Dusuns, or
villagers. I saw many of them, and they appeared a gentle mild race,
and far less warlike by account than our Dyaks. They are not tattooed,
and the sumpitan is unknown amongst them. Leaving Ambun, which is
situated in a pretty bay, we proceeded to Tampasuk, a considerable
town, inhabited by Illanuns and Badjows. This is a piractical town;
and I was informed by an Arab in captivity there that scarcely a
week passes without strife and contention amongst themselves. There
likewise I received information respecting the Balagnini, the great
pirates of these seas. They are represented as in habiting numerous
small islands in the vicinity of Sooloo: their origin is Badjow. I
apprehend there would be little difficulty in breaking their power,
and curing the propensity to piracy.
"This cruise being over, I established myself quietly at Sarawak. The
country is peaceable; trade flourishes; the Dyaks are content;
the Malays greatly increased in number--in short, all goes well. I
received a visit from Lingire, a Dyak chief of Sarebus. At first he
was shy and somewhat suspicions; but a little attention soon put him
at his ease. He is an intelligent man; and I hail with pleasure his
advent to Sarawak, as the dawn of a friendship with the two pirate
tribes. It is not alone for the benefit of these tribes that I
desire to cultivate their friendship, but for the greater object of
penetrating the interior through their means. There are no Malays
there to impede our progress by their lies and their intrigues;
and, God willing, these rivers shall be the great arteries by which
civilization shall be circulated to the heart of Borneo.
"_14th._--The Dyaks of Tumma, a runaway tribe from Sadong, came
down last night, as Bandar Cassim of Sadong wishes still to extract
property from them. Bandar Cassim I believe to be a weak man, swayed
by stronger-headed and worse rascals; but, now that Seriff Sahib and
Muda Hassim are no longer in the country, he retains no excuse for
oppressing the poor Dyaks. Si Nankan and Tumma have already flown,
and most of the other tribes are ready to follow their example, and
take refuge in Sarawak. I have fully explained to the Bandar that he
will lose all his Dyaks if he continues his system of oppression,
and more especially if he continues to resort to that most hateful
system of seizing the women and children.
"I had a large assembly of natives, Malay and Dyaks, and held forth
many good maxims to them. At present, in Sarawak, we have Balows
and Sarebus, mortal enemies; Lenaar, our extreme tribe, and our new
Sadong tribe of Tumma. Lately we had Kantoss, from near Sarambow,
in the interior of Pontiana; Undops, from that river; and Badjows,
from near Lantang--tribes which had never thought of Sarawak before,
and perhaps never heard the name. Oh, for power to pursue the course
pointed out!
"_16th._--The Julia arrived, much to my relief; and Mr. Low, a botanist
and naturalist, arrived in her. He will be a great acquisition to
our society, if devoted to these pursuits. The same day that the
Julia entered, the Ariel left the river. I dismissed the Tumma Dyaks;
re-warned Bandar Cassim of the consequences of his oppression; and
had a parting interview with Lingire. I had another long talk with
Lingire, and did him honor by presenting him with a spear and flag,
for I believe he is true, and will be useful; and this Orang Kaya
Pa-muncha, the most powerful of these Dyaks, must be mine. Lingire
described to me a great fight he once had with the Kayans, on which
occasion he got ninety-one heads, and forced a large body of them
to retire with inferior numbers. I asked him whether the Kayans used
the sumpitan? he answered, 'Yes.' 'Did many of your men die from the
wounds?' 'No; we can cure them.' This is one more proof in favor of
Mr. Crawfurd's opinion that this poison is not sufficiently virulent
to destroy life when the arrow is (as it mostly is) plucked instantly
from the wound.
"_26th._--Linn, a Sakarran chief, arrived, deputed (as he asserted,
and I believe truly) by the other chiefs of Sakarran to assure me of
their submission and desire for peace. He likewise stated, that false
rumors spread by the Malays agitated the Dyaks; and the principal rumor
was, that they would be shortly attacked again by the white men. These
rumors are spread by the Sariki people, to induce the Sakarrans to quit
their river and take refuge in the interior of the Rejong; and once
there, the Sakarrans would be in a very great measure at the mercy of
the Sariki people. This is a perfect instance of Malay dealing with
the Dyaks; but in this case it has failed, as the Sakarrans are too
much attached to their country to quit it. I am inclined to believe
their professions; and at any rate it is convenient to do so and to
give them a fair trial.
"_28th._--How is it to be accounted for, that the Malays have so
bad a character with the public, and yet that the few who have had
opportunities of knowing them well speak of them as a simple and
not unamiable people? With the vulgar, the idea of a Malay--and by
the Malay they mean the entire Polynesian race, with the exception
of the Javanese--is that of a treacherous, blood-thirsty villain;
and I believe the reason to be, that from our first intercourse to
the present time, it is the Pangerans or rajahs of the country, with
their followers, who are made the standard of Malay character. These
rajahs, born in the purple; bred amid slaves and fighting-cocks,
inheriting an undisputed power over their subjects, and under
all circumstances, whether of riches or poverty, receiving the
abject submission of those around their persons, are naturally the
slaves of their passions--haughty, rapacious, vindictive, weak,
and tenacious unto death of the paltry punctilio of their court
The followers of such rajahs it is needless to describe; they are
the tools of the rajah's will, and more readily disposed for evil
than for good; unscrupulous, cunning, intriguing, they are prepared
for any act of violence. We must next contrast these with a burly,
independent trader, eager after gain; probably not over-scrupulous
about the means of obtaining it, ignorant of native character, and
heedless of native customs and native etiquet. The result of such
a combination of ingredients causes an explosion on the slightest
occasion. The European is loud, contemptuous, and abusive; the Malay
cool and vindictive. The regal dignity has been insulted; the rajah
has received 'shame' before his court; evil counselors are at hand
to whisper the facility of revenge, and the advantages to be derived
from it. The consequence too frequently follows--the captain and crew
are krissed, and their vessel seized and appropriated. The repeated
tragedy shocks the European mind; and the Malay has received, and
continues to this day to receive, a character for treachery and
bloodthirstiness. Even in these common cases an allowance must be
made for the insults received, which doubtless on numerous occasions
were very gross, and such flagrant violations of native customs as to
merit death in native eyes; and we must bear in mind, that we never
hear but one side of the tale, or only judge upon a bloody fact. It
is from such samples of Malays that the general character is given
by those who have only the limited means of trade for forming a
judgment; but those who have known the people of the interior and
lived among them, far removed from the influence of their rajahs,
have given them a very different character. Simple in their habits,
they are neither treacherous nor bloodthirsty; cheerful, polite,
hospitable, gentle in their manners, they live in communities with
fewer crimes and fewer punishments than most other people of the
globe. They are passionately fond of their children, and indulgent
even to a fault; and the ties of family relationship and good feeling
continue in force for several generations. The feeling of the Malay,
fostered by education, is acute, and his passions are roused if shame
be put upon him; indeed, this dread of shame amounts to a disease;
and the evil is, that it has taken a wrong direction, being more the
dread of exposure or abuse, than shame or contrition for any offence.
"I have always found them good-tempered and obliging, wonderfully
amenable to authority, and quite as sensible of benefits conferred,
and as grateful, as other people of more favored countries. Of
course there is a reverse to this picture. The worst feature of
the Malay character is the want of all candor or openness, and the
restless spirit of cunning intrigue which animates them, from the
highest to the lowest. Like other Asiatics, truth is a rare quality
among them. They are superstitious, somewhat inclined to deceit in
the ordinary concerns of life, and they have neither principle nor
conscience when they have the means of oppressing an infidel, and a
Dyak who is their inferior in civilization and intellect.
"If this character of the Malay be summed up, it will be anything but
a bad one on the whole; it will present a striking contrast to the
conduct and character of the rajahs and their followers, and I think
will convince any impartial inquirer, that it is easily susceptible
of improvement. One of the most fertile sources of confusion is,
classing at one time all the various nations of the Archipelago under
the general name of Malay, and at another restricting the same term
to one people, not more ancient, not the fountain-head of the others,
who issued from the center of Sumatra, and spread themselves in a
few parts of the Archipelago.
"The French, the German, the English, Scotch, and Irish are not
more different in national character than the Malay, the Javanese,
the Bugis, the Illanun, and the Dyak; and yet all these are
indiscriminately called Malay, and a common character bestowed upon
them. It would be as wise and as sensible to speak of a European
character.
"_31st._--Started on a short excursion up the country, and slept
at Siniawan. Here I found a young Pangeran (who came from Sambas
with Mr. Hupe, a German missionary) enchained in the delights of
opium. He left Sarawak for Sambas two months since, proceeded five
hours' journey, and has since been smoking the drug and sleeping
alternately. His life passes thus: between four and five he wakes,
yawns, and smokes a pipe or two, which fits him for the labors of
taking his guitar and playing for an hour. Then follows a slightly
tasted meal, a pipe or two succeeds, and content and merriment for
another hour or two. About eight o'clock the gentleman reclines, and
pipe succeeds pipe till, toward daylight, he sinks intoxicated and
stupid on his pillow, to wake up again in due course to play again the
same part. Poor wretch! two months of this life of dissipation have
reduced him to a shadow--two more months will consign him to his grave.
"_Feb. 1st._--Started after breakfast, and paddled against a strong
current past Tundong, and, some distance above, left the main stream
and entered the branch to the right, which is narrower, and rendered
difficult of navigation by the number of fallen trees which block up
the bed, and which sometimes obliged us to quit our boat, and remove
all the kajang covers, so as to enable us to haul the boat under the
huge trunks. The main stream was rapid and turbid, swollen by a fresh,
and its increase of volume blocked up the waters of the tributary, so
as to render the current inconsiderable. The Dyaks have thrown several
bridges across the rivers, which they effect with great ingenuity; but
I was surprised on one of these bridges to observe the traces of the
severe flood which we had about a fortnight since. The water on that
occasion must have risen twenty feet perpendicularly, and many of the
trees evidently but recently fallen, are the effects of its might. The
walk to Rat, or Ra-at, is about two miles along a decent path. Nothing
can be more picturesque than the hill and the village. The former is
a huge lump (I think of granite), almost inaccessible, with bold bare
sides, rising out of a rich vegetation at the base, and crowned with
trees. The height is about 500 feet; and about a hundred feet lower is
a shoulder of the hill on which stands the eagle-nest-like village of
Ra-at, the ascent to which is like climbing by a ladder up the side
of a house. This is one of the dwelling-places of the Sow Dyaks,
a numerous but dispersed tribe. Their chief, or Orang Kaya, is an
imbecile old man, and the virtual headship is in the hands of Nimok,
of whom more hereafter. Our friends seemed pleased to see us, and Nimok
apologized for so few of his people being present, as the harvest was
approaching; but being anxious to give a feast on the occasion of my
first visit to their tribe, it was arranged that to-morrow I should
shoot deer, and the day following return to the mountain. The views
on either side from the village are beautiful--one view enchanting
from its variety and depth, more especially when lighted up by the
gleam of a showery sunshine, as I first saw it. Soon, however, after
our arrival, the prospect was shut out by clouds, and a soaking rain
descended, which lasted for the greater part of the night.
"_2d._--Started after breakfast, and after a quiet walk of about
three hours through a pleasant country of alternate hill and valley,
we saw the valley of Nawang below us. Nawang is the property of
the Singe Dyaks, and is cultivated by poor families, at the head
of which is Niarak. The house contained three families, and our
party was distributed among them, ourselves, i. e. Low, Crookshank,
and myself, occupying one small apartment with a man, his wife, and
daughter. The valley presented one of the most charming scenes to
be imagined--a clearing amid hills of moderate elevation, with the
distant mountains in the background; a small stream ran through it,
which, being damned in several places, enables the cultivator to flood
his padi-fields. The padi looked beautifully green. A few palms and
plantains fringed the farm at intervals, while the surrounding hills
were clothed in their native jungle. Here and there a few workmen in
the fields heightened the effect; and the scene, as evening closed,
was one of calm repose, and, I may say, of peace. The cocoa-nut, the
betel, the sago, and the gno or gomati, are the four favorite palms of
the Dyaks. In their simple mode of life, these four trees supply them
many necessaries and luxuries. The sago furnishes food; and after the
pith has been extracted, the outer part forms a rough covering for
the rougher floor, on which the farmer sleeps. The leaf of the sago
is preferable for the roofing of houses to the nibong. The gomati, or
gno, gives the black fibre which enables the owner to manufacture rope
or cord for his own use; and over and above, the toddy of this palm
is a luxury daily enjoyed. When we entered, this toddy was produced
in large bamboos, both for our use and that of our attendant Dyaks;
I thought it, however, very bad. In the evening we were out looking
for deer, and passed many a pleasant spot which once was a farm, and
which will become a farm again. These the Dyaks called rapack, and they
are the favorite feeding-grounds of the deer. To our disappointment
we did not get a deer, which we had reckoned on as an improvement to
our ordinary dinner-fare. A sound sleep soon descended on our party,
and the night passed in quiet; but it is remarkable how vigilant their
mode of life renders the Dyaks. Their sleep is short and interrupted;
they constantly rise, blow up the fire, and look out on the night:
it is rarely that some or other of them are not on the move.
"Yearly the Dyaks take new ground for their farm; yearly they fence
it in, and undergo the labor of reclaiming new land; for seven years
the land lies fallow, and then may be used again. What a waste of
labor! more especially in these rich and watered valleys, which,
in the hands of the Chinese, might produce two crops yearly.
"_3d._--Took leave of this pleasant valley, and by another and shorter
road than we came reached Ra-at. We arrived in good time on the hill,
and found everything prepared for a feast. There was nothing new in
this feast. A fowl was killed with the usual ceremony; afterward a
hog. The hog is paid for by the company at a price commensurate with
its size: a split bamboo is passed round the largest part of the body,
and knots tied on it at given distances; and according to the number
of these knots are the number of pasus or padi for the price.
"Our host of Nawang, Niarak, arrived to this feast with a plentiful
supply of toddy; and before the dance commenced, we were requested
to take our seats. The circumstances of the tribe, and the ability of
Nimok, rendered this ceremony interesting to me. The Sow tribe has long
been split into four parties, residing at different places. Gunong
Sow, the original locality, was attacked by the Sakarran Dyaks,
and thence Nimok and his party retired to Ra-at. A second smaller
party subsequently located at or near Bow, as being preferable;
while the older divisions of Jaguen and Ahuss lived at the places so
named. Nimok's great desire was to gather together his scattered tribe,
and to become _de facto_ its head. My presence and the Datus' was a
good opportunity for gathering the tribe; and Nimok hoped to give them
the impression that we countenanced his proposition. The dances over,
Nimok pronounced an oration: he dwelt on the advantages of union;
how desirous he was to benefit his tribe; how constantly it was his
custom to visit Sarawak in order to watch over the interests of the
tribe--the trouble was his, the advantage theirs; but how, without
union, could they hope to gain any advantage--whether the return of
their remaining captive women, or any other? He proposed this union;
and that, after the padi was ripe, they should all live at Ra-at,
where, as a body, they were always ready to obey the commands of the
Tuan Besar or the Datu.
"This was the substance of Nimok's speech. But the effect of his
oratory was not great; for the Bow, and other portions of the tribe,
heard coldly his proposition, though they only opposed it in a few
words. It was evident they had no orator at all a match for Nimok: a
few words from Niana drew forth a second oration. He glanced at their
former state; he spoke with animation of their enemies, and dwelt
on their great misfortune at Sow; he attacked the Singe as the cause
of these misfortunes: and spoke long and eloquently of things past,
of things present, and things to come. He was seated the whole time;
his voice varied with his subject, and was sweet and expressive;
his action was always moderate, principally laying down the law with
his finger on the mats. Niarak, our Singe friend, attempted a defence
of his tribe; but he had drunk too freely of his own arrack; and his
speech was received with much laughter, in which he joined. At this
juncture I retired, after saying a few words; but the talk was kept
up for several hours after, amid feasting and drinking.
"_4th._--After breakfast, walked to our boats, and at six P.M. reached
home, just in time; weather very rainy.
"_10th._--Nothing to remark in these days, except the ordinary course
of business and of life.
"_13th._--The Tumangong returned from Sadong, and brought me a far
better account of that place than I had hoped for. It appears that
they really are desirous to govern well, and to protect the Dyaks;
and fully impressed with the caution I gave them, that unless they
protect and foster their tribes, they will soon lose them from their
removal to Sarawak.
"One large tribe, the Maluku, a branch of the Sibnowans, are, it
appears, very desirous of being under my protection. It is a tempting
offer, and I should like to have them; but I must not deprive the
rulers of Sadong of the means of living comfortably, and the power
of paying revenue. Protect them I both can and will. There are great
numbers of Sarawak people at Sadong, all looking out for birds'-nests;
new caves have been explored; mountains ascended for the first time
in the search. It shows the progress of good government and security,
and, at the same time, is characteristic of the Malay character. They
will endure fatigue, and run risks, on the chance of finding this
valuable commodity; but they will not labor steadily, or engage in
pursuits which would lead to fortune by a slow progress.
"_15th._--Panglima Laksa, the chief of the Undop tribe, arrived, to
request, as the Badjows and Sakarrans had recently killed his people,
that I would permit him to retort. At the same time came Abong Kapi,
the Sakarran Malay, with eight Sakarran chiefs, named Si Miow, one of
the heads, and the rest Tadong, Lengang, Barunda, Badendang, Si Bunie,
Si Ludum, and Kuno, the representatives of other heads. Nothing could
be more satisfactory than the interview, just over. They denied any
knowledge or connection with the Badjows, who had killed some Dyaks
at Undop, and said all that I could desire. They promised to obey me,
and look upon me as their chief: they desired to trade, and would
guaranty any Sarawak people who came to their river; but they could
not answer for all the Dyaks in the Batang Lupar. It is well known,
however, that the Batang Lupar Dyaks are more peaceable than those of
Sakarran, and will be easily managed; and as for the breaking out of
these old feuds, it is comparatively of slight importance, compared
to the grand settlement; for as our influence increases we can easily
put down the separate sticks of the bundle. There is a noble chance,
if properly used! It may be remarked that many of their names are
from some peculiarity of person, or from some quality. Tadong is a
poisonous snake; but, on inquiry, I found the young chief so named had
got the name from being black. They are certainly a fine-looking race.
"_17th._--Plenty of conferences with the Sakarran chiefs; and,
as far as I can judge, they are sincere in the main, though some
reserves there may be. Treachery I do not apprehend from them; but,
of course, it will be impossible, over a very numerous, powerful,
and warlike tribe, to gain such an ascendency of a sudden as at once
to correct their evil habits."
Here again Mr. Brooke appears to have been placed on the horns of a
dilemma by his ignorance of the views of the British Government. Had
his position in Borneo been certain--had he either been supported
or deserted--his path of policy would have been clear; whereas he
evidently did not know what the morrow would bring forth; whether
it would find him with an English force at his back, or abandoned to
his own resources.