_DIDO_: SECOND EXPEDITION
[Sidenote: 1844. Aug. 11.]
At daylight we were joined by Wade and Brooke, their division making a
very acceptable increase to our force, and by eight o’clock the last
barrier was cut through between us and Seriff Muller’s devoted town.
With the exception of his own house, from which some eight or nine
Malays were endeavouring to remove his effects, the whole place was
deserted. They made no fight, and an hour afterwards the town had been
plundered and burnt.
The only lives lost were a few unfortunates, who happened to come
within range of our musketry in their exertions to save some of their
master’s property.
A handsome large boat belonging to Seriff Muller was the only thing
saved, and this I presented to Budrudeen.
After a short delay in catching our usual supply of goats and poultry,
with which the place abounded, we proceeded up the river in chase of
the chief and his people, our progress much impeded by the immense
trees felled across the river.
We ascertained that the pirates had retreated to a Dyak village,
situated on the summit of a hill, some twenty-five miles higher up the
Undop, five or six miles only of which we had succeeded in ascending,
as a most dreary and rainy night closed in, during which we were joined
by D’Aeth and his division from the Lupar River.
The following morning, at daybreak, we again commenced our toilsome
work. We should have succeeded better with lighter boats, and I
should have despaired of the heavier boats getting up had they not
been assisted by an opportune and sudden rise of the tide, to the
extent of 12 or 14 feet, though with this we had to contend against a
considerably increased strength of current.
It was on this day that my ever active and zealous First Lieutenant,
Charles Wade, jealous of the advanced position of our light boats,
obtained a place in my gig.
That evening the _Phlegethon’s_ first and second cutters, the _Dido’s_
two cutters, and their gigs, were fortunate enough to pass a barrier
composed of trees recently felled, from which we concluded ourselves to
be so near the enemy that, by pushing forward as long as we could see,
we might prevent further impediments from being thrown in our way. This
we did, but at 9 P.M., arriving at a broad expanse of the river, and
being utterly unable to trace our course, we anchored our advance force
for the night.
[Sidenote: Aug. 14.]
The first landing-place we had no trouble in discovering, from the
number of deserted boats collected near it. Leaving these to be looted,
we proceeded in search of the second, which we understood was situated
more immediately under the village, and which, having advanced without
our guides, we had much difficulty in finding. The circuit of the base
of the hill was above five miles.
During this warfare, Patingi Ali, who, with his usual zeal, had here
come up, bringing a considerable native force of both Malays and Dyaks,
was particularly on the alert; while we in the gig attacked Seriff
Muller himself.
Patingi nearly succeeded in capturing that chief in person. He had
escaped from his prahu into a fast-pulling sampan, in which he was
chased by old Ali, and afterwards only saved his life by throwing
himself into the water and swimming to the jungle; indeed, it was with
no small pride that the gallant old chief appropriated the boat to his
own use.
In the prahu were captured two large brass guns, two smaller ones, a
variety of arms, ammunition, and personal property, amongst which were
also two pairs of handsome Wedgewood jars.
While my crew were employed cooking, I crept into the jungle and
suddenly fancied I heard the suppressed hum of many voices not far
distant. I returned to our cooking party and bade Wade take up his
double-barrel and come with me. I had not penetrated many yards before
I came in sight of a mass of boats concealed in a snug little inlet,
the entrance to which had escaped our notice. These boats were filled
with piratical Dyaks and Malays, and sentinels posted at various points
on the shore.
My first impulse was to conceal ourselves until the arrival of our
force, but my rash though gallant friend deemed otherwise, and, without
noticing the caution of my upheld hand, dashed in advance, discharging
his gun, calling upon our men to follow.
It is impossible to conceive the consternation and confusion this
our sudden sally occasioned among the pirates. The confused noise
and scrambling from their boats I can only liken to that of a
suddenly-roused flock of wild-ducks.
Our attack from the point whence it came was evidently unexpected; and
it is my opinion that they calculated on our attacking the hill, if we
did so at all, from the nearest landing-place, without pulling round
the other five miles, as the whole attention of their scouts appeared
to be directed towards that quarter.
A short distance above them was a small encampment, probably erected
for the convenience of their chiefs, as in it we found writing
materials, two or three desks of English manufacture, on the brass
plate of one of which, I afterwards noticed, was engraved the name of
“Willson.”
To return to the pirates: with our force, such as it was--nine in
number--we pursued our terrified enemy, headed by Wade.
They foolishly themselves had not the courage to rally in their
judiciously selected and naturally protected encampment, but continued
their retreat (firing on us from the jungle) towards the Dyak
village on the summit of the hill. We collected our force, reloaded
our firearms; and Wade, seeing from this spot the arrival at the
landing-place of the other boats, again rushed on in pursuit.
Before arriving at the foot of the steep ascent on the summit of which
the Dyak village stood, we had to cross a small open space of about 60
yards, exposed to the fire from the village as well as the surrounding
jungle. It was before crossing this plain that I again cautioned Wade
to await the arrival of his men, of whom he was far in advance.
We suddenly came on to the snuggest and best-sheltered boat harbour
I ever saw. The land was high towards the river, with a narrow and
well-concealed entrance opening to the river, so high that an impromptu
bridge in the shape of a large tree had been thrown across. It was
along this that Wade was proceeding in advance, calling “Come on, my
boys!” And I am afraid I did not disguise my gratification at seeing
him disappear into the branches of a large tree growing beneath.
By this time the cutter and other boats had landed at our point and
were coming up. I had scarcely got across the tree-bridge, when I saw
my friend scrambling up the opposite side, himself unhurt, his gun not
discharged.
Our men were now landing fast, and it was for very shame I could not
allow Wade to proceed alone. Only a few minutes afterwards, while still
trying to check him, a bullet from the hill took his thumb and twisted
him in my direction; while a second shot struck him in the ribs and
lodged in the spine--and he fell.
By this time a strong party were up, whom I directed to pass on, while
I ascertained that poor Wade’s heart had ceased to beat.
We laid the body in a canoe, with the Union Jack for a pall, and
descended the river. In the evening, the force assembled, committed the
body to the deep. I read that impressive service from a Prayer-Book
brought up by poor Wade himself--as he put it, “in case of accident.”
Before we again got under way, several Malay families, no longer in
dread of their piratical chief, Seriff Muller, gave themselves up to
us as prisoners--the first instance of any of them having done so.
We found sundry suspicious documents, exposing deep intrigues and
conspiracies, and brought up for the night off the still burning ruins
of Seriff Muller’s town.
[Sidenote: Aug. 15.]
On Tuesday we again reached the steamer. We still had something to
settle with the Sekarrans, and, having rested for two days, started on
the 17th on our last expedition.
[Sidenote: Aug. 17.]
The weather was unusually fine, and we squatted down to our curry and
rice with better appetites.
[Sidenote: Aug. 18.]
Our approach was made known by fires; but we once dropped, without
their being aware of our approach, upon a boatful of Dyaks, dressed
for war, with feather cloaks, brass ornaments, and scarlet caps. The
discharge of our muskets and the capsizing of the war-boat was the work
of an instant, and those who were uninjured escaped into the jungle.
We experienced some difficulty in finding a suitable place for our
bivouac. While examining the most eligible-looking spot on the bank of
the river, the crew of one of the _Phlegethon’s_ boats, having crept up
the opposite bank, came suddenly on a party of Dyaks, who saluted them
with a war-yell and a shower of spears. The _Phlegethon’s_ men took to
the water, much to our amusement as well as the Dyaks.
The place we selected for the night was a large house, about 40 yards
from the edge of the river. Here we united our different messes and
passed a jovial evening. The night, however, set in with a fearful
thunderstorm. The rain continued to fall in torrents, but cleared up at
daylight, when we proceeded.
As yet the banks of the river had been a continued garden, with
sugar-cane and bananas; the scenery now became wilder.
[Sidenote: Aug. 19.]
We were in hopes that this morning we should have reached their
capital, Karangan, supposed to be about ten miles further on. Not
expecting to meet with any opposition for some miles, we gave
permission to Patingi Ali to advance cautiously with his light
division, with orders to fall back on the first appearance of any
natives. As the stream was running down strong, we held on to the bank,
waiting for the arrival of the second cutter, in which were Brooke and
Jenkins.
Our pinnace and second gig having passed up, we remained about a
quarter of an hour, when the report of a few musket-shots told us that
the pirates had been fallen in with. We immediately pushed on, and as
we advanced the increased firing from our boats, and the war-yells of
some thousand Dyaks, let us know that we had met.
It is difficult to describe the scene as I found it. About twenty boats
were jammed together, forming one confused mass--some bottom up; the
bows and sterns of others only visible, mixed up, pell-mell, with huge
rafts--and amongst which were nearly all our advanced division.
Headless trunks, as well as heads without bodies, were lying about;
parties hand to hand spearing and krissing each other, others striving
to swim for their lives; and entangled in the common mêlée were our
advanced boats, while on both banks thousands of Dyaks were rushing
down to join in the slaughter, hurling spears and stones on the boats
below.
For a moment I was at a loss what steps to take for rescuing our people
from the position in which they were, as the whole mass, through which
there was no passage, were floating down the stream, and the addition
of fresh boats only increased the confusion.
Fortunately, at this critical moment one of the rafts, catching the
stump of a tree, broke this floating bridge, making a passage, through
which my gig (propelled by paddles instead of oars)--the bugler, John
Eager, in the bow--was enabled to pass.
It occurred to Brooke and myself simultaneously, that by advancing in
the gig we should draw the attention of the pirates towards us, so as
to give time for the other boats to clear themselves. This had the
desired effect. The whole force on shore turned, as if to secure what
they rashly conceived to be their prize.
We now advanced mid-channel, spears and stones assailing us from both
banks. Brooke’s gun would not go off, so, giving him the yoke-lines, I,
with the coxswain to load, had time to select the leaders from amongst
the savage mass, on which I kept up a rapid fire.
Allen, in the second gig, quickly coming up, opened upon them from a
Congreve rocket-tube such a destructive fire as caused them to retire
behind the temporary barriers where they had concealed themselves
previous to the attack on Patingi Ali, and from whence they continued,
for some twenty minutes, to hurl their spears and other missiles, among
which were short lengths of bamboo loaded with stone at one end. The
_sumpitan_ was likewise freely employed, and although several of our
men were struck, no fatal results ensued. Mr. Beith, our assistant
surgeon, dexterously excised the wounds, and what poison remained was
sucked out by comrades of the wounded men.
From this position, however, the Sekarrans retreated as our force
increased, and could not again muster courage to rally. Their loss
_must_ have been considerable. Ours might have been light had poor old
Patingi Ali attended to orders.
He was over confident. Instead of falling back, as particularly
directed by me, on the first appearance of any of the enemy he made
a dash, followed by his little division of boats, through the narrow
pass. The enemy at once launched large rafts of bamboo and cut off his
retreat. Six war-prahus bore down, three on either side, on Patingi’s
devoted followers. One only of a crew of seventeen escaped to tell the
tale.
When last seen by our advanced boats, Mr. Steward and Patingi Ali were
in the act (their own boats sinking) of boarding the enemy. They were
doubtless overpowered and killed, with twenty-nine others. Our wounded
in all amounted to fifty-six.
A few miles further up was the capital of Karangan, which we carried
without further opposition.
Having achieved the object of our expedition, we dropped leisurely down
the river; slept in our boats, with a strong guard on shore.
[Sidenote: Aug. 20.]
On the 20th we reached the steamer, where we remained all the next day
attending to the wounded.
[Sidenote: Aug. 22.]
On the 22nd we reached Patusen, finding everything in the wretched
state we had left it. At 8 P.M. we heard the report of a gun, which was
repeated nearer at nine, and before a signal rocket could be fired, we
were hailed by the boats of the _Samarang_, Captain Sir Edward Belcher,
and the next moment he was alongside the _Phlegethon_ with the welcome
news of having brought our May mail.
It appears that, on arrival of _Samarang_ off Morotoba, Sir Edward
heard of the loss we had sustained, and, with his usual zeal and
activity, came to our assistance, having brought his boats no less
than 120 miles in about thirty hours.
There were two accidents just at this moment which might have been more
serious. D’Aeth, hearing of the mail, hurried on board the _Samarang_
in a small sampan, and was capsized. His skill in swimming saved him;
his one paddler caught hold of a boat near. No sooner than these had
been cared for, when Brooke, whose ears, always on the alert for native
cries, heard voices in trouble, and, jumping into his Singapore sampan,
pushed off with Siboo to the assistance of our Dyak followers, who had
been capsized by the bore. He rescued three out of a crew of eleven,
and these were half drowned when he reached them.
[Sidenote: Aug. 23.]
We moved down as far as the mouth of the Linga, and on the night of the
24th were once again in Sarawak. Here the rejoicings of the previous
year were repeated.
[Sidenote: Aug. 28.]
But having received information that Seriff Sahib had taken refuge in
the Linga River, and, assisted by Seriff Jaffer, was again collecting
followers, we were off again on the 28th, with the addition of the
_Samarang’s_ boats. And, determining to crush this persevering pirate,
in the middle of the night came to an anchor inside the Linga River.
When our expedition had been watched safely outside the Batang Lupar
on its return to Sarawak, all those unfortunate families that had
concealed themselves in the jungle after the destruction of Patusen and
Undop, emerged from their hiding-places, and by means of rafts, canoes,
packerangans, or anything that would float, were in the act of crossing
towards Bunting, a flourishing place. Their dismay can well be imagined
when at daylight on the morning of the 29th they found themselves
carried by the tide close alongside the terror-spreading steamer, in
the midst of our augmented fleet. Escape to them was hopeless; nor
did the women seem to mind. It was a choice between starvation in the
jungle or coming under submission to the white man.
I need not say that, instead of being molested, they were supplied with
such provisions and assistance as our means would permit, and allowed
to pass quietly on. We sent several of our native followers into the
Batang Lupar to inform the fugitives that our business was with the
chiefs and instigators of piracy, and not with the ryots of the country.
[Sidenote: Aug. 29.]
With the ebb-tide a number of boats came down from the town containing
the principal chiefs, with assurances of their pacific intentions;
welcoming us with presents of poultry, goats, fruit, etc., which we
accepted, but paying for them, either in barter or hard dollars,
the fair market price. We learned that Seriff Sahib had arrived at
Pontranini, some fifty miles beyond their _kampong_.
We immediately proceeded in chase of him, at the same time despatching
two boats to look out for Macota, who was expected at the mouth of
the river. We knew what the fate of this once powerful chief would be
if he fell into the hands of our friendlies. He was captured alive
in a deep muddy jungle into which he had thrown himself when our men
arrived. Leaving Macota a prisoner on board the _Phlegethon_, with the
flood-tide we pushed forward in pursuit of Seriff Sahib.
[Sidenote: Aug. 30.]
For two days we dragged our boats twenty miles up a small jungly
creek; but Seriff Sahib fled across the mountains in the direction of
the Pontiana River. So close were we on his rear that he threw away
his sword, and left behind him a child, whom he had hitherto carried,
in the jungle. Thus this notorious chief was driven, single and
unattended, out of the reach of doing any further mischief.
The boats returned, and took up a formidable position off Bunting,
where Seriff Jaffer was summoned to a conference, which he attended,
but under compulsion from his people, who feared their _kampong_ being
destroyed.
On this occasion I had the satisfaction of witnessing a splendid piece
of oratory delivered by Brooke in Malay. The purport of it was, as I
understood, to point out the horrors of piracy on the one hand, which
the British Government determined to suppress, and on the other the
blessings arising from peace and trade, which it was equally our wish
to cultivate; and he concluded by fully explaining that the measures
adopted by us against piracy were for the protection of the peaceful
communities along the coast. The people listened with great attention;
a pin could have been heard, had it dropped, during Brooke’s fine
speech.
[Sidenote: Sept. 4.]
The force again reached Sarawak, and thus terminated a successful
expedition against the worst class of pirates on the coast of Borneo.