Produced by Ronald Lee
BORNEO
AND
THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
London:
SPOTTISWOODE AND SHAW,
New-street Square.
[Illustration: CHINESE JOSS HOUSE.
F. M. DELT.
M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS
LONDON; LONGMAN & CO. 1848]
[Illustration: (Transcriber's Note: No caption in original
text--Picture shows a Bornean ship with the book title, author's
name and publisher printed on the sails and hull.)
F. M. DELT.
M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS]
BORNEO
AND
THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
WITH
DRAWINGS OF COSTUME AND SCENERY.
BY
FRANK S. MARRYAT,
LATE MIDSHIPMAN OF H. M. S. SAMARANG,
SURVEYING VESSEL.
LONDON:
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS,
PATERNOSTER-ROW.
1848.
INTRODUCTION.
I wish the readers of these pages to understand that it has been with
no desire to appear before the public as an author that I have
published this Narrative of the Proceedings of Her Majesty's ship
Samarang during her last Surveying Cruise.
During the time that I was in the ship, I made a large collection of
drawings, representing, I hope faithfully, the costumes of the natives
and the scenery of a country so new to Europeans. They were considered,
on my return, as worthy to be presented to the public, as being more
voluminous and more characteristic than drawings made in haste usually
are.
I may here observe, that it has been a great error on the part of the
Admiralty, considering the great expense incurred in fitting out
vessels for survey, that a little additional outlay is not made in
supplying every vessel with a professional draughtsman, as was
invariably the case in the first vessels sent out on discovery. The
duties of officers in surveying vessels are much too fatiguing and
severe to allow them the time to make anything but hasty sketches, and
they require that practice with the pencil without which natural talent
is of little avail; the consequence is, that the engravings, which have
appeared in too many of the Narratives of Journeys and Expeditions,
give not only an imperfect, but even an erroneous, idea of what they
would describe.
A hasty pencil sketch, from an unpractised hand, is made over to an
artist to reduce to proportion; from him it passes over to the hand of
an engraver, and an interesting plate is produced by their joint
labours. But, in this making up, the character and features of the
individual are lost, or the scenery is composed of foliage not
indigenous to the country, but introduced by the artist to make a good
picture.
In describing people and countries hitherto unknown, no description
given by the pen will equal one correct drawing. How far I may have
succeeded must be decided by those who have, with me, visited the same
places and mixed with the people delineated. How I found time to
complete the drawings is explained by my not doing any duty on board at
one time, and at another by my having been discharged into the
hospital-ship at Hong Kong.
It was my intention to have published these drawings without
letter-press, but in this I have been overruled. I have therefore been
compelled to have recourse to my own private journal, which certainly
was never intended for publication. As I proceeded, I found that, as I
was not on board during the whole of the time, it would be better, and
make the work more perfect, if I published the whole of the cruise,
which I could easily do by referring to the journals of my messmates.
I would gladly mention their names, and publicly acknowledge their
assistance; but, all things considered, I think it as well to withhold
them, and I take this opportunity of thanking them for their kindness.
FRANK S. MARRYAT.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
LITHOGRAPHIC PLATES.
Chinese Joss House _Frontispiece_
Bornese Vessel _Title-page_
Loondoo Dyak _To face page_ 5
River Sarawak and Town
of Kuchin 6
Keeney-Ballo 59
Serebis Dyak 79
Saghai Dyak 80
War Dance of the Dyaks 85
Malay Chief (Sooloo) 101
Bruni 106
Court of the Sultan of Borneo 109
West Point, Hong Kong 142
View on the Island of Poo-too 151
Chinese Joss House at Ningpo 156
Quelpartians 182
Mandarin of Quelpart (Corea) 183
Japanese 185
Natives of Luzon (Philippines) 199
View in Samboangan 201
Illanoan Pirate 207
Dusum 210
Port Louis 220
WOODCUTS.
Mr. Brooke's House 7
Dyak Head 13
Malays of Kuchin 23
Native of Batan 27
Native of Pa-tchu-san 31
Sooloo Village 42
Native Boat--Borneo 63
Dyak War Prahu 64
Dyak Women in Canoe 74
Teeth of Dyaks 79
Costumes of Dyak Women 80
Sum-pi-tan--Blow-pipe,
with poisoned Arrows 80
Dyak Village 82
Obtaining Fire 89
View of Sincapore 93
Malay Woman 100
Proboscis Monkey 103
Natives of Bruni 108
City of Manilla 121
Procession of the Sultan of
Gonong Tabor 133
Ears of Dyaks at Gonong Tabor 135
Portrait of Mahomed Pullulu,
Sultan of Sooloo 139
Tanka Boats--Hong Kong 141
Chinese Fishermen 145
Cook's Shop 146
Pagoda--Ningpo 154
Tanka Boat Women 165
Man-of-War Junk 168
Trading Junks 169
Japanese Boat 184
Salt Smugglers 193
Spanish Galleon 196
Water Carriers--Manilla 199
Illanoan Pirates 208
Natives of N. E. Coast of Borneo 210
Convict 215
Kling Woman 216
BORNEO
AND
THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.
On the 25th of January, 1843, H. M. S. Samarang, being completely
equipped, went out of Portsmouth harbour and anchored at Spithead. The
crew were paid advanced wages; and, five minutes after the money had
been put into their hats at the pay-table, it was all most dexterously
transferred to the pockets of their wives, whose regard and affection
for their husbands at this peculiar time was most exemplary. On the
following day, the crew of the Samarang made sail with full hearts and
empty pockets.
On the 25th February, sighted Fuerto Ventura: when off this island, the
man at the mast-head reported a wreck in sight, which, as we neared it,
appeared to be the wreck of a brig. Strange to say, the captain
recognised it as an old acquaintance, which he had seen off Cape
Finisterre on his return from China in the Sulphur. If this was not a
mistake, it would be evidence of a southerly current in this quarter of
the Atlantic. This may be, but I do not consider the proof to be
sufficient to warrant the fact; although it may lead to the
supposition. If this was the wreck seen at such a long interval by the
captain, a succession of northerly winds and gales might have driven it
down so far to the southward without the assistance of any current. It
is well known that the great current of the Atlantic, the gulf stream
(which is occasioned by the waters, being forced by the continuous trade
winds into the Gulf of Mexico, finding a vent to the northward by the
coast of America, from thence towards Newfoundland, and then in a more
easterly direction), loses its force, and is expended to the northward
of the Western Islands; and this is the cause why so many rocks have
been yearly reported to have been fallen in with in this latitude.
Wrecks, all over the Atlantic, which have been water-logged but do not
sink, are borne by the various winds and currents until they get into
the gulf stream, which sweeps them along in its course until they arrive
to where its force is expended, and there they remain comparatively
stationary. By this time, probably, years have passed, and they are
covered with sea-weeds and barnacles, and, floating three or four feet
out of the water, have every appearance of rocks; and, indeed, if run
upon on a dark night, prove nearly as fatal.
March 3rd.--Anchored off the town of Porto Praya, Island of St. Jago, in
nine fathoms. Porto Praya is a miserable town, built on a most unhealthy
spot, there being an extensive marsh behind it, which, from its miasma,
creates a great mortality among the inhabitants. The consul is a native
of Bona Vista: two English consuls having fallen victims to the climate
in quick succession, no one was found very willing to succeed to such a
certain provision from the Foreign Office. The interior of the island
is, however, very different from what would be expected from the sight
of Porto Praya. Some of the officers paid a visit to the valley of St.
Domingo, which they described as a perfect paradise, luxuriant with
every tropical fruit. Porto Praya is renowned for very large sharks. I
was informed by a captain in Her Majesty's service, that once, when he
anchored at Porto Praya, he had left the ship to go on shore in one of
the twenty-two-foot gigs, not unaptly nick-named coffins in the service.
He had not pulled more than a cable's length from the ship, when a
shark, nearly as long as the gig, came up swimming with great velocity
after them; and as he passed, the animal shouldered the boat, so as
nearly to upset it: as it was, the boat took in the water over the
gunwale. As the animal appeared preparing for another attack, the
captain thought it advisable to pull alongside, and go on shore in the
cutter instead of his own boat; and on this large boat the shark did not
make a second attempt.
April 25th.--Anchored in Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope. Sailed again on
the 7th of May, and fell in with a favourable wind; and too much of it.
For six days we were scudding before it under a close-reefed
main-topsail and fore-staysail. On the 10th we lost one of the best men
in the ship, the sailmaker, Charles Downing, who fell overboard; the
ship was rounded to, the life-buoy let go, but we saw nothing of him.
June 7th saw Christmas Islands, and on the same afternoon the land of
Java. On the 11th we arrived off the town of Anger, in company with a
fleet of merchant vessels of all nations and of all rigs. Having been so
long without a fresh meal, we were not sorry to find ourselves
surrounded by boats loaded with fish, fruit, and vegetables; we ate
enormously, and they made us pay in proportion.
On the 19th we arrived at Sincapore, and found the roads very gay with
vessels of all descriptions, from the gallant free trader of 1000 tons
to the Chinese junk. As Sincapore, as well as many other places, was
more than once visited, I shall defer my description for the present. On
June the 27th we weighed and made sail for the river of Sarawak
(Borneo), to pay a visit to Mr. Brooke, who resides at Kuchin, a town
situated on that river.
The public have already been introduced to Mr. Brooke in the volumes
published by Captain Henry Keppel. Mr. Brooke is a gentleman of
independent fortune, who was formerly in the service of the Company. The
usefulness and philanthropy of his public career are well known: if the
private history which induced him to quit the service, and afterwards
expatriate himself, could with propriety, and also regard to Mr.
Brooke's feelings, be made known, it would redound still more to his
honour and his high principle; but these I have no right to make public.
Mr. Brooke, having made up his mind to the high task of civilising a
barbarous people, and by every means in his power of putting an end to
the wholesale annual murders committed by a nation of pirates, whose
hands were, like Ishmael's, against every man, sailed from England in
his yacht, the Royalist schooner, with a crew of picked and tried men,
and proceeded to Sarawak, where he found the rajah, Muda Hassein, the
uncle to the reigning sultan of Borneo, engaged in putting down the
insurrection of various chiefs of the neighbouring territory. Mr.
Brooke, with his small force, gave his assistance to the rajah; and
through his efforts, and those of his well-armed band, the refractory
chiefs were reduced to obedience. Willing to retain such a powerful
ally, and partial to the English, the rajah made Mr. Brooke most
splendid promises to induce him to remain; but the rajah, like all
Asiatics, did not fulfil the performance of these promises until after
much delay and vexation to Mr. Brooke, who required all the courage and
patience with which he is so eminently gifted, before he could obtain
his ends. At last he was successful: Muda Hassein made over to him a
large tract of land, over which he was constituted rajah, and Mr. Brooke
took up his residence at Kuchin; and this grant was ultimately confirmed
by the seal of the sultan of Borneo. Such, in few words, is the history
of Mr. Brooke: if the reader should wish for a more detailed account, I
must refer him to Capt. Henry Keppel's work, in which is published a
great portion of Mr. Brooke's own private memoranda.
[Illustration: LOONDOO DYAK.
(N. W. COAST OF BORNEO.)
F. M. DELT.
M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS
LONDON; LONGMAN & CO. 1848]
On the morning of the 29th June we saw the high land of Borneo, but for
several days were unsuccessful in discovering the mouth of the river. On
the night of July the 4th we anchored off the entrance of a river, which
the captain supposed to be the Sarawak. The next morning the two barges,
well armed, were sent up the river to obtain information. After pulling
with the stream six or eight miles, they discovered a small canoe,
which, on their approach, retreated up the river with great speed. Mr.
Heard, the officer in charge of the boats, had taken the precaution, as
he ascended the river, of cutting a palm branch for each boat, and these
were now displayed at the bows as a sign of peaceable intentions.
These universal tokens of amity reassured the natives, who, seeing them,
now turned the bows of their canoes, and paddled towards the boats. The
canoe contained four men, almost in a state of nudity, their only
covering consisting of a narrow slip of cotton fastened round the
middle. They were copper-coloured, and extremely ugly: their hair jet
black, very long, and falling down the back; eyes were also black, and
deeply sunk in the head, giving a vindictive appearance to the
countenance; nose flattened; mouth very large; the lips of a bright
vermilion, from the chewing of the betel-nut; and, to add to their
ugliness, their teeth black, and filed to sharp points. Such is the
personal appearance of a Loondoo Dyak.
They informed us that the river we were then in was the Loondoo, and
that the Sarawak was some distance to the eastward. They also gave us
the information that the boats of the Dido had been engaged with
pirates, and had been successful, having captured one prahu and sunk
another. After great persuasion, we induced one of them to accompany us
to the ship, and pilot her to the Sarawak.
The same evening we weighed anchor, and stood towards a remarkable
promontory (Tangong Sipang), to the eastward of which is the principal
entrance of the Sarawak river; a second, but less safe, entrance being
within a mile of the promontory. Light and variable winds prevented our
arrival at the mouth of the river until the evening of the following
day. From thence, after two days' incessant kedging and towing, we
anchored off the town of Kuchin, on the morning of the 8th instant. The
town of Kuchin is built on the left-hand side of the river Sarawak going
up; and, from the windings of the river, you have to pull twenty-five
miles up the river to arrive at it, whereas it is only five miles from
the coast as the crow flies. It consists of about 800 houses, built on
piles driven into the ground, the sides and roofs being enclosed with
dried palm leaves. Strips of bamboo are laid across, which serve as a
floor. In fact, there is little difference between these houses and
those built by the Burmahs and other tribes in whose countries bamboo
and ratan are plentiful. The houses of Mr. Brooke and the rajah are much
superior to any others, having the advantage and comfort of wooden sides
and floorings. We visited the rajah several times, who invariably
received us with urbanity, and entertained us in a very hospitable
manner. Muda Hassein is a man about fifty years of age,--some think
more,--of low stature, as are most of the Malays, well made, and with a
very prepossessing countenance for a Malay. His brother, Budruden, is a
much finer man, very agreeable, and very partial to the English. The
Malays profess Mahomedanism; but Budruden in many points followed
European customs, both in dress and drinking wine.
[Illustration: RIVER SARAWACK AND TOWN OF KUCHIN.
(BORNEO.)
F. M. DELT.
M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS
LONDON; LONGMAN & CO. 1848]
The residence of Mr. Brooke is on the side of the river opposite to the
town, as, for the most part, are all the houses of the Europeans. In
structure it somewhat resembles a Swiss cottage, and is erected upon a
green mound, which slopes down to the river's bank, where there is a
landing-place for boats. At the back of the house is a garden,
containing almost every tree peculiar to the climate; and it was a
novelty to us to see collected together the cotton-tree, the areca,
sago, palm, &c., with every variety of the Camellia japonica in a state
of most luxurious wildness.
[Illustration: MR. BROOKE'S HOUSE.]
The establishment consists of six Europeans, and the house contains one
large receiving-room, and several smaller ones, appropriated to the
residents as sleeping apartments, besides Mr. Brooke's own private
rooms. The large room is decorated with rifles, swords, and other
instruments of warfare, European and native; and it is in this room that
the European rajah gives his audiences: and it is also in this room that
every day, at five o'clock, a capital dinner is served up, to which we
were made heartily welcome. During our stay, Mr. Brooke, accompanied by
several of our officers and some of the residents, made an excursion up
the river. We started early in the morning, with a flowing tide; and,
rapidly sweeping past the suburbs of the town, which extend some
distance up the river, we found ourselves gliding through most
interesting scenery. On either side, the river was bounded by gloomy
forests, whose trees feathered down to the river's bank, the water
reflecting their shadows with peculiar distinctness. Occasionally the
scene was diversified by a cleared spot amidst this wilderness, where,
perchance, a half-ruined hut, apparently not inhabited for years, the
remains of a canoe, together with fragments of household utensils, were
to be seen, proving that once it had been the abode of those who had
been cut off by some native attack, and probably the heads of its former
occupants were now hanging up in some skull-house belonging to another
tribe. The trees were literally alive with monkeys and squirrels, which
quickly decamped as we approached them. Several times we were startled
by the sudden plunge of the alligators into the water, close to the
boats, and of whose propinquity we were not aware until they made the
plunge. All these rivers are infested with alligators, and I believe
they are very often mischievous; at all events, one of our youngsters
was continually in a small canoe, paddling about, and the natives
cautioned us that if he was not careful he certainly would be taken by
one of these animals.
Early in the afternoon we disembarked at a Chinese village twenty-five
miles from Kuchin. The inhabitants of this village work the gold and
antimony mines belonging to Mr. Brooke. We remained there for the
night, and the next morning proceeded further up the river, and landed
at another village, where we breakfasted, and then proceeded on foot to
visit the mines. Our path lay through dense forests of gigantic trees,
whose branches met and interlaced overhead, shading us from the burning
rays of the sun. At times we would emerge from the wood, and find
ourselves passing through cultivated patches of ravines, enclosed on all
sides by lofty mountains, covered with foliage. In these spots we found
a few natives with their families, who seemed to be contented in their
perfect isolation; for in these secluded spots generations may pass
away, and know no world beyond their own confines of forest jungle. At
times our route was over mountains, whose appearance was so formidable
that our hearts almost failed us at the prospect of having to scale
them; but we succeeded beyond our expectations, and at length arrived at
the antimony village, not a little pleased at our labours being ended.
Our spirits, which had been flagging, were revived by a pull at the
bottle. From our resting-place we had a good view of the mine, which is
a source of great profit to Mr. Brooke. The antimony is obtained from
the side of a hill, the whole of which is supposed to be formed of this
valuable mineral. The side at which the men are at work shines like
silver during the day, and may be seen several miles distant, strangely
contrasting with the dark foliage of the adjoining jungles. The ore is
conveyed to Kuchin, and is there shipped on board of the Royalist, (Mr.
Brooke's schooner yacht,) and taken to Sincapore, where it is eagerly
purchased by the merchants, and shipped for England.
After partaking of a little refreshment we set off, through woods and
over mountains, as before, to visit the gold mine. On our arrival at
every village on the road, a certain number of guns were fired by the
natives, in honour of the European rajah; and the same ceremony was
repeated when we left it. It was late in the afternoon before we
arrived at the village attached to the gold mine. It is prettily
situated in the depth of a valley, through which runs a small rivulet.
On every side mountains soar into the clouds, which must be passed
before you can reach the village. Dinner had been prepared for us by the
inhabitants of the village, who were a colony of Chinese; and it was
served up in a large building dedicated to Joss, whose shrine was
brilliantly illuminated with candles and joss-sticks. Some of the
officers unthinkingly lighted their cigars at the altar. The Chinese,
observing it, requested very civilly that they would do so no more; a
request which was, of course, complied with. After dinner we all
proceeded to the rivulet, in search of gold; the natives had cleared out
the bed of the river; the sand and stones were thrown into an artificial
sluice for washing it; and a little gold was found by some of the party.
This gold mine, if it may be so called, is worth to Mr. Brooke about
1000l. per annum, after all the expenses are paid. Its real value is
much greater; but the Chinese conceal a great quantity, and appropriate
it to themselves. But if the particles of gold which are brought down by
a small rivulet are of such value, what may be the value of the mines
above, in the mountains as yet untrodden by human feet? This, it is to
be hoped, enterprise will some day reveal.
We remained at the village that night, and at daylight commenced our
journey back to the village from which we had started the day before.
There we embarked, and proceeded down the river to the first Chinese
village, at which we arrived in the course of the afternoon. A short
distance inland is a mountain, called Sarambo, which it was proposed to
ascend, as, by our telescopes, we could perceive houses near to its
summit, and were told it was the residence of some of the mountain Dyaks
under Mr. Brooke's sway. From the village this mountain wore the
appearance of a huge sugar-loaf, and its sides appeared inaccessible.
Mr. Brooke, with his usual kindness, gave his consent, and despatched a
messenger to the Dyak village, requesting the chief to send a party down
by daylight the next morning, to convey our luggage up the mountain. At
day-dawn we were awakened by a confused noise outside of the house, and,
looking out, we perceived that more than a score of these mountain Dyaks
had arrived. Most of them had nothing on but the usual strip of cotton;
some few had on red baize jackets. They all wore a peculiar kind of
_kris_, and many had spears, sampitans, and shields. They were
fine-limbed men, with muscles strongly developed. Their hair fell down
their backs, and nearly reached their middle: it was prevented from
falling over the face by a fillet of grass, which was ornamented with
mountain flowers.
After a hurried breakfast we set off for the foot of the mountain, our
party amounting to about eighty people. The guides led the way, followed
by the Europeans; and the Dyaks, with the luggage, brought up the rear.
In this order we commenced the ascent. Each person was provided with a
bamboo, which was found indispensable; and thus, like a party of
pilgrims, we proceeded on our way; and before we had gone very far, we
discovered that we were subjected to severe penance. The mountain was
nearly perpendicular. In some places we had to ascend by a single piece
of wood, with rough notches for the feet, resting against a rock twenty
or thirty feet above our heads; and on either side was a precipice, so
that a false step must have been certain death. In other places a single
piece of bamboo was thrown over a frightful chasm, by way of bridge.
This, with a slight bamboo rail for the hand, was all that we had to
trust to. The careful manner in which we passed these dangers was a
source of great laughter and amusement to the Dyaks who followed us.
Accustomed from infancy to tread these dangerous paths, although heavily
laden, they scorned to support themselves. Some of our party were nearly
exhausted, and a long way in the rear before we came to the village. We
had to wait for their coming up, and threw ourselves under the shade of
some huge trees, that we might contemplate the bird's-eye view beneath.
It was a sight which must be seen to be appreciated. Almost as far as
the eye could reach was one immense wooded plain, bounded by lofty
mountains in the far distance, whose tops pierced the clouds. The rivers
appeared like silver threads, running through the jungles; now breaking
off, and then regained. At our feet lay the village we had started from,
the houses of which appeared like mere points. Shakspeare Cliff was as
nothing to it, and his beautiful lines would have fallen very short of
the mark; and while we gazed, suddenly a cloud below us would pass
between us and the view, and all would be hidden from the sight. Thus we
were far above the clouds, and then the clouds would break, and open,
and pass and repass over each other, until, like the dissolving views,
all was clear again, although the landscape was not changed. It was
towards noon before we saw the first mountain village, which we did not
immediately enter, as we waited the arrival of the laggards: we stopped,
therefore, at a spring of cold water, and enjoyed a refreshing wash.
Here we fell in with some pretty Dyak girls, very scantily clothed, who
were throwing water at each other in sport. We soon came in for a
plentiful share, which we returned with interest; and in this amusing
combat we passed half an hour, until all had joined the party. We then
entered the village, which was situated in a grove of trees. The houses
were built upon posts, as those down by the river side. They were
immensely large, with a bamboo platform running the whole length of the
building, and divided into many compartments, in each of which a Dyak
family resides. We were escorted, through a crowd of wondering Dyaks, to
a house in the centre of the village, which was very different in
construction from the others. It was perfectly round, and well
ventilated by numerous port-holes in the roof, which was pointed. We
ascended to the room above by means of a rough ladder, and when we
entered we were rather taken aback at finding that we were in the Head
House, as it is termed, and that the beams were lined with human heads,
all hanging by a small line passed through the top of the skull. They
were painted in the most fantastic and hideous manner; pieces of wood,
painted to imitate the eyes, were inserted into the sockets, and added
not a little to their ghastly grinning appearance. The strangest part of
the story, and which added very much to the effect of the scene, was,
that these skulls were perpetually moving to and fro, and knocking
against, each other. This, I presume, was occasioned by the different
currents of air blowing in at the port-holes cut in the roof; but what
with their continual motion, their nodding their chins when they hit
each other, and their grinning teeth, they really appeared to be endowed
with new life, and were a very merry set of fellows. However, whatever
might be the first impression occasioned by this very unusual sight, it
very soon wore off, and we amused ourselves with those motions which
were "not life," as Byron says; and, in the course of the day, succeeded
in making a very excellent dinner in company with these gentlemen,
although we were none of us sufficiently Don Giovannis to invite our
friends above to supper. We visited three villages on the Sarambo
mountain. Each of these villages was governed by a chief of its own, but
they were subordinate to the great chief, residing in the first village.
[Illustration: DYAK HEAD.]
In the evening the major portion of the population came to the Head
House, to exhibit to us their national dances. The music was composed of
two gongs and two large bamboo drums. The men stood up first, in war
costume, brandishing their spears and shields, and throwing themselves
into the most extraordinary attitudes, as they cut with their knives at
some imaginary enemy; at the same time uttering the most unearthly
yells, in which the Dyak spectators joined, apparently highly delighted
with the exhibition. The women then came forward, and went through a
very unmeaning kind of dance, keeping time with their hands and feet;
but still it was rather a relief after the noise and yelling from which
we had just suffered. The chief, Macuta, expressing a wish to see a
specimen of our dancing, not to let them suppose we were not as warlike
as themselves, two of the gig's boat's crew stood up, and went through
the evolutions of the broad-sword exercise in a very creditable manner.
After this performance one of the seamen danced the sailor's hornpipe,
which brought forth a torrent of yells instead of bravos, but they
certainly meant the same thing. By this time, the heat from a large
fire, with the smell of humanity in so crowded a room, became so
overpowering, that I was glad to leave the Head House to get a little
fresh air, and my ears relieved from the dinning of the drums and gongs.
It was a beautiful starry night, and, strolling through the village, I
soon made acquaintance with a native Dyak, who requested me to enter his
house. He introduced me to his family, consisting of several fine girls
and a young lad. The former were naked from the shoulders to below the
breasts, where a pair of stays, composed of several circles of
whalebone, with brass fastenings, were secured round their waists; and
to the stays was attached a cotton petticoat, reaching to below their
knees. This was the whole of their attire. They were much shorter than
European women, but well made; very interesting in their appearance, and
affable and friendly in their manners. Their eyes were dark and
piercing, and I may say there was something wicked in their furtive
glances; their noses were but slightly flattened; the mouth rather
large; but when I beheld the magnificent teeth which required all its
size to display, I thought this rather an advantage. Their hair was
superlatively beautiful, and would have been envied by many a courtly
dame. It was jet black, and of the finest texture, and hung in graceful
masses down the back, nearly reaching to the ground. A mountain Dyak
girl, if not a beauty, has many most beautiful points; and, at all
events, is very interesting and, I may say, pretty. They have good eyes,
good teeth, and good hair;--more than good: I may say splendid;--and
they have good manners, and know how to make use of their eyes. I shall,
therefore, leave my readers to form their own estimates by my
description. Expecting to meet some natives in my ramble, I had filled
my pockets with ship's biscuit, and which I now distributed among the
ladies, who appeared very grateful, as they rewarded me, while they
munched it, by darting wicked glances from their laughing eyes.
Observing that the lad wore a necklace of human teeth round his neck,
his father explained to me, in pantomime, that they were the teeth of an
enemy whom he slew in battle, and whose head was now in the Head House.
As it was getting late I bade my new friends farewell, by shaking hands
all round. The girls laughed immoderately at this way of bidding
good-bye, which, of course, was to them quite novel. I regretted
afterwards that I had not attempted the more agreeable way of bidding
ladies farewell, which, I presume, they would have understood better; as
I believe kissing is an universal language, perfectly understood from
the equator to the pole.
At daylight the next morning we descended the mountain, and, embarking
in the boats, arrived at the ship late in the afternoon.
While at Sarawak we witnessed a very strange ceremony. Hearing a great
noise in a house, we entered, and found ourselves in a large room
crowded to excess by a numerous assemblage, singing in any thing but
harmony. They proved to be natives of Java, assembled for the purpose of
celebrating one of their festivals. On our entrance into the house, we
were literally covered by the inmates with perfumes of the most
delightful fragrance. Some of these odours were in a liquid state, and
were poured down our backs, or upon our heads; others were in a state of
powder, with which we were plentifully besprinkled. We were then
escorted into the centre of the room, where we found a circle of elderly
men, who were reading portions of their sacred books, and their voices
were accompanied by music from instruments of native manufacture. We
were treated with great attention, being permitted to enter the circle
of the elders, who ordered the attendants to hand us refreshments, which
consisted of cakes made of rice and cocoa-nut oil, and Sam-schoo. Some
of our party, having become slightly elevated, volunteered a song, which
proposition was opposed by the more reasonable. The Javanese were
appealed to by the former, and they gave their votes in favour of the
song. It was accordingly sung by our whole party, much to the delight of
our kind entertainers, who, no doubt, considered that we felt and
appreciated their rites. At length we took our leave, well pleased with
our novel entertainment. So well did we succeed in making ourselves
agreeable, that we received an invitation for the following night.
July 10th.--In the evening a display of fireworks took place, notice of
which had been given to the rajah, and, indeed, to the whole population
of Kuchin, who had all assembled near to the ship, to witness what they
considered a most wonderful sight. Seamen were stationed at all the
yard-arms, flying jib, and driver booms, with blue-lights, which were
fired simultaneously with the discharge of a dozen rockets, and the
great gun of a royal salute. The echoes reverberated for at least a
minute after the last gun of the salute had been fired; and, judging by
the yells of the natives, the display must have created a strong
sensation. Immediately after the salute, the anchor was weighed, and we
commenced dropping down the river with the ebb tide; but we soon
grounded on the mud, and we remained all night with the bowsprit in the
bushes which grow on the banks of the river.
The ship floated the next morning; the anchor was weighed, and with the
assistance of the ebb tide, we dropped down the river at the rate of
five miles per hour. As we were nearing a cluster of dangerous rocks,
about a mile below Kuchin, we found that the ship was at the mercy of
the rapid tide; and, notwithstanding all our endeavours, the ship struck
on the rocks. Anchors were immediately laid out, but to no effect: the
water rapidly shallowed, and we gave up all thoughts of getting off
until the next flood tide. As the water left the ship, she fell over to
starboard, and, an hour after she had grounded, she listed to starboard
25 degrees. Our position was now becoming critical: the main deck ports
had been shipped some time previous, but this precaution did not prevent
the water from gaining entrance on the main and lower decks. As she
still continued to heel over to starboard, a hawser was taken on shore,
and, by purchases, set taut to the mast head; but before this could be
accomplished she had filled so much that it proved useless.
A boat was now despatched to Kuchin, to acquaint Mr. Brooke with our
disaster, and to request the assistance of the native boats. During the
absence of the boats, the top-gallant-masts had been sent down, and
topmasts lowered; but the ship was now careening over 46 degrees, and
full of water. All hopes of getting her off were therefore, for the
present, abandoned; and we commenced removing every thing that could be
taken out of her in the boats. The surveying instruments and other
valuables, were sent up to Kuchin in the gig; and afterwards every thing
that could be obtained from the ship was brought up in the native boats,
as well as the whole crew of the Samarang. Mr. Brooke insisted upon all
the officers making a temporary abode at his house, and prepared a shed
for the crew. An excellent dinner was laid before the officers, while a
substantial mess of fowls and rice was served out to the crew. In fact,
the kindness of Mr. Brooke was beyond all bounds. The gentlemen who
resided with him, as well as himself, provided us with clothes from
their own wardrobes, and during our protracted stay did all in their
power to make us comfortable; indeed, I may safely say, that we were so
happy and comfortable, that there were but very few of the officers and
crew of the Samarang that ever wished to see her afloat again. But I
must return to my narrative.
The morning after our disaster we went down to the ship, and commenced
recovering provisions and stores, sending down masts and yards, and
every other article deemed necessary; and this was continued for several
days: during which the midshipmen, petty officers, and seamen were
removed to the opposite shore, where two houses had been, by Mr. Brooke,
prepared for their reception. Our house, (the midshipmen's) we
christened Cockpit Hall; it was very romantically situate in the middle
of a plantation of cocoa nut, palm, banana, and plantain trees. It was
separated from the house in which the seamen were barracked by a small
kind of jungle, not more than 300 yards in extent, but so intricate that
we constantly lost our way in it, and had to shout and receive an
answer, or go back and take a fresh departure. Our garden, in which
there was a delightful spring of cold water, extended on a gentle slope
about a hundred yards in front of the house, where its base was watered
by a branch of the Sarawak; in which we refreshed ourselves by bathing
morning and evening, in spite of the numerous alligators and water
snakes with which the river abounds. But our incautious gambols received
a check. Two of our party agreed to proceed to the mouth of the branch I
have mentioned, to determine which could return with the greatest
speed. They had commenced their swimming race, when we, who stood ashore
as umpires, observed an enormous water snake, with head erect, making
for the two swimmers. We cried out to them to hasten on shore, which
they did; while we kept up a rapid discharge of stones at the head of
the brute, who was at last driven off in another direction. This
incident induced us to be more cautious, and to keep within safe
boundary for the future.
Our repose at Cockpit Hall was, however, much disturbed by the nightly
visits of wild hogs, porcupines, wild cats, guanos, and various other
animals, some of which made dreadful noises. When they paid us their
visits, we all turned out, and, armed with muskets, commenced an assault
upon them, which soon caused them to evacuate our domain; but similar
success did not attend our endeavours to dislodge the swarms of
musquitos, scorpions, lizards, and centipedes from our habitations. They
secreted themselves in the thatch, and the sides of the house during the
day, and failed not to disturb with their onslaughts during the whole of
the night.
July 22d.--Mr. Hooper, the purser, was despatched in the Royalist to
Sincapore, to purchase provisions and obtain assistance from any of the
men-of-war who might be lying in the roads.
It is not necessary to enter into a minute detail of the service which
we were now employed upon. It certainly was not a service of love, as we
had to raise a ship which we hoped would remain where she was. To enter
into particulars, technical terms must be resorted to, which would only
puzzle the reader. The position of the Samarang was simply this: she lay
on a rock, and had filled by careening over; as long as she was on her
side, the water rose and fell in her with the flood and ebb of the tide;
but if once we could get her on an even keel, as soon as the water left
her with the ebb of the tide, all we had to do was to pump her out, and
then she would float again. To effect this, we had to lighten her as
much as possible, by taking out of her her guns and stores of every
description; then to get purchases on her from the shore, and assist the
purchases with rafts under her bilge, so as to raise her again upon an
even keel. On the second day after she filled, when the tide had run
out, we removed all our chests from the lower deck; most of them were
broken, and a large proportion of the contents missing. On the 27th May
every thing had been prepared, and the attempt to get the vessel on an
even keel was made, and it proved successful, as it well might with the
variety of purchases, and the force of men we had at our disposition.
When we repaired to the ship with 100 Malays to man the purchase-falls,
the tide was ebbing fast, and the pumps were immediately set to work; so
that at midnight, when the tide commenced flowing, the ship was nearly
free of water. The purchases were then manned, and with the assistance
of the rafts the ship gradually righted. The following day, about
half-past two in the morning, the ship was free of water, and had risen
to a careen of 30°; at 3 o'clock she floated into deep water, and was
then anchored. During the forenoon of the same day the ship was towed to
her former anchoring ground off Kuchin. The same night the Harlequin and
Royalist arrived in the river, and a day or two afterwards a brig and
schooner came over with the intention of bidding for the remains of the
ship, and of stocking the officers with clothes and necessaries. This
was a losing speculation, as may be imagined, arising from a report
having been circulated that it was impossible to raise the ship,
whereas, as the reader will perceive, there was very little difficulty
in so doing, nothing but sufficient strength being required.
Our ship, as may be supposed, was in a most filthy state after the late
immersion. Plunging into a river does not clean a vessel, although it
does a man. The decks were literally coated with mud and slime, which
emitted the most foetid odour. Silver spoons, watches, and valuables of
every description, were everywhere strewed about, few of which ever
reached their rightful owners; for the Malays who were employed to clean
the ship had an eye to business, and secreted every thing which was
portable. By dint of great exertion, the ship was in a few days ready to
receive her tanks, guns, and stores, which were embarked by the
Harlequin's boats and boats' crews. She was soon in a forward state, and
an expedition was formed to survey a part of the coast during the
completion of her refitting. The gig and one of the barges were fitted
out for this service, and on August the 13th, at daylight, we left
Kuchin, well armed, and provisioned for ten days. At 10 A. M. we dropped
anchor under the Peak of Santabong, from which the branch of the Sarawak
we were then in derives its name. Here we remained a short time to
refresh the men, who had not ceased tugging at the oar from the time
that we started. The foot of the Santabong mountain is about a quarter
of a mile from the river. It then ascends almost perpendicularly to a
great height, towering far above the neighbouring mountains. Afterwards
it runs seaward for a mile or two, and terminates in a remarkable peak,
which forms the eastern horn of the extensive bay between it and Tanjon
Datu. Here we were about a week, during which time we had extended our
survey to the last-mentioned cape, which is about forty miles to the
westward of Santabong. While in the vicinity of Datu, a strict watch was
kept, that we might have timely notice of the approach of any prahus. A
short distance from the cape is a delightful bay studded with small
islets, which is known by the appellation of Pirate's Bay, so called
from its being a favourite resort of the Illanoan pirates. It was in
this bay that the Dido's boats were anchored when they were surprised by
several piratical prahus, the look-out men in the European boats,
exhausted by the heat and long pulling at the oar, having fallen asleep.
They had scarcely time to cut the cables and grasp their weapons ere
they were assailed on all sides by the pirates, who felt confident of
success, from having found them napping. But they little knew what
people they had to deal with, and if Jack was asleep when they made the
attack, they found him wide awake when they came to close quarters. All
their endeavours to board in the face of the rapid fire of the boats'
guns and small arms proved abortive, and they soon discovered that it
would be quite sufficient for their purpose if, instead of capturing the
boats, they could make their own escape. One of the prahus, pierced by
the well-directed shot, foundered, another was abandoned, and the rest,
favoured by darkness, made their escape. For a more detailed account, I
must refer the reader to Captain Keppel's work on Borneo.
During the survey, we visited the islands of Talen Talen--the Malay word
for turtle. These islands are the property of Mr. Brooke. A few Malays
lived on the largest of them for the purpose of getting turtle eggs,
with which they supply the trading prahus, who continually call here to
lay in a stock of these eggs, which are considered a great luxury by the
Malays. We landed with Mr. Williamson, the Malay interpreter at Sarawak,
belonging to Mr. Brooke's establishment. We were well received by the
Malays, who knew Mr. Williamson well, and he informed them that our
object was to procure a live turtle. They requested us to take our
choice of the numerous turtle then lying on the beach. We selected one
of about three cwt.; but although the turtles are never turned on this
island, she appeared to be aware that such was our intention, and
scuttled off as fast as she could for the water; however, we intercepted
her, and with some difficulty secured our prize. From one of the
numerous nests on the beach we took 600 turtle eggs. As many thousands
could have been as easily procured, but we had sufficient for our wants.
The Malays watch during the night, to ascertain where the turtle
deposits her eggs, for as soon as she has finished her task, she covers
them with her nippers with sand, and immediately retires into the sea. A
piece of wood is then set up as a mark for the nest, which is rifled as
occasion requires. It is a curious fact that the male turtle never
lands.
[Illustration: MALAYS OF KUCHIN.]
After visiting several villages on the coast, we returned to Kuchin on
Saturday the 19th, when we found that death had deprived us of our only
musician on board the ship, a loss which was much felt by the crew, as
he contributed much to their amusement. One of the supernumerary boys
had also fallen a victim to the dysentery; but, although we deplored our
loss, we had great reason to be thankful that it had been no greater, as
on the day we left Kuchin, we had upwards of seventy men on the sick
report. The same day, at noon, the anchor was weighed, and we dropped
down the river with the ebb tide. Strange to say, in spite of all our
precautions, we struck on the same reef of rocks again; fortunately,
however, the ship turned with the tide and grounded in the mud close to
the bushes, from whence there was no extricating her till the flood tide
had made. In the afternoon, when it was low water, a very large
alligator was discovered asleep upon the rocks, which had been properly
christened the Samarang Rocks, and which were now, at low ebb, several
feet above water. A party of officers and marines pulled towards him,
and fired a volley at him. The brute was evidently wounded, as he sprang
up several feet in the air, and then disappeared under the water.
Shortly after he again made his appearance, having landed on the
opposite side of the river; his assailants again gave chase, and again
wounded him, but he shuffled into the river and escaped.