nm Ill ZJ>\) ^s^ ~^R|K^^| ^^H Q J fSBI^^^KI ^mtm^Bk mvA IB ■'^ iHVH^n-^ ^c^AHVHan-iv^ 5i^FUNIVER% ;lOSANGEI£_r, ' o '%I30NVSm^ ^\\AEUN1VTR% ' jBbiS^B^^V ^^K ^^^•ubraf; ^ \^w ^ --> '^ ^^*V ^ ^" i\ i^ 1 1 1^^ "^'V^!-: -< r^ ^I■UBRA; . ^^'^ ^ 1 1 r^ =t: i: i ail 11 = §1. - 1 .^ A v: 1 ■^■AWH^n-T?^ ^fm%YK( .s^lOSANGEIij; cAY-UBRAR ^. .<^^ :^ vr -^^^ 'jTVHmi'^V '^>?7 /I ^'■ £n w-i -^IDNVSOl^ pa: -^/^aiAiNnrnv ^lUBRARY' %Ojr /Or- ^.Z^ EXPEDITION TO BORNEO. i, '■>>- THE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO H.M.S. DIDO THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY: WITH EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF JAMES BROOKE, ESQ. OF SARAWAK, (now agent for the BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN BORNEO.) CAPTAIN THE HON. HENRY KEPPEL, R.N. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186 STRAND. MDCCCXLVI. LONDON : PRINTED BY LEVEY, ROESON, AVD FRAKKLTN, Great New Street, Fetter Lane. V.I TO THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE. MY DEAR FATHER, You could scarcely have anticipated, from my Profession, the dedication of a Book in testimony of ^ my gratitude and affection ; but, having had the good fortune to acquire the friendship of Mr. James Brooke, and to be entrusted by him with a narrative of his ex- traordinary career in that part of the world where the services of the ship I commanded were required, I am not without a hope that the accompanying pages may be found worthy of your approval, and not altogether unin- teresting to my country. I am, my dear Father, Your affectionate Son, HENRY KEPPEL. Droxford, January 1846. 15030' PREFACE. The visit of her Majesty's ship Dido to Borneo, and her services against the pirates, occupy com- paratively so small a portion of these volumes, that some excuse may be necessary for their leading title. It was only by undertaking to make the ac- count of them part of the narrative, that I could prevail upon my friend Mr. Brooke to entrust me with his Journal for any public object ; and when I looked at his novel and important position as a Ruler in Borneo, and was aware how much of European curiosity was attached to it, I felt it impossible not to consent to an arrangement which should enable me to trace the remarkable career through which he had reached that elevation. I hope, therefore, to be considered as having con- quered my owTi disinclination to be the relater of viii 1'keiacl:. events in which I was concerned, in order to over- come the scruples which he entertained against being the author of the autobiographical sketch, embracing so singular a portion of his life, which I have extracted from the rough notes confided to me. That his diffidence in this respect was ground- less will, I trust, be apparent from these pages, however indifferently I may have executed my un- usual task, during a long homeward sea- voyage ; and, from the growing interest which has arisen throug-hout the countrv for intellig-ence on the subject of Borneo and the adjacent Archipelago, I venture also to indulge the belief, that the gene- ral information will be deemed no unfit adjunct to the story of personal adventure. H. K. Dr ox ford, January 1846. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. CHAPTER I. The Chinese War having terminated, Captain Kepi^el in H.M.S. Dido appointed to command of the Straits station. Meeting with Mr. Brooke. Sketch of his life. Mr. Brooke's out- ward voyage in the Royalist, Touch at Singapore. Arri- val off the coast of Borneo. Land at the island of Talang Talang. Intercourse with the Bandar . . Page 1 CHAPTER II. Progress : observations. Description of the coast of Borneo. Account, &c. of a Pangeran. Arrival at Sarawak. Meet- ings with Rajah Muda Hassim, and conversations. The town. Interchange of visits and presents. Excursion to Dyak tribes. Resources and commercial products . . 22 CHAPTER III. Second cruise : up the river Lundu. The Sibnowan Dyaks. Their town of Tungong. Their physical proportions, and words of their language. Their customs. Skull-trophies. Religious ceremonies and opinions. Their ornaments. Ap- pearance of both sexes. Dress and morals. Missionary prospects of conversion, and elevation in the social scale. Government, laws, and punishments. Dances. Iron ma- nufacturing. Chinese settlement. Excursion continued . 50 CHAPTER IV. Renewed intercourse with the Rajah. Prospects of trade. Orang-outang, and other animals. The two sorts of mias. Description of the Rajah, his suite, and Panglimas, &c. X CONTENTS Ol' VOLUME J. The character of tlie rjative.<. Leaves Sarawak. Soiigi Dyaks. Visits Serif!' Sahib. Buyat tongue. Attack by pirates. Sails for Singapore .... Faye l^Z CHAPTER V. Suminary of information obtained during this visit to Borneo. Geographical and topographical observations. Produce. Various Dyak tribes. Natural history. Language. Origin of races. Sails from Singapore. Celebes. Face of the country. Waterfall ...._.... 94 CHAPTER VL Dain Matara, the Bugis. Excursions in Celebes. Dispute with the Rajah's son-in-law. Baboon shot. Appearance of the country. Visits the Resident. Barometrical obser- vations. The Bugis. Geography, Coral reefs. Visits the Rana of Lamatte. Population and products of the country . 114 CHAPTER Vn. Mr. Brooke's second visit to SaraAvak. The civil war. Re- ceives a present of a Dyak boy. Excursion to the seat of war. Notices of rivers, and settlements on their banks. Deaths and burials. Reasons for and against remaining at Sarawak. Dyak visitors. Council of war. Why side with the Rajah. Mode of constructing forts. State of ene- my's and Rajah's forces. Conduct of the war . . . 137 CHAPTER Vin. A])pearance of the country. Progress of the rebel war. Cha- racter of the Sow and Singe Dyaks. Their belief in augury. Ruinous effects of protracted warfare. Coward- ice and boasting of the ^Malays. Council of war. Refuse to attack the enemy's forts. Rebels propose to treat. The jVlalays op^wse. Set out to attack the rebels, but frustrated by our allies. Assailed by the rebels. Put them to flight. Treat with them. They surrender. Intercede with the Rajah for their lives. Renewed treachery of the Malays . 159 CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. XI CHAPTER IX. Retrospect of Mr. Brooke's proceedings and prospects. Visit of a pirate fleet. Intercourse with the chief leaders, and other characteristic incidents. War-dances. Use of opium. Story of Si Tundo. Preparations for trading. Conditions of the cession of Sarawak .... Page 189 CHAPTER X. 01)stacles in coming to a satisfactory conclusion with Muda Hassim. The law of force and reprisal considered. Capa- bilities of Sarawak. Account of Sarebus and Sakarran pirates. Excursion up the river. Visit to the Singe Dyaks. Description of Mr. Brooke's house at Sarawak. Circum- stances relating to the wreck off Borneo Proper . .214 CHAPTER Xr. Return of the Royalist from Borneo Proi)er, with intelligence of the sufferers from the wreck of the Sultana. Effect of the arrival of the Diana on the negotiations for their re- lease. Outrage and oppression of Macota. Fate of the Sultana and her crew. Mr. Brooke made Rajah of Sa- rawak. Liberation of rebel prisoners. State of Dyak tribes. Court of justice opened. Dyak burials, and re- spect for the dead. Malay cunning and treachery . . 240 CHAPTER XII. Reflections ou the new year. The plundered village, and other wrongs. Means for their suppression. Tlie new govern- ment proceeds to act. The constitution. Preparation for an expedition against the Sea-Dyaks. Form of a treaty. Wreck of the Viscount Melbourne. Administration of justice. Ditticulties and dangers. Dyak troubles. Views and arrangements of the Chinese. Judicial forms. Wrongs and sufferings of the Lundus . . . . . .2(51 CHAPTER XIII. Ascent of the left-hand river to the Stabad. Remarkable cave in the Tubbang. Diamond-works at Suntah. Return. XII CONTENTS Or VOLUMi: I. Infested by Dyak pirates. A meeting of pralius, and fight. Seriff Sahib's treatment oftheSuntah Dyaks. Ex- pedition against the Singe. Their invasion of tlie Sigos, and taking heads. The triunii)h over these tropliies. Arms and modes of war. Hot and cold council-houses. Cere- monies on 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 ........ Page 290 CHAPTER XIV. Visit of Captain Elliott. Mr. Brooke sails for Borneo Proper. Arrival. Visited by leading men. Condition of the coun- try. Reception by the Sultan. Objects in view. The dif- ferent chiefs, and communications with them. The Sultan and his Pangerans. Objects of the visit accomplished. Return to Sarawak. Ceremonies of the cession. Sails for Singapore . . . . . . . . .316 APPENDIX. I. Natural History. Mr. Brooke's report on the Mias . i II. Philology ....... . xii III. Epistle of LaiJutongei, Rajah of Waju, and Consort, to Mr. James Brooke, and to the company of Merchants at Singapore ....... . xxvii ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOLUME I. H.M.S. Dido at Sarawak Jungle near Santobong The Rajah Muda Hassim Night-attack on the Panglima's prnhii Map of JIalayan Archipelago Province of Sarawak to fare the Title . 20 . 29 . 90 cit end ofrfol. ditto ERRATA. 30 line 9 for Burni read Bninl 35 „ 23 ,, 90 „ 59" 37 3 „ 100 3000 119 6 „ Batang „ Balong 121 3 „ idem „ idem 123 „ 15 „ idem ,, idem 125 1 „ claim „ climb 161 ,. 12 „ cannonades „ carronades 209 „ 7 „ his „ this 211 „ 20 „ in the law „ i. e. the written law 233 „ 16 „ Sika Situ 275 „ 22 „ Laconia „ Luconia 276 „ 26 ,, of off 281 „ 26 „ of a Chinaman „ to a Chinaman 283 „ 13 ,, Montrado „ those of Montrado 332 „ 20 „ bought by „ brought from VISIT TO BORNEO. CHAPTER I. The Chinese War having terminated, Captain Keppel in H.M.S. Dido appointed to command of the Straits station. Meeting with Mr. Broolce. Sketch of his Ufe. Mr. Brooke's outward voyage in the Royalist. Touch at Singapore. Arrival oiF the coast of Borneo. Land at the Island of Talang Talang. Intercourse with the Bandar. At the conclusion of the Chinese war, the com- mander-in-chief, Vice- Admiral Sir William Parker, ordered the Dido to the Malacca Straits, a station in which was included the island of Borneo ; our principal duties being the protection of trade, and suppression of piracy. In the month of March 1843, while at Pinang, I received intimation from the governor of various daring acts of piracy having been committed near the Borneon coast on some native vessels tradino- to Singapore. I proceeded to that port ; and, while VOL. I. B 2 VOYAGE OF THE UIDO. undergoing a partial refit, made the acquaintance of Mr. Brooke, who accepted my invitation to re- turn to Sarawak in the Dido ; and I could not have visited Borneo with a more agreeable or intel- ligent companion. The objects of Mr. Brooke in leaving England, the reasons which induced him to settle at Sara- wak, and the circumstances which have led him to take so deep an interest in promoting the civilisa- tion and improving the condition of the singular people whom he has adopted, form indeed a story very unlike the common course of events in modern times. But before illustrating- these circumstances from his own journals, it may be acceptable to say a few words respecting the individual himself, and of his extraordinary career. I am indebted to a mutual friend, acquainted with him from early years, for the followino- brief but interesting outline of his life ; and have only to mention in the first instance, that Mr. Brooke is the lineal representative of Sir Eobert Vyner, Baronet, and Lord Mayor of London in the reign of Charles II. ; Sir Robert had but one child, a son. Sir George Vyner, who died childless, and his estate passed to his heir-at-law, Edith, the eldest sister of his father, whose lineal descendant is our friend. Sir Bobert was re- nowned for his loyalty to his sovereign, to whom he devoted his wealth, and to whose memory he raised a monument. MEMOIR OF MR. BROOKE. D " Mr. Brooke was the second, and is now the only surviving son of the late Thomas Brooke, Esq., of the civil service of the East India Company ; was bom on the 29th April, 1803 ; went out to India as a cadet, where he held advantageous situations, and distinguished himself by his gallantry in the Burmese war. He was shot through the body in an action with the Burmese, received the thanks of the government, and returned to England for the recovery of his prostrated strength. He resumed his station, but shortly afterwards relinquished the service, and in search of health and amusement left Calcutta for China in 1830. In this voyage, while going up the China seas, he saw for the first time the islands of the Asiatic Archipelago — islands of vast importance and unparalleled beauty — lying neglected and almost unknown. He in- quired and read, and became convinced that Bor- neo and the Eastern Isles afforded an open field for enterprise and research. To carry to the Malay races, so long the terror of the European merchant-vessel, the blessings of civilisation, to suppress piracy and extirpate the slave-trade, be- came his humane and generous objects ; and from that hour the energies of his powerful mind were devoted to this one pursuit. Often foiled — often disappointed, with a perseverance and enthusiasm which defied all obstacle, he was not until 1838 enabled to set sail from England on his darlino: project. The intervening years had been devoted 4 MEMOIR OF MR. RROOKE. to preparation and inquiry — a year spent in the Mediterranean had tested his vessel, the Royalist, and his crew — and so completely had he studied his subject and calculated on contingencies, that the least santjuine of his friends felt as he left the shore, hazardous and unusual as the enterprise appeared to be, that he had omitted nothing to insure a successful issue. ' I go,' said he, ' to awake the spirit of slumbering philanthropy with regard to these islands ; to carry Sir Stamford Raffles' views in Java over the whole Archipelago. Fortune and life I give freely ; and if I fail in the attempt, I shall not have lived wholly in vain.' " In the admiration I feel for him, I may far- ther be permitted to add, that if any man ever possessed in himself the resources and means by which such noble designs were to be achieved, that man w^as James Brooke ! Of the most enlarged view^s ; truthful and generous ; quick to acquire and appreciate ; excelling in every manly sport and exercise ; elegant and accomplished ; ever ac- cessible ; and above all, prompt and determined to redress injury and relieve misfortune, — he was of all others the best qualified to impress the native mind with the highest opinion of English charac- ter. How he has succeeded, the influence he has acquired, and the benefits he has conferred, his own uncoloured narrative contained in the follow- ing pages best declares, and impresses on the world a lasting lesson of the good that attends individual HIS JOURNAL. O enterprise, when well directed, of which every Eng- lishman may feel justly proud." Such is the sketch of Mr. Brooke hy one well competent to judge of that to which he bears witness. In pursuance of the mission he has so eloquently and truly described, that gentleman left his native shores, in his yacht the Koyalist schooner, of 142 tons, belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron, with a crew of upwards of twenty men, in the year 1838. His general views were distinct and certain ; but the details into which they shaped themselves have been so entirely guided by unfore- seen occurrences, that it is necessary to look to his first visit to Borneo for their explanation ; and in order to do so, I must refer to his private journal, which he kindly confided to me, after my having in vain tried to persuade him to publish it him- self, as it contains much new and interesting intel- ligence. EXTRACTS FROM MR. BROOKE's JOURNAL. " I had for some years turned my mind to the geography of the Indian Archipelago, and cherish- ed an ardent desire to become better acquainted with a country combining the richest natural produc- tions with an unrivalled degree of luxuriant beauty. Circumstances for a time prevented my entering on this field for enterprise and research ; and when the barriers were removed, I had many prepara- tions to make and some difficulties to overcome. 6 MR. buooke's journal. " In an expedition conducted by government, the line of discipline is so distinctly understood, and its infringement so strictly punished, that small hazard is incurred of any inconvenience arising from such a source. With an individual, however, there is no such assurance, for he cannot appeal to the articles of war ; and the ordinary legal enact- ments for the protection of the mariner will not enable him to effect objects so far removed beyond the scope of the laws. I was fully aware that many would go, but that few might stay ; for whilst a voyage of discovery hi prospectu possesses great attractions for the imagination, the hardship, danger, and thousand other rude realities, soon dissipate the illusion, and leave the aspirant long- ing for that home he should never have quitted. In like manner, seamen can be procured in abund- ance, but cannot be kept from desertion whenever any matter goes wrong ; and the total previous ignorance of their characters and dispositions ren- ders this more likely, as the admission of one * black sheep' goes far to taint the entire crew. " These considerations fully convinced me that it was necessary to form meii to my purpose, and by a line of steady and kind conduct, to raise up a personal regard for myself and attachment for the vessel, which could not be expected in ordinary cases. In pursuance of this object, I was nearly three years in preparing a crew to my mind, and gradually moulding them to consider the hardest SAILING OF THE ROYALIST YACHT. 7 fate or misfortune under my command as better than the ordinary service in a merchant-vessel. How far I have succeeded remains yet to be proved ; but I cannot help hoping that I have raised the character of many, and have rendered all happy and contented since they have been with me ; and certain am I that no men can do their duty more cheerfully or willingly than the crew of the Royalist. " I may pass over in silence my motives for undertaking so long and arduous a voyage ; and it will be sufficient to say, that I have been firmly convinced of its beneficial tendency in adding to knowledge, increasing trade, and spreading Chris- tianity. The prospectus of the undertaking was published in the Geographical Journal, vol. viii. part iii. of 1838, when my preparations for sea were nearly complete. I had previously avoided making any public mention of my intentions, for praise before performance is disgusting ; and I knew I should be exposed to prying curiosity, de- sirous of knowing what I did not know myself. " On the 27th October, 1838, the Royalist left the river ; and, after a succession of heavy gales, finally quitted the land on the l6th December. I may here state some farther particulars, to enable my readers to become better acquainted with her and her equipment. The Royalist, as already noticed, belonged to the Royal Yacht Squadron, which in foreign ports admits her to the 8 AT RIO JANKIRO. same privilef^es as a man-of-war, and ena1)les her to carry a white ensign. She sails fast, is conve- niently fitted up, is armed with six six-pounders, a number of swivels, and small arms of all sorts, carries four boats, and provisions for four months. Her principal defect is being too sharp in the floor, which, in case of taking the ground, greatly increases the risk ; but I comfort myself with the reflection, that a knowledge of this will lead to redoubled precaution to prevent such a disaster. She is withal a good sea-boat, and as well cal- culated for the service as could be desired. " Most of her hands had been with me for three years or upwards, and the rest were highly recommended. They are, almost without excep- tion, young, able-bodied, and active, fit in all re- spects for enduring hardship and privation, or the more dangerous reverse of self-indulgence, and willing to follow the fortunes of the Royalist and her commander through all the various shades of good or evil fortune which may betide. A fine, though slow, passage took us to Rio Janeiro, which presents features of natural beauty rarely equalled. The weather during our stay was hot in the ex- treme, and very wet, which marred, in some degree, the satisfaction I should otherwise have enjoyed in wandering about this picturesque country. I passed ten days, however, very agreeably, and de- parted with some regret from this brief \'isit to America and from my friends (if they will so allow BRAZIL. 9 me to call them) on board H. M.S. Calliope. I must not omit to mention that, during my stay, I visited a slaver, three of which (prizes to our men-of-war) lay in the harbour. It is a most loathsome and disgusting sight. Men, women, and children — the aged and the infant — crowded into a space as confined as the pens in Smithfield ; not, however, to be released by death at the close of the day, but to linger, diseased and festering, for weeks or months, and then to be discharged into perpetual and hopeless slavery. I wish I could say that our measures tended toward the abolition of this detestable traffic ; but from all that I could learn and observe, I am forced to confess that the exertions made to abolish slavery are of no avail in this country, and never will be till harsher means are resorted to. " There are points of view in which this traffic wears a more cheering aspect ; for any one com- paring the puny Portuguese or the bastard Brazi- lian with the athletic negro, cannot but allow that the ordinary changes and chances of time wall place this fine country in the hands of the latter race. The negro will be fit to cultivate the soil, and will thrive beneath the tropical sun of the Brazils. The enfeebled white man grows more enfeebled and more degenerate with each succeed- ing generation, and languishes in a clime which nature never designed him to inhabit. The time will come when the debased and sufiering ne- 10 ONWAIll) VOYAGE. groes shall possess this fertile land, and when some share of justice shall be awarded to their cheerful tempers and ardent minds. " Quitting Rio on the 9th, we cruised for a day or two with H.M.S. Calliope and Grecian ; and on the 11th, parting company, prosecuted our voyage for the Cape of Good Hope." The next notice runs thus : — "The aspect of Tristan d'Acunha is bold even to grandeur. The peak, towering upwards of eight thousand feet above the sea, is inferior only to Teneriffe, and the precipitous cliffs overhanging the beach are a fitting base for such a mountain. I regretted not being able to examine this island on many accounts, but principally, perhaps, on account of the birds of the South Atlantic I had hoped to collect there, many of which are so often seen by voyagers, yet so little known and so vaguely de- scribed. " On the 29th March, after being detained a fortnight [at the Cape of Good Hope] by such weather as no one could regret, we sailed again in a south-easter, and after a passage of six weeks reached Java Head. " I had been suffering for some time under a severe indisposition, and I consequently hailed the termination of our voyage wdth double satisfaction, for I greatly required rest and quiet — two things impossible to be had on ship-board. From Java Head we glided slowly through Prince's Strait, ANJER ROADS. 11 and, coasting along the island, dropped our anchor in Anjer Roads. The scenery of this coast is ex- tremely lovely, and comprises every feature which can heighten the picturesque : noble mountains, a lake -like sea, and deeply indented coast -line, rocks, islets, and, above all, a vegetation so luxu- riant that the eye never wearies with gazing on its matchless tints. Anjer combines all these beauties, and possesses the incalculable advantage of beinof within a moderate ride of the refreshinsf coolness of the hills. We here procured water and provisions in abundance, being daily visited by crowds of canoes filled with necessaries or cu- riosities. Fowls, eggs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and sweet potatoes, were mixed with monkeys of various sorts, paroquets, squirrels, shells, and similar temptations on the stranger's purse or wardrobe. Great was the bartering for old clothes, handkerchiefs, and hats ; and great the number of useless and noisy animals we received in exchange. Great, too, was the merriment aboard, and the excitement when the canoes first came. The transition from the monotony of a sea-life to the loquacious bustle of barter with a half-civilised people is so sudden, that the mind at once feels in a strange land, and the commonest productions proclaim the luxuri- ant climes of the tropics. Until this impression is made, we hardly know why we have been sailing onward for four months past, so quiet and unvary- ing is the daily tenor of a life aboard ship. 12 SINGAPORE. ** 1^/ June, Si/igapore. — On reaching Singapore I was most hospitably received by the kind inha- bitants, and took up my abode with Mr. Scott. The quiet and repose of my present life, the gentle ride in the cool of the mornin"', and the evening-, drive after an early dinner, are already restoring my shattered strength, and I trust soon to be en- abled to prosecute my farther undertaking. In the mean time the Royalist is undergoing a refit after her passage, and, like her owner, is daily im- proving in good looks. . " I coidd say much of Singapore, for it is the pivot of the liberal system in the Archipelago, and owes its prosperity to the enlightened measures of Sir Stamford Raffles. The situation is happily chosen, the climate healthy, the commerce un- shackled, and taxation light ; and these advan- taoes have attracted the vessels of all the neigh- bouring nations to bring their produce to this market in order to exchange it for the manufac- tures of England. " The extent of the island is about 27 miles by I I broad. The town of Singapore stands on the south side, facing the shores of Battam, and is intersected by a salt-water stream, which separates the native town from the pleasant residences of the European inhabitants ; the latter stretch along the beach, and cover a space which extends to the foot of a slight eminence, on which stands the governor's house. Off the town lie the shipping THE CHINA SEA : PHENOMENON. 13 of various countries, presenting a most picturesque and striking- appearance. The man-of-war, the steamer, and the merchant- vessels of the civilised world, contrast with the huge, misshapen, and he- dizened arks of China ! The awkward prahus of the Bugis are surrounded by the light boats of the island. The semi -civilised Cochin Chinese, with their vessels of antiquated European construction, deserve attention from this important step towards improvement ; and the rude prahus of some parts of Borneo claim it from their exhibiting the early dawn of maritime adventure. " 27^/^ July. — After various causes of delay I sailed on this day from Singapore. When I con- trast my state of health at my arrival with what it now is, I may well be thankful for the improve- ment. Every kindness and hospitality has been shewn me. " On Saturday at noon we got under weigh with a light breeze, and stood down the Strait on our way to Borneo. " '■ZSth. — In the morninof we were well out in the China Sea, running six knots per hour, N. f E. Lines of discoloured water were seen about us, and about 11 a.m. we entered a field some two miles long and 400 yards wide. The consistence of this dirty mass was that of pea-soup, which it likewise resembled in colour ; and I doubt not the white water of the China Sea (vide N. Maga- zine^ is referable to this appearance seen in the 14 MR. Brooke's objects. night, as may the report of rocks, &e. The Ma- lays on board called it ' sara,' and declared it to come from the rivers. On examination it ap- peared, when magnified, somewhat like a grain of barley or corn. The particles were extremely mi- nute, soft, and, rubbed between the fingers, emit- ted a strong smell like paint-oil ; a potent odour arose whilst passing through the thick patch. " It may not be superfluous to recount here the preparations I have made for this trip to Borneo, or my intentions when I get there. Borneo Proper, once the seat of piracy, which few vessels could approach with safety, is now under the sway of the Bajah Muda Hassim. The character given this rajah by many persons who know and have traded with him is so good, and he is spoken of as generous and humane, and greatly inclined to the EnMish. These reasons have induced me to abandon my intention of proceeding direct to Mal- ludu Bay, and during the season of the south- west monsoon to confine myself principally to the north-west coast. Muda Hassim being at present reported to be at Sarawak, I propose, after taking a running sketch of the coast from Tanjong Api, to enter the river of that name, and proceed as far as the town. " I believe I have availed myself of every means within my reach to render my visit agreeable to the rajah. I carry with me many presents which are reported to be to his liking — gaudy silks of IN REGARD TO BORNEO. 15 Surat, scarlet cloth, stamped velvet, gunpowder, &c., besides a large quantity of confectionery and sweets, such as preserved ginger, jams, dates, syrups, and, to wind up all, a huge box of China toys for his children ! I have likewise taken coarse nankeen to the amount of 100/. value, as the best circulating medium in the country. Be- sides the above-mentioned preparations, I carry letters from the government of Singapore, to state, as far as can be done, the objects of my voyage, and to caution the rajah to take every care of my safety and that of my men. The Board of Commerce have at the same time entrusted me with a letter and present to him, to thank him for his humanity to a crew of an English vessel wrecked on his coast. The story, as I had it from the parties shipwTecked, is highly creditable to his humanity. The vessel, called the Napoleon, was wrecked on the bar of Sarawak river in the north- east monsoon. The people were saved with diffi- culty, and remained in the jungle, where they were after a time discovered by some Malays. Muda Hassim, on receiving intelligence of this, sent down and brought them to his town, collected all that he could recover from the wreck, clothed them handsomely, and fed them well for several months, and, on an opportunity arriving, sent them back to Singapore free of expense. " At the same time, however, that I have pre- pared to meet the natives as friends, I have not l6 ARRIVAL OFF THE COAST. neglected to streng-tlicn my crew, in case I should find them hostile. Eight stout men of the Orang Laut, or men of the sea (Malays), have been added to the force. They are an athletic race, cheerful and willing ; and though not seamen in our sense of the term, yet well calculated for this expedition. They pull a good oar, and are invaluable in saving the Europeans the exposure consequent to wood- ing and watering. They possess, likewise, the knowledge of the jungle and its resources, and two of them have before been to Sarawak and along the coast. Besides these, a young gentleman named Williamson accompanies me as intei'preter ; and I have fortunatelv met with a medical aentle- man, Mr. Westermann, a Dane, who is surgeon for this voyage, Mr. Williams having left me at Singapore. With these arrangements I look ^nth- out apprehension to the power of the Malays ; but, without relaxing in measures of the strictest vigfil- ance, I shall never sleep less soundly when it comes to my turn so to do. " August Isf. — I am, then, at length, anchored off the coast of Borneo ! not under ver}^ pleasant circumstances, for the night is pitchy dark, ^-ith thunder, lightning, rain, and squalls of wind. *' Qd. — Squally bad night. This morning, the clouds clearing awav, was delightful , and offered for our view the majestic scenery of Borneo. At nine got under way, and ran in on an east-by- soutli course 42 or 5 miles towards Tanjong Api. VOYAGE CONTINUED. 17 Came to an anchor about 5 miles from the land, and despatched the boat to take sights ashore, in order to form a base-line for triangulation. The scenery may really be called majestic. The low and wooded coast about Tanjong Api is backed bv a mountain called Gunono-^ Palo, some 2000 feet in height, which slopes down behind the point and terminates in a number of hummocks, shewing from a distance like islands. " The coast, unknown, and represented to abound in shoals and reefs, is the harbour for pirates of every description. Here every man's hand is raised against his brother-man ; and here sometimes the climate wars upon the excitable European, and lays many a white face and gallant heart low on the distant strand. *' Sd. — Beating between Points Api and Datu. The bay, as far as we have seen, is free from dan- ger ; the beach is lined by a feathery row of beautiful casuarinas, and behind is a tangled jungle, without fine timber ; game is plentiful, from the traces we saw on the sand ; hogs in great numbers, troops of monkeys, and the print of an animal with cleft hoofs, either a large deer, tapir, or cow. We saw no game save a tribe of monkeys, one of which, a female, I shot, and another quite young, which we managed to capture alive. The captive, though the young of the black monkey, is greyish, ' Gunong, a mountain, part of a chain. VOL. I. C 18 MONKEY LEAP. with the exception of his extremities, and a stripe of black down his back and tail. Though very young, he has already taken food, and we have some hope of preserving his life. " We witnessed at the same time an extraordi- nary and fatal leap made by one of these monkeys. Alarmed by our approach, he sprang from the summit of a high tree at the branch of one lower,, and at some distance. He leaped short, and came clattering down some 60 or 70 feet amid the jungle. We were unable to penetrate to the spot on account of a deep swamp, to ascertain his fate. '* A rivulet flows into the sea not far from where we landed — the water is sweet, and of that clear brown colour so common in Ireland. This coast is evidently the haunt of native prahus, whether piratical or other. Prints of men's feet were nu- merous and fresh, and traces of huts, fires, and parts of boots, some of them ornamented after their rude fashion. A long pull of five miles closed the day. ** Sunday, 4. ■-'rjJ:rX,-J^2i:' J^ THE RAJAH. 29 side of the ruler, who occupied the head seat. Our party were placed on one hand ; on the other sat his brother Mahammed, and Macota and some others of his principal chiefs ; whilst immediately behind him his twelve younger brothers were seated. " The dress of Muda Hassim was simple, but of rich material, and most of the principal men were well, and even superbly, dressed. His countenance is plain, but intelligent and highly pleasing, and his manners perfectly elegant and easy. His re- ception was kind, and, I am given to understand, highly flattering. We sat, however, trammelled with the formality of state, and our conversation did not extend beyond kind inquiries and profes- sions of friendship. We were presented with to- bacco rolled up in a leaf, each about a foot long, and tea was served by attendants on their knees. A band of music played wild and not unmusical airs during the intel^view, and the crowd of attend- ants who surrounded us were seated around in re- spectful silence. After a visit of half an hour, we rose and took our leave. " Sarawak is but an occasional residence of the Rajah Muda Hassim, and he is now detained here by a rebellion in the interior. On my inquiring whether ilie zoar proceeded favourably, he replied that there was ?w zoar, but merely some child's plat/ among his subjects. From what I hear, however, from other quarters, it is more serious than he re- so SARAWAK. presents it ; and hints have been thrown out that the rajah wishes me to stay here as a demonstra- tion to intimidate the rebels. We shall see. " The town consists of a collection of mud huts, erected on piles, and may contain about 1500 per- sons. The residences of the rajah and his four- teen brothers occupy the greater part, and their followers are the great majority of the population. When they depart for Borneo (or Burni), the re- mainder must be a very small population, and ap- parently very poor. The river aifords a few fish ; but there is little sign of cultivation either of rice or other grain. Fowls and goats seem the only other means of subsistence of these people. The geological features of the country are easily de- scribed. Vast masses of granite rock are scat- tered along the coast ; for instance, Gunong Poe, Gading, Santobong, &c. &c., which have evidently at some former period been detached islands. The spaces between these granite itiasses is now filled in with alluvial soil, intersected in every direction with rivers and streams, and on the low alluvial bank of the Sarawak river stands this little town. The distance from the sea is about twenty- five miles, through banks of mangrove, and the Nepa palm, until approaching the town, where some jungle -trees first appear. The breadth is about 100 yards, and the depth six fathoms at low water spring-tides in mid river opposite the rajah's residence. In some places below, the river is COJ«)VERSATION WITH THE RAJAH. 31 narrower and the depths considerable, varying from three to seven fathoms. The prominent points, however, are shallow, and the rocks below the town lay on the starboard hand coming up just as the first houses appear in sight. The larboard hand should then be kept close aboard. Some other rocks are likewise reported ; and in ascending the stream, though it be generally clear, a vessel zvith or without a pilot should have a boat a-head sound- ing. In the evening I went ashore suddenly to pay a visit to the rajah, in order, if possible, to break through the bonds of formality. The great man soon made his appearance, and received us very well. We talked much of the state of his country and of ours ; but he was very guarded when I spoke of the Dutch. " He had no dealings whatever (he said) with them, and never allowed their vessels to come here, and therefore could not say what they were like." We sat in easy and unreserved converse, out of hearing of the rest of the circle. He expressed great kindness to the English nation ; and begged me to tell him really which was the most powerful nation, England or Holland, or, as he significantly expressed, which is the " cat and which the rat ?" I assured him that England was the mouser, though in this coun- try Holland had most territory. We took our leave after he had intimated his intention of visit- inof us to-morrow mominof. << l6r/«. — We were ready to receive the rajah 32 VISITED I5Y MUDA IIASSIM. after breakfast : ])ut these affairs of state are not so easily managed. There came two diplomatists on board to know, in the first place, how many guns we intended to salute with, and, in the second, whether I would go ashore in my gig, in order to fetch the chief and his brother off. The latter request I might have refused, and in a di- plomatic light it was inadmissible ; but I readily conceded it, because, in the first place, it was less troublesome than a refusal ; and in the next, I cared not to bandy paltry etiquettes with a semi- savage ; and whatever pride might whisper, I could not, as an individual traveller, refuse an acknow- ledging of the supremacy of a native prince. I went accordingly. The great man came on board, and we treated him with every distinction and respect. Much barbaric state was maintained as he quitted his own residence. His sword of state, with a gold scabbard, his war -shield, jewel- hilted kris, and flowing horse-taih, were separate- ly carried by the grand officers of state. Bursts of wild music announced his exit. His fourteen brothers and principal Pangerans surrounded him, and a number (formidable on the deck of a ves- sel) covered the rear. He stayed two hours and a half; ate and drank, and talked with great fa- miliarity, till the oppressive heat of the crowded cabin caused me to wish them all to another place. However, he departed at last, under a salute of twenty-one guns, and the fatigues of the VISITS. PRESENTS. 33 day were satisfactorily brought to a close. I after- wards sent the rajah the presents I had brought for him, consisting of a silk sarong, some yards of red cloth and velvet, a pocket-pistol, scissors and knives, with tea, biscuits, sweetmeats, China play- things, &c. &c. A person coming here should be provided with a few articles of small importance to satisfy the crowd of inferior chiefs. Soap, small parcels of tea, lucifers, writing-paper, a large stock of cigars, biscuits, and knives, are the best ; for, without being great beggars, they seem greatly to value these trifles, even in the smallest quantity. The higher class inquired frequently for scents ; and for the great men I know no present which would be more acceptable than a small pier-glass. All ranks seemed greatly pleased with those a- board ; and some of the lower orders, quite ignorant of the reflection, laughing, moving, sitting, and rising, to observe the corresponding eflect. <' 18^//. — In the morning I intimated my in- tention of paying a visit to the Pangeran Muda Mahammed ; and being apprised of his readiness to see us, I went ashore to his house. He was not, however, in the room to receive us ; nor, in- deed, was I much surprised at this slight, for he is a sulky-looking, ill-favoured savage, with a de- bauched appearance, and wanting in the intelli- gence of his brother the rajah. I seated myself, however, and remained some time ; but the delay exceeding what I considered the utmost limit of VOL. I. D ,'ll< ETIQUETTE. my forbearance, I expressed to the Pangeran Ma- cota my regret that his compeer was not ready to receive me, adding that, as I was not accustomed to be kept waiting, I would return to my vessel. I spoke in the quietest tone imaginable, rose from my seat, and moved away ; but the assembled Pan- gcrans, rising likewise, assured me it was a mis- take, that he was not yet dressed, and would greatly regret it himself. I repeated, that when I visited the rajah, he received me in the hall. Whilst this brief discussion passed, the culprit Muda Mahammed appeared, and apologised for his remissness, assuring me that the error was his attendants*, who told him I was not coming for an hour. The excuse, of course, passed current, though false, as excuses generally are. I vindi- cated my independence, not until it was necessary ; and I am well aware that any endeavour of a na- tive to commit an indirect rudeness, if met with firmness and gentleness, always recoils on his ovmi head. The routine of the visit resembled our last — tea, cigars, complimentary conversation, and departure. The Pangeran afterwards sent me a present of fowls and goats, and I was right glad to have it over. Muda Mahammed is the *own* brother to Muda Hassim, and next in rank here. As yet I had not made any request to the rajah to allow me to visit various parts of his country ; but thinking the time was arrived (the ceremonial of arrival being past) to do so, I sent Mr. William- EXCURSION AMONG THE DYAKS. 35 son, my interpreter, to express my wish to travel to some of the Malay towns and into the country of the Dyaks. The latter request, I fully expected, would be evaded, and was therefore the more pleased when an answer came giving a cheerful consent to my going amongst the Dyaks of Lundu, and visiting the towns of Sadung, Samarahan, &c. At the same time the rajah informed me, that if I went up the river, he could not be answerable for my safety, as the rebels were not far distant, and con- stantly on the watch. Sarebus, another large Dyak town, he advised me not to visit, as they were inimical to his government, and a skirmish had lately taken place between them and some of his subjects. " 18^/^, Sunday. — Performed service. In the evening walked ashore, but the jungle was wet after rain. Every day or night since arriving it has rained, sometimes in torrents, at others in showers, and the sky has been so obscured that no observations can be obtained. The thermo- meter never ranges above 81°, and sometimes stands at 9\ " At 12 at night we were surprised by a boat sent from the rajah, to say he was taken ill, and wanted some physic. We despatched our surgeon, but it was found impossible to admit him into the sacred precincts of the seraglio, and he returned with the information that the rajah was asleep. " 21.9/ Our fleet were in readiness before dav- 3() EXCURSION. lioht, and by 5 o'clock we left Kuchin^r,' and drop- })ed down the river. The Pangeran Illudeen and the ranglima, both in pralius, accompanied us, and with our long-boat (the Skimalong) formed quite a gay procession. The prahu of the Pangeran pulled twelve paddles, mounted two brass swivels, and in all had a crew of about twenty men. The Pan- glima's boat likewise carried a gun, and had about ten men ; whilst the Skimalong mounted an iron swivel, and carried six Englishmen and one of our Singapore Malays. With this equipment we might be pronounced far superior to any force of the rajah's enemies we were likely to meet. " We passed from the Sarawak river into the Morotaba. At the junction of the two streams the Morotaba is narrow ; but at no great distance, where it meets the Quop, it becomes wdder, and in some places more than half a mile across. " The river Quop is a fine stream, fully, as far as I could see, as broad as the Morotaba or Sara- wak. Beyond the junction of the Quop and Mo- rotaba the latter river di\ddes into two branches — the left-hand one, running to the sea, retains the name of Morotaba, whilst the right is called Riam. " The Riam is a fine stream ; at its junction with the Morotaba it takes that name, as the Morotaba does that of Sarawak where they join. Low mangrove or Nepa palm banks characterise ' The old name for the town of Sarawak. EXCURSION. 37 these streams ; and occasionally slight eminences, with timber, are to be seen. The highest hill is about 100 feet high, called Matang, and is at the point of junction between the Morotaba and Riam. " The next river on the starboard hand is the Tanjan, a small stream ; and some distance from it, the Kulluong, or Parwheet river, more properly the continuation of the Riam. On the port hand is a smaller river, running N. 35° E. We pursued this stream, called Ugong Passer ; and after a hard pull against a strong tide, emerged into the larger river of Samarahan. The tide was so strong against us that we brought up for a couple of hours till it slacked, and between 4 and 5 got under weigh again, with the expectation of sht>rtly arriving at our place of destination. Hour after hour passed, however ; the sun set ; the glorious moon rose upon our progress as we toiled slowly but cheerfully onward. Silence was around, save when broken by the wild song of the Malay boat- men, responded to by the song of our tars to the tune of * Bonnie laddie. Highland laddie.' *' It was such a situation as an excitable mind might envy. The reflection that we were proceed- ing up a Borneon river hitherto unknown, sailing where no European ever sailed before ; the deep solitude, the brilliant night, the dark fringe of retired jungle, the lighter foliage of the river bank, with here and there a tree flashing and shining with fireflies, nature's tiny lamps glancing and 450304 Sa SAMARAHAN. RIVERS. flitting in countless numbers and incredible brilli- ancy ! At eleven at night we reached Samarahan, having been eighteen hours in the boat, and fifteen at the oars, chiefly against tide. The men were tired, but cheerful. Indeed, I can give them no praise beyond their merits for conduct spirited, endurin"-, and vet so orderlv as never to off*end the native inhabitants, or infringe upon their pre- judices. A glass of grog with our supper, and we all soon closed our eyes in comfortable sleep, such as fatigue alone can bring. " 22cl. — The village of Samarahan consists of a few houses, built, as usual, upon posts, and stand- ing close to the brink of the river. It contains fronf sixty to eighty inhabitants in all, and there is nothing in its site different from the rest of the country. Whilst here, a boat, with a Dyak family, came alongside, consisting of a father, his son, and two daughters. They belonged to Sibnowan tribe, and had a ' ladang,' or farm, on the Samarahan, towards the sea. The women were good-looking ; one, indeed, handsome, plump, and intelligent. They were naked to the waist, and ornamented with several cinctures of brass and coloured rattans scraped very thin. " About 10 we quitted Samarahan and proceeded up the river, stopping only to take a set of sights, and about seven in the evening reached Sibnow, having previously passed the villages of Rembas and Siniawan. Siniawan and Sibnow arc not above THE SIBNOWAN DYAKS. 39 half a mile from each other, and Rembas not far distant. They are all about the same size, con- sisting each of eight or ten houses, and containing sixty or eighty inhabitants. The river, during its course so far, is characterised by the same clay- mud bank, evidently an alluvial deposit, without one rock to be seen. The banks are low, and for the most part cleared a quarter of a mile or more on either side, but the jungle is rarely disturbed beyond that distance. Occasionally, however, the scene is varied by the rich foliage of this jungle, which here and there kisses the tide as it flows by, and in some spots on the cleared ground arise clumps of trees that would be the pride of any park in Europe. Monkeys in great numbers frisked among the branches ; and though unable to shoot them, they amused us often by their gro- tesque attitudes and the tremendous leaps they made. On one occasion we saw as many as twenty throw themselves, one after the other, from the branch of a high tree into a thick bush full forty feet below, and not one missed his distance or hold ! On our way to Sibnow the Pangeran had collected a number of men for a deer-hunt. The nets used for this purpose are formed of rattans strongly wove together, which, being stretched along the jungle, have nooses of the same material, at three feet apart, attached to this ridge -rope. Beaters and dogs then hunt from the opposite (quarter, and the deer, in escaping them, is caught 40 I'HK DYAKS in this trap. Several hundred fathoms is stretched at once, each separate part of thirty or forty fa- thoms being joined on as required ; and I was told that in this way many deer were taken. " A heavy rain came on directly after we had brought up, and quickly dispelled all our prepara- ticms for supper, by putting out our fire, cooling our hot water, and soaking our half-broiled fowls. To a hungry man such an event is very disastrous ; but nothing could exceed the kindness of our Ma- lay friends. They took us to the best house in the village, prepared our supper, and pro\dded us with comfortable mats and pillows to sleep on. Some of our party preferred a bad supper and wet bed to these accommodations ; and to consummate their discomfort, they were kept awake a great part of the night by sandflies. Our lot in the house was more fortunate. We heard the rattling of the pitiless rain, and pitied those whose choice or distrust kept them in the boat. I obtained by this means an excellent opportunity of seeing a Malay mhiage in its primitive simplicity. Women, children, and all their domestic arrangements, were exposed to ^aew. Nothing appeared to be con- cealed, nor could anything exceed the simple kind- hearted hospitality of the inhabitants. The women gazed upon us freely ; and their children, with the shyness natural to their age, yet took a glance at the strangers. Never having seen a white man, their curiosity was naturally excited, ]>ut it was AND MALAYS. 41 never offensive. Our supper consisted of an ex- cellent curry and cold venison broiled on a stick, flavoured with a glass of sherry, and concluded by a cigar. We retired to a dry bed, laying our head on the pillow with as entire a feeling of security as though reposing in England. " A description of this Malay dwelling, situated so far up this hitherto unkno\Mi river, may be interesting. Built, like other Malay houses, on posts, floored with split bamboo, and covered with the leaf of the Nepa palm, it presents the very beaii ideal of fragility, but affords, at the same time, many advantages, and with a little improvement might be rendered admirably calculated for a new settler in any warm country. It is built at very small expense, is remarkably roomy, free from damp, and weather-proof. The interior of the house consists of four rooms ; the centre one large and commodious, the front narrower, but thirty-six feet in length, a family sleeping - apartment on one side, and a kitchen at the back. These apartments are divided one from the other by partitions made of the Nepa ; the floors w^ere nicely spread with strong mats of Dyak manufacture, and on our arrival finer white mats were laid over these. The entrance of the house is approached by a steep ladder, which in case of attack is easily removed. The river Samarahan is admirably calculated for trade ; and, indeed, the same may be said of the whole country, from the great facility it offers of 4J^ CULTIVATION OF THE COUNTRY, inland communication. There is no impediment for small vessels of 200 or 300 tons navigating as far as Sibnow, the stream being deep and clear of danger. The tides in the river are strong, but not dangerously so ; and sounding occasionally in every reach we never found less water than three fathoms. The distant mountains, called Bukar (and some other name), are inhabited by Dyaks, and offer many valuable articles of trade, and we may presume this true from the riches whence the Sarawak river takes its rise. It is highly pro- bable, indeed, that both these rivers, as well as the Quop and others, have their source in the same range, and will be found to afford the same mineral productions. Tin, the natives confidently assert, can be procured, and birds' nests in very considerable quantities. The latter article, I have heretofore understood, was found only in the vi- cinity of the sea, whence the material of which they are composed is gathered ; but both here and at Sarawak the best-informed and most intelligent Malays assure me it likewise is found in the inte- rior, and brought by the Dyaks from the moun- tains. The alluvial soil is a rich clay loam. The principal production at present is rice, of which considerable quantities are grown on the banks of the river, which accounts for the clearing- of so many miles of the jungle. The mode of cultiva- tion is similar to what is pursued in Sumatra, and so well described by Marsden. A small spot is AND RESOURCES. 43 cleared of jungle, and when the soil is exhausted of its primeval richness, is deserted for another, which again in turn is neglected, and returns to its wild state. The rice produced is of excellent quality, and of a smaller grain than the Java rice we have with us. It is very white, and of excel- lent flavour ; and I am inclined to think is the ' Padi ladang,' or rice grown on dry ground. (For rice, cultivation of, &c. &c., vide Marsden's Siima- tra, p. 65.) " Besides rice, rattans are found in great quan- tities, and likewise Malacca canes, but whether of good quality I am not able to say. On my ex- pressing a wish to see one, a man was despatched into the jungle, and returned with one in a few minutes. Bees-wax is another article to be pro- cured here at present to the amount of thirty or forty peculs per year from Sibnow, Malacca canes a small ship-load, rattans in abundance, and any quantity of the Garu w^ood.' When we consider the antimony of Sarawak, besides the other things previously mentioned (to say nothing of gold and diamonds), we cannot doubt of the richness of the country ; but allow^ance must be made for the ex- aggeration of native statements. " It must likewise be borne in mind, that these articles are collected in small quantities in a coun- try thinly populated ; and for the purposes of trade it would be necessary to have a resident European ' Aloes wood. Lignum aloes. 44 COMMERCIAL l'K()J)UCT.S on the spot to gather the produce of the country ready for exportation. I have no doubt that per- mission might be obtained for an English mer- chant to reside in the country, and that during the lifetime of the Rajah Muda Hassim he would be secure from outrage. The produce of the coun- try might likewise be obtained (at first) at a low rate in exchange for European goods suited to native tastes. In addition to the articles I have already mentioned, I must here add pins, needles and thread, both gold and white, showy cheap vel- vets, yellow, green, and red cloth, Surat silks, cottons, coloured beads (for the Dyaks), nankeens in small quantities, gold-lace of various qualities, gunpowder, muskets, pistols, flints, &c. &c. The head man of Sibnow (Orang Kay a), when I asked him why he did not collect the produce of the country, replied, that the inhabitants were few, and unless an English merchant was settled at Kuching to buy the things, it was no use collect- ing them. The uncertainty of sale, as well as the very small prices to be obtained from trading Malays, prevents these people using the advantages of their country, and as yet they seemed to con- sider it impossible that vessels would come for them. That they will one day or other be con- vinced to the contrary I am sure ; that it will be soon I sincerely hope ; for I can see no reason, with a population and rulers so pacific, why a trade highly advantageous to Singapore should not be AND CAPABILITIES. 45 opened. I considered our reception as an addi- tional proof how much better the natives are dis- posed where they have had no intercourse with Europeans ; how perfectly willing they are to ex- tend a friendly hospitality when never previously injured or aggravated ; and as the first white men who ever visited their country, we can bear the most cordial testimony to their unaffected kindness. " It is true that we were under the protection of the rajah and accompanied by a Pangeran, and could have insisted on obtaining what was readily granted. But in case the natives had shewn any aversion or antipathy towards us, it would easily have been observed. *' 23cl Heavy rain all the morning. Our salt provisions being exhausted, we procured a goat, which was cooked to last during our upward pass- age. " At 12, the flood making, we quitted Sibnow, and passing through the same description of coun- try, reached the village of Guntong, consisting of eight houses, and about sixty or seventy inhabit- ants. The scattered population on the banks of the river amounts, however, to an equal, or pro- bably greater number than in the villages. Beyond Guntong the country becomes wild, but beautiful, and the river gradually narrows until not above twenty-five yards wide. The depth, however, was three fathoms at high water, where we brought up for the night, about five hours' pull from Guntong. 46 MALAY ENTERTAINMENT. The course of the river is so tortuous, that in one place two reaches are only divided by a neck of land five yards across ! " We were now fairly in the bush, and beyond the range of our Pangeran's knowledge ; and I was not therefore surprised (though disappointed) when he intimated the necessity of returning. ' There was nothing to see ; the river was narrow, rapid, and obstructed by trees ; the Dyaks hostile ; the rajah's enemies in ambush.' " I had nothing to answer, save my desire to proceed ; but I felt, at the same time, bound in honour to return ; for to abuse the indulgence of a native prince on our first excursion would have been a poor way to obtain his future permission to visit other places. " I did every thing man could do to shake the Pangeran's resolution ; and I believe I should have been successful, had his stock of tobacco and sirih' not been expended. My last resource was resort- ing to the means found efficient with most men to induce them to alter their opinion. I was con- tent to gain a consent to our proceeding some miles farther up the stream in the morning, and then returning with the ebb. Nothing during this con- tention could be more polite than the Pangeran's manner, for he not only expressed but looked his ' The Malay name for the betel, the aromatic leaves of which are chewed along with the jjinang or areca nut, a little pure lime, and various spices. APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. 47 regret, and urged on me his responsibility to the rajah. The plea was unanswerable, though I could not help suspecting the want of tobacco and betel as the leading motive. " 24fth. — We proceeded, as previously agreed, up the river some ten or twelve miles farther, dur- ing which distance it narrows to an inconsiderable but deep stream. In many places it was not above eighteen feet wide, with trees overhanging the water. The depth was 2i fathoms high water, but being the rainy season it would not be deeper than necessary for boats all the year round. In the early morning the jungle presented a charming scene. Long vistas of noble trees with a diversity of richest foliage were before us — in some places overarchino- the water and forminof a verdant ca- nopy above our heads. Birds were numerous, and woke the woods with their notes, but rarely ap- proached within shot. Pigeons in numbers and of several varieties were seen, but very shy and wild. " We pushed on ahead of our attendant Pange- ran, and pulled up long after the ebb had made. He had a long chase, and exhausted his lungs in shouting to us to return ; and at last, from pity and according to promise, I did so. Poor fellow, he was very glad, fired his swivel-gun, and then brought up for breakfast. I believe a few hours* progress would have brought us to the vicinity of the hills and into the country of the Dyaks ; and although disappointed at not being allowed to pro- 48 FARTHER PROGRESS. ceed thither, I nevertheless comfort myself that we have penetrated a hundred miles up a Borneon river hitherto unkno\vn — a river likewise (as far as we have yet examined it) admirably calculated for the purposes of navigation and trade, and which may at some future period become of importance not only to the trade of our settlement of Singa- pore, but even to the commercial interests of Great Britain. The general character of the Samarahan river is similar to other streams flowing through alluvial soils ; the stream is deep, with muddy banks and bottom, and apparently free from dan- ger or obstruction. Of course these remarks are not meant to prevent the necessity of caution in any vessel proceeding up, as our survey was neces- sarily very brief; and, like other rivers, one bank will usually be found deep, the other shallow, which must be attended to. " It now remains for us to proceed up the river from its mouth to its junction wdth the Ugong Passer ; and should it prove to have sufficient water for vessels on the bar, nothing more wdll be desired. " Returning, it took us five hours with a fair tide to Sibnow ; the next ebb we reached Samara- han in three hours, where we stopped for the night. A heavy rain set in after we brought to, and con- tinued till morning. " '3,5th. — The morning was cold and raw, but cleared up as the sun rose. At 7 ^ve started, and at a quarter past 10 reached the mouth of the END OF CRUISE. 49 Ugong Passer, and thence into the Riam. Thus it took us Hi hours, with a strong ebb tide, to pull the distance. We had ascended the river from the junction of the Ugong Passer. Mr. Murray's plan of the river will shew the distance as taken of each reach, together with its bearing. The ebb tide .lasted us some distance up the Riam ; but the flood making, we entered a small creek, called Tarusongong, scarce wide enough for the boat to get through, and entirely overarched with the Nepa palm. The general direction of the creek was N.W., and we emerged from it into the Boyur river ; and pulling through several reaches, got into the Quop,' and thence, after a while, into the Morotaba ; from the Morotaba into the Sara- wak river, reaching the schooner at sunset, all well and happy. Thus ended our first cruise into the interior^of Borneo." ' 'Jlie banks of the Boyur and Quop are Nepa i)alm. VOL. I. CHAPTER III. Second cruise : up the river Lundu. The Sibnowan Dyaks. Their town of Tungong. Their physical proportions, and words of their language. Their customs. Skull-trophies. Religious ceremonies and opinions. Their ornaments. Ap- pearance of both sexes. Dress and morals. Missionary prospects of conversion, and elevation in the social scale. Government, laws, and punishments. Dances. Iron manu- facturing. Chinese settlement. Excursion continued. ^* Aug. 30tJ? Our flotilla, similar to the last time, quitted Sarawak with the ebb tide, and reached Santobono-, at the mouth of the river, soon after the flood had made. We waited for the turn of the tide ; and in wandering- along the sand, I had a shot at a wild hog, but unluckily missed. I like- wise saw a deer, very like a red deer, and nearly as large. The hog I fired at was a dirty white, with a black head, very unlike in this particular to any wild hogs I have hitherto seen either in India or Europe ; but several young pigs likewise seen were black. " With the flood we weighed anchor, intending to bring up at the mouth of the Seboo river ; but the Skimalong outsailing the prahus, foolishly parted DYAKS ON THE LUNDU. 51 company, causing me much uneasiness, and keep- ing the prahus under weigh all night. I was at this time aboard the Pangeran's boat, where I usu- ally slept. About 10 on the 31st we reached Lo- brek Bay, and rejoined our boat. " With the flood tide we proceeded up Lundu river, which has Gunong Gading on the right hand. The course of the river is very tortuous, but it appears every where of more than sufficient depth. The Dyak village of Tungong is situated about eighteen miles from the mouth, and takes its name from a small stream which joins the Lundu just below^ on the left hand. It was dark when we arrived, and we ran against a boom formed of large trees run across the river as a de- fence against adverse Dyak tribes. We could see nothing of the town, save that it appeared longer than any we had yet visited. " September \st. — The river Lundu is of con- siderable breadth, about half a mile at the mouth, and 150 or 200 yards off' Tungong. Tungong stands on the left hand (going up) close to the margin of the stream, and is enclosed by a slight stockade. Within this defence there is one enormous house for the whole population, and three or four small huts. The exterior of the defence between it and the river is occupied by sheds for prahus, and at each extremity are one or two houses belonging to Malay residents. " The common habitation, as rude as it is enor- 52 THE DYAK VILLAGE TL'NGONG. mous, measures 594 feet in length, and the front room, or streety is the entire len^^th of the huilding, and 21 feet broad. The hack part is divided by mat-partitions into the private apartments of the various families, and of these there are forty-five separate doors leading from the public apartment. The widowers and young unmarried men occupy the public room, as only those with wives are en- titled to the advantage of separate rooms. This edifice is raised twelve feet from the ground, and the means of ascent is by the trunk of a tree with notches cut in it — a most difiicult, steep, and awkward ladder. In front is a terrace fifty feet broad, running partially along the front of the building, formed, like the floors, of split bamboo. This platform, as well as the front room, besides the regular inhabitants, is the resort of pigs, dogs, birds, monkeys, and fowls, and presents a glorious scene of confusion and bustle. Here the ordinarv occupations of domestic labour are carried on — paddi ground, mats made, &c. &c. There were 200 men, women, and children counted in the room and in front whilst we were there in the middle of the day ; and allowing for those abroad and those in their own rooms, the whole commun- ity cannot be reckoned at less than 400 souls. Overhead, about seven feet high, is a second crazv story, on which is stowed their stores of food and their implements of labour and war. Along the large room are hung manv cots, four feet long. SIBNOWAN DYAKS. 53 formed of the hollowed trunk of trees cut in half, which answer the purpose of seats by day and beds by night. The Sibnowan Dyaks are a wild-looking but apparently quiet and inoffensive race. The apartment of their chief, by name Sejugah, is situ- ated nearly in the centre of the building, and is larger than any other. In front of it nice mats were spread on the occasion of our visit, whilst over our heads dangled about thirty ghastly skulls, according to the custom of these people. The chief was a man of middle age, with a mild and pleasing countenance and gentle manners. He had around him several sons and relations, and one or two of the leading men of his tribe ; but the rest seemed by no means to be restrained by his pre- sence, or to shew him any particular marks of respect — certainly not the slightest of the servile obsequiousness observed by the Malays before their prince. Their dress consists of a single strip of cloth round the loins, with the ends hanging down before and behind, and a light turban, composed of the bark of trees, round the head, so arranged that the front is stuck up somewhat resembling a short plume of feathers. " Their figures are almost universally well-made, and shewing great activity without great muscular development, but their stature is diminutive, as will be shewn by the following measurements, taken at random amongst them, and confirmed by general observation : — 54 PROI'OIITIONS. LANGUAGE. " Sejugah, the chief, height, 5 ft. 1| in. Head round, 1 ft. 9 in. Anterior portion, from ear to ear, 1 foot; posterior, 9 in. ; across the toji, 1^ ft. " Kalong, the chief's eldest son, height, 5 ft. 2[ in. An- terior portion of head, 1 ft. ; posterior, 8f in. ; across the top, 1 ft., wanting a few Hnes. Height. Man from the crowd . 5 ft. Ifin Another . . 5 H Another 5 4 Another 4 10 Another 5 3 Another 5 4 " The following is a specimen of their names, and some few words of their dialect, the only ones I could get not Malayan. The fact, indeed, appears to be that, from constant intercourse, their Dyak language is fast fading away ; and whilst retaining their separate religion and customs, they have sub- stituted the soft and fluent Malay for their o^m harsher jargon. The names are Jugah, or Sejugah, Kalong, Bunshie, Kontong, Lang, Rantie. " The vocabulary : — liairs, bok (similar to the Lundu Dyaks). thigh, j)(ih. woman, indo. father, api. sea, tasiek. slave, tilon. spear, sancho. black, cheliim. good, badass. bad, jdie. quick, pantass. sloAV, bagadie. that, kneah (nasal, like kgneah). this, to. to go, bajaU. there, kein, come, jaU. here, keto. come here, 7a/? keto. CUSTOMS. 55 to give, bri. give all, bri samonia (M). to bring, bu. bring that, bTi kneah. bring here, bii keto. " The corruptions of tlie Malay are, langan for tangon, arm ; al for ayer, water ; menua for benua, country ; komah for riimah, house ; hes'i for hesavy great. " Like the rest of the Dyaks, the Sibnowans adorn their houses with the heads of their enemies ; but with them this custom exists in a modified form ; and I am led to hope, that the statements already made public of their reckless search after human beings, merely for the purpose of obtaining their heads, will be found to be exaggerated, if not untrue ; and that the custom elsewhere, as here and at Lundu, will be found to be more accordant with our knowledge of other wild tribes, and to be regarded merely as a triumphant token of valour in the fight or ambush ; similar, indeed, to the scalps of the North American Indian. " Some thirty skulls were hanging from the roof of the apartment ; and I was informed that they had many more in their possession ; all, how- ever, the heads of enemies, chiefly of the tribe of Sarebus. On inquiring, I was told, that it is in- dispensably necessary a young man should procure a skull before he gets married. On my urging them that the custom would be more honoured in .of) SKLLL-'JUOl'IIIES. the breacli than in the observance, they replied, that it was established from time immemorial, and could not be dispensed with. Subsequently, however, Sejugah allowed that heads were very dif- ficult to obtain now, and a young man might some- times get married by giving presents to his ladye- love's parents. At all times they denied warmly ever obtaining any heads but those of their ene- mies ; adding, they were bad people, and deserved to die. " I asked a young unmarried man whether he would be obliged to get a head before he could obtain a wife. He replied, *Yes.' — 'When would he get one ?' ' Soon.' — ' Where would he go to oet one ?' ' To the Sarebus river.' I mention o these particulars in detail, as I think, had their practice extended to taking the head of any de- fenceless traveller, or any Malay sui-prised in his dwelling or boat, I should have wormed the secret out of them. " The men of this tribe marry but one wife, and that not until they have attained the age of seven- teen or eighteen. Their wedding ceremony is cu- rious ; and, as related, is performed by the bride and bridegroom being brought in procession along the large room, where a brace of fowls is placed over the bridegroom's neck, which he whirls seven times round his head. The fowls are then killed, and their blood sprinkled on the forehead of the pair, which done, they are cooked, and eaten by RELIGIOUS CEREIMONIES AND OPINIONS. 57 the new married couple alone, whilst the rest feast and drink during the whole night. " Their dead are put in a coffin, and buried ; but Sejugah informed me that the different tribes vary in this particular ; and it would appear they differ from their near neighbours the Dyaks of Lundu. "Like these neighbours likewise the Sibnowans seem to have little or no idea of a God. They offer prayers to Biedum, the great Dyak chief of former days. Priests and ceremonies they have none ; the thickest mist of darkness is over them ; but how much easier is it to dispel darkness with light, than to overcome the false blaze with the rays of truth ! " The manners of the men of this tribe are somewhat reserved, but frank ; whilst the women appeared more cheerful, and more inclined to laugh and joke at our peculiarities. Although the first Europeans they had ever seen, we were by no means annoyed by their curiosity ; and their ho- nesty is to be praised ; for, though opportunities were not wanting, they never on any occasion attempted to pilfer any thing. Their colour re- sembles the Malay, and is fully as dark ; and the cast of their countenance does not favour the notion that they are sprung from a distinct origin. They never intermarry with the Malays so as to inter- mingle the two people, and the chastity of their women gives no presumption of its otherwise occur- 58 ORNAMENTS. APPEAIlANCi:. ring. Their stature, as I have before remarked, is diminutive, their eyes are small and quick, their noses usually flattened, and their figures clean and well formed, but not athletic. Both sexes ge- nerally wear the hair long and turned up, but the elder men often cut it short. As is natural, they are fond of the water, and constantly bathe ; and their canoes are numerous. I counted fifty, besides ten or twelve small prahus, which they often build for sale to the Malays at a very moder- ate price indeed. The men wear a number of fine cane rings, neatly worked (which we at first mistook for hair), below the knee, or on the arm, and some- times a brass ring or two ; but they have no other ornaments. The ears of a few^ w^ere pierced, but I saw nothing worn in them except a roll of thin palm-leaf, to prevent the hole closing. The women are decidedly good-looking, and far fairer than the men ; their figures are well shaped, and remark- able for their emhoniJoint. The expression of their countenance is very good-humoured, and their con- dition seems a happy one. Their dress consists of a coarse stuff, very scanty (manufactured by the Sakarran Dyaks), reaching from the waist to the knee ; around the waist they have rings of rattan, either black or red, and the loins are hung round with a number of brass ornaments made by their husbands. Above the waist they are entirely naked, nor do they wear any covering or ornament on the head. They have a few bracelets of brass, DRESS. MORALS. 59 but neither ear-rings or nose-rings ; and some, more lucky than the rest, wear a necklace of beads. They prefer the smallest Venetian beads to the larger and more gaudy ones of England. The labour of the house, and all the drudgery, falls upon the females. They grind the rice, carry burdens, fetch water, fish, and work in the fields ; but though on a par with other savages in this respect, they have many advantages. They are not immured, and eat in company with the males ; and, in most points, hold the same position towards their hus- bands and children as the European women. The children are entirely naked, and the only peculi- arity I observed is filing their teeth to a sharp point like those of a shark. The men marry but one wife, as I have before observed. Concubinage is unknown ; and cases of seduction or adultery very seldom afise. Even the Malays speak highly of the chastity of the Dyak women ; yet they are by no means shy under the gaze of strangers, and used to bathe before us in a state of nudity. " That these Dyaks are in a low condition there is no doubt, but comparatively theirs is an innocent state, and I consider them capable of being easily raised in the scale of society. The absence of all prejudice regarding diet, the simplicity of their characters, the purity of their morals, and their present ignorance of all forms of worship and all idea of future responsibility, render them open to conviction of truth and religious impression. Yet, no MISSIONARY PROSPECTS. when I say this, I mean, of course, only when their minds shall have been raised by education ; for without previous culture, I reckon the labours of the missionary as useless as endeavouring to read off a blank paper. I doubt not but the Sibnowan Dyaks would readily receive missionary families amongst them, provided the consent of the Rajah Muda Hassim was previously obtained. That the rajah would consent, I much doubt ; but if any per- son chose to reside at Tungong for the charitable purpose of leading the tribe gradually, by means of education, to the threshold of Christianity, it would be worth the asking, and I would exert what influence I possess with him on the occasion. I feel sure a missionary would be safe amongst them as long as he strictly confined himself to the gentle precepts and practice of his faith ; he would live abundantly and cheaply, and be exposed to no danger except from the incursion of hostile tribes, which must always be looked for by a sojourner amid a Dyak community. *' I must add, that this day, when so many of my friends are destroying partridges, I have had my gun in my hand, to procure a few specimens. " 9.d. — To continue my account of the Sibnow- an Dyaks. I made particular inquiry about the superstition stated to exist regarding birds, and the omens said to be dra\Mi from their flight ; but I could trace no vestige of such a belief, nor did they seem at all acquainted with its existence. PATRIARCHAL GOVERNMENT. 6l The government of the Sibnowans may be called patriarchal. The authority of the chief appears limited within very narrow bounds ; he is the leader in war, and the dispenser of the laws ; but possesses no power of arbitrary punishment, and no authority for despotic rule. The distinction between Sejugah and the lowest of his tribe is not great, and rather a difference of riches than of power. A few ornamented spears presented by the Malays seem his only insignia of office ; and these were never displayed in our presence save in the dance. The chiefship would appear to be elective, and not hereditary ; but I could not dis- tinctly understand whether the appointment rested with the rajah or the tribe. The former claims it, but the latter did not speak as though it were a matter of necessity or certainty. On asking Ka- long, the eldest son of Sejugah (a young man of twenty years of age, active, clever, and intelligent), whether he would succeed his father, he replied, he feared he was not I'ich enough ; but two or three of the tribe, who were present, asserted that he would be made chief. The Rajah Muda Has- sim told me, that the only hold he had on the Dyaks was through the chief and his family, who were attached to him, but that the tribe at large cared nothino- for the Malays. I can easilv believe this, as any ill-treatment or cruelty directed against a Dyak community would soon drive them beyond the power and the territory of the prince. It is the G2 LAWS, CHIMES, AND PUNISHMENTS. best safeguard of the Dyaks, and the Malays are well aware that a Dyak alliance must be main- tained by good treatment. They are called sub- jects and slayes, but they are subjects at pleasure, more independent and better used than any Malay under his native prince. " The laW'S of this Dyak tribe are administered by the chief and the two principal men. They haye no fixed code, or any standard of punishment, each case of crime being judged according to its enormity. In the event of murder in their own tribe, the murderer suffers death by decapitation, provided he be in fault. Theft is punished by fine ; and adultery (stated as a heinous offence) by severe beatin"' and heavy mulct. Other crimes are, in like manner, punished by fine and beating, — one or both, according to their various shades of evil. The latter varies greatly in degree, sometimes be- ing inflicted on the head or ai'm, with a severity w^hich stops short only of death. The ann is often broken under this infliction ; so, according to their representation, it is a risk to be dreaded and avoided. " Slavery holds amongst them ; and, like the Malay, a debtor is reduced to this state until his debt be discharged. Children are likewise bought, and must be considered as slaves. " In the evening I requested Sejugah to col- lect his tribe, and to she^y me their dances and musical instruments. They readily consented ; DANCES. 63 and about nine at night we went to witness the exhibition. The musical instruments were the tomtom or drum, and the Malayan gong", which were beat either slow or fast, according to the measure of the dance. The dances are highly interesting, more especially from their close resem- blance, if not identity, mth those of the South Sea Islanders. Two swords were placed on the mat, and two men commenced slowly from the opposite extremities, turning the body, extending the arms and lifting the legs, in grotesque but not ungraceful attitudes. Approaching thus leisure- ly round and round about, they at length seize the swords, the music plays a brisker measure, and the dancers pass and repass each other, now cut- ting, now crossing swords, retiring and advancing, one kneeling as though to defend himself from the assaults of his adversary ; at times stealthily wait- ing for an advantage, and quickly availing himself of it. The measure throughout was admirably kept, and the frequent turns were simultaneously made by both dancers, accompanied by the same eccentric gestures. The eifect of all this far sur- passes the impression to be made by a meagre description. The room partially lighted by da- mar torches — the clang of the noisy instruments — the crowd of wild spectators — their screams of encouragement to the performers — the flowing air and rapid evolutions of the dancers, formed a scene I wish could have been reduced to painting by such 64 DANCES. a master as Rembrandt or Caravaggio. The next dance was performed by a single person with a spear, turning like the last ; now advancing, retir- ing, poising, brandishing, or pretending to hurl his weapon. Subsequently we had an exhibition with the sword and shield, very similar to the others, and only differing in the use of the weapons ; and the performance was closed by a long and animated dance like the first, by two of the best performers. " The dance with the spear is called Talam- bong ; that with the sword, Mancha. The resem- blance of these dances to those of the South Seas is, as I have observed, a remarkable and interest- ing fact, and one of many others which may, in com'se of time, elucidate the probable theory, that the two people are sprung from a common source. The Malays of Sarawak, and other places in the neighbourhood of the Dyak tribes, dance these dances, but they are unknown to Borneo Proper, and the other Malay islands ; and although the names may be given by the Malays, I think there is no doubt that the dances themselves belonof to the Dyaks : a correcter judgment can be formed by a better acquaintance with other Dyak tribes. " The household utensils in use here are few and simple. The mode of grinding padi clear of the husk is through the trunk of a tree cut into two parts, the upper portion being hollow, the lower solid ; small notches are cut where the two pieces fit, and handles attached to the upper part, which IROX MANUFACTURING. 65 being filled with padi and kept turning round, the husk is detached and escapes by the notches. " The Dyaks, as is well kno^\Ti, are famous for the manufacture of iron. The forge here is of the simplest construction, and formed by two hol- low trees, each about seven feet high, placed up- right, side by side, in the ground ; from the lower extremity of these, two pipes of bamboo are led through a clay-bank three inches thick, into a charcoal-fire ; a man is perched at the top of the trees, and pumps with two pistons (the suckers of which are made of cocks' feathers), which being raised and depressed alternately, blow a regular stream of air into the fire. Drawings were taken of these, and other utensils and instruments. The canoes are not peculiar, but the largest prahus (some forty feet long, with a good beam) are con- structed in the first place exactly like a small canoe : a single tree is hollowed out, which forms the keel and kelson, and on this foundation the rest of the prahu is built with planks, and her few timbers fastened with rattans. A prahu of fifty feet long, fitted for service, with oars, mast, attops, &c. was ordered by the Panglima Rajah, whilst we were with him, which completed was to cost thirty reals, or sixty Java rupees, or 61. English. Dur- ing the course of the dav we ascended the river to visit the settlement of Chinese, lately established here. It is situated about 2^ miles up the river, on the same side as Tungong, and consists of VOL. I. F 66 CHINESE SETTLERS. thirty men (real Chinese), and five women of the mixed breed of Sambas. Nothing can be more flourishinfr than this infant settlement ; and I could hardly credit their statement, that it had only been fonned between four and five months. The soil they represented as most excellent, and none are better judges ; many acres were cleared and under cultivation ; rice, sirih, sweet potatoes (convolvulus), Indian corn, &c. &c. were growing abundantly ; and they w^ere able to supply us with seven pecul, or 933 lbs., of sweet potatoes, without sensibly diminishing their crop. They shewed me samples of birds -nests, bees -wax, garu wood (lignum aloes), and ebony, collected in the vicinitv, chieflv from Gunonof Gadino-. Several peculs of birds -nests and bees -wax, and the wood in large quantity, could ?iow be brought to market ; and no doubt, when demand stimulates industry, the quantities would greatly increase. The Dyaks, they told me, collected rattans, and likewise canes, which are plentiful. The mixed breed of the Chinese with the Malay or Dyak are a good-looking and industrious race, partaking much more of the Chinese character than that of the natives of this country. This mainly arises from education and early formed habits, which are altogether Chinese ; and in religion and customs they likewise follow, in a great measure, the paternal stock. The race are worthy of atten- tion, as the future possessors of Borneo. The CHINESE. 67 numbers of this people cannot be stated, but it must amount to many thousand persons : 3000 were said to be on their way to the Borneon territory. " The head man of this settlement, a Chinese of Quantung, or Canton, but long resident in the vicinity of Sambas, gave me some valuable informa- tion respecting the Sarawak mountains. He had, with a considerable party of his countrymen, been employed there at the gold-mines, and he spoke of them as abundant, and of the ore as good. Tin they had not found, but thought it existed. Anti- mony-ore was to be had in any quantities, and diamonds were likewise discovered. I mention these facts as coming from an intelligent Chinese, well able from experience to judge of the pre- cious metals, and the probability of their being found. " 3d. — Night as usual set in with torrents of rain, which lasted until the morning : the days, however, are fine, though cloudy. Got sights in the afternoon ; and leaving our Dyak friends, we dropped down to the mouth of the river, where we slept. "4/7; At 2 A.M. got under weigh for the Samatan river, which we reached at 8 a.m. I had been given to understand that the Lundu and Sibnowan Dyaks were to be found on this river ; but on arriving, I was informed we must proceed to Seru, where we should see plenty of Dyaks. f)8 EXCURSION CONTINUED. I accordingly started immediately after breakfast, and reached Seru after midday. Here we found a small Malay fishing -\dllage, with two or three stray Dyaks of the Sibnowan tribe ; and on inquir- ing, w^e were told by them that their country was far away. Being convinced that the Pangeran had dragged me all this distance to answer some purpose of his own, I re-embarked on the instant, and set off on my return to Lundu, indignant enough. However, I had the poor satisfaction of dragging them after me, and making them repent their trick, which I believe was nothin"" else than to visit the island of Talanof Talans for turtles' eggs. We were pretty well knocked up by the time we reached Samatan, having been pulling thir- teen hours, the greater part of the time under a burning sun. " The Samatan river, like the others, is en- closed in a bay choked with sand : the boat-pas- sage is on the right-hand side, going in near Point Samatan. The sands are mostly dry at low water, and stretch out a considerable distance. There is a fishing-station here, though not so large as at Seru, and the fish at both places are very plen- tiful, and are salted for exportation to Sambas, and along their o^^Tl coast. Seru is a shallow creek ; the tillage may consist of 50 or 60 inha- bitants, and the sands stretch a long way out. We thus lost two days, through the cunning of our Malay attendant ; and the only advantage IMPEDIMENTS. 69 gained is being enabled to fill up tbe details of our survey of this bay. '■'■5th — The day consumed returning- alons^ the coast to the Lundu, and we did not reach Tungong till late. " Qth — Remained at Tungong. Every impedi- ment was thrown in my way, to prevent my reach- ing the Lundu Dyaks — the distance was great, the tribe small and unsettled, the little probabi- lity of finding them, &c. I would, however, have gone ; but another cause had arisen of a more serious nature. My feet, from the heat of the sun, mosquito-bites, and cuts (for I foolishly went without shoes that unlucky day to Seru), had be- come so painful and inflamed that I felt great doubt whether, if I walked in pain to Lundu, I could come back again. With the best grace I could, I yielded the point ; with a vow, however, never to have the same Pangeran again. I did manage to be civil to him, from policy alone. He was superfluously kind and obliging. " '^tli — Left Tungong on our return to the ves- sel, and brought-to for the night at Tanjong Siri. In the evening I walked along the fine sandy beach as far as the entrance of the Sumpudin river. We saw many wild hogs ; and on one occasion I was able to get within twenty yards of some ten of them together amongst some large drift-wood. Just as I was crawling over a tree and balancing, I found myself confronted by these animals j but 70 ANIMALS. NUTMEGS. they were out of sight almost before I could cock my gun and fire. They were of a large size, and most of them we saw during the evening either dirty white, or white and black. At night, after we had retired to our quarters in the Pangeran's boat, she filled with water, and was near going down. The first intimation we had of it was the water wetting our mats on which we were sleeping. She was beached and baled out, and a hand kept baling all night, as they had laden her so deep that she leaked considerably. *' 8/7?. — In the morning we got our anchor at davlioht, and breakfasted on the island of Sum- pudin. There are deer, hogs, and pigeons on Sumpudin island ; but what was more interesting to me was, the discovery of the wild nutmeg-tree in full flower, and growing to the height of twenty or thirty feet. The nutmegs lay in plenty under the trees, and are of considerable size, though elongated in shape, and tasteless, as usual in the wild sorts. Whilst the East India Company were sending Captain Forest from their settlement of Balambangan as far as Kew Guinea in search of this plant, how little they dreamed of its flourish- ing so near them on the island of Borneo ! The soil on which they grow is a yellowish clay mixed with veofetable mould. I brouo^ht some of the fruit away with me. After breakfast, a breeze springing up, we sailed to the mouth of the Sa- rawak river, waited for the tide, and pushed on OUTSTRIP OUR MALAYS. 71 for the vessel, getting aboard about half-past 3 in the morning. Our Malay attendants were left far far behind, and there is little chance of their being here to-morrow, for their boats sail wTetchedly." CHAPTER IV. Renewed intercourse with the Rajah. Prospects of trade. Ourang-outang, and other animals. The two sorts of mias. Descrii^tion of the Rajah, his suite, and Panglimas, &c. The character of the natives. Leaves Sarawak. Songi Dj-aks. Visits SerifF Sahib. Buyat tongue. Attack by pirates. Sails for Singapore. Having returned to Sarawak, Mr. Brooke renewed his intercourse with the Rajah ; and his Journal proceeds : '^Sepf. 9th. — Visited the rajah; civil and polite — I ought indeed to say, friendly and kind. Der Macota was on board, speaking on the trade, and very anxious for me to arrange the subject with the rajah. I could only say, that if the rajah wished I would do so, as I believed it would be greatly for the benefit of their country and Singa- pore. " 10///. — Laid up Tsdth my bad legs, and hardly able to crawl. Muda Hassim presented us with another bullock, which we salted. At Lundu we bought eight pigs, which arrived to-day in charge of Kalong, the young Dyak. He is a fine fellow. CONFERENCES WITH RAJAH. JS I gave him a gun, powder-flask, powder, &c. He was truly delighted. Our Pangerans arrived at the same time. '* llfh. — Yery bad; got a novel, and read all day. Went ashore to see Muda Hassim in the evening. He gave us a private audience ; and we finished our discussion respecting the trade, and I think successfully. " I began by saying, that I, as a private gen- tleman, unconnected with commerce, could have no personal interest in what I was about to speak ; that the rajah must clearly understand that I was in no way connected with the government of Sin- gapore, and no way authorised to act for them ; that he must, therefore, look upon it merely as my private opinion, and act afterwards as his wis- dom thought fit. I represented to him that the kingdom of Borneo was the last Malay state pos- sessing any power, and that this might be in a great measure attributed to the little intercourse they had had with European powers. I thought it highly advisable to call into play the resources of his country, by opening a trade with indi- vidual European merchants. Sarawak, I stated, was a rich place, and the territory around pro- duced many valuable articles for a commercial intercourse — bees -wax, birds -nests, rattans, be- sides large quantities of antimony -ore and sago, which might be considered the staple produce of the countrv. In return for these, the mer- J4f MERCAxNTILE chants of Sin^^apore could send goods from Europe or China which liis people required, such as gun- powder, muskets, cloths, &c. ; and that both par- ties would thus be benefited by their commercial interchange of commodities. I conceived that Singapore was well fitted for trade with this place. The llajah must not suppose I was desirous of excluding other nations from trading here, or that I wished he should trade with the English alone ; on the contrary, I thought that the Americans, the French, or any other nation, should be admitted on the same terms as the English. *' Of course, I was not allowed to proceed with- out much questioning and discussion ; many of the views w^ere urged and re-urged, to remove their false notions. That Mr. Bonham had the supreme command of the trade of Singapore was the pro- minent one ; and when he died, or was removed, would not the next governor alter all kind inten- tions and acts ? ' What friend should they have at Singapore then ?' " Again, they thought that a few ships might come at first ; but then they would deceive them, and not come afiain. It was verv diflicult to ex- plain, that if they procured cargoes at an advan- tasfeous rate, thev would come here for their own advantage ; if not, of course it would not be worth their while to come at all. The entire discussion proceeded with the utmost goodwill and politeness. " That the political ascendancy of the English CAPABILITIES. 7^ is paramount here is apparent. They might, if they pleased, by means of an offensive and defen- sive alliance between the two powers, gain the entire trade of the north-west coast of Borneo, from Tanjong Datu to Malludu Bay. " I obtained subsequently from Macota the fol- lowing list of imports and exports, which I here commit to paper, for the information of those whom it may concern. " From Sifigajjoi'e. — Iron ; salt, Siam ; nan- keen ; Madras, Europe, and China, cotton cloth, coarse and fine ; Bugis and Pulicat sarongs ; gold and other threads, of sorts and colours ; brass wire, of sizes ; iron pans from Siam, called qualis ; chintzes, of colours and sorts ; coarse red broad- cloth, and other sorts of different colours ; China crockery ; gunpowder ; muskets ; flints ; hand- kerchiefs (Pulicat and European) ; gambir ; dates; Java tobacco ; soft sugar ; sugar-candy ; biscuit ; baharri ; common decanters ; glasses, &c. &c. ; China silk, of colours ; ginghams ; white cottons ; nails ; besides other little things, such as Vene- tian beads ; ginger; curry-powder; onions; ghee; &c. &c. " The returns from Sarawak are now : anti- mony-ore, sago, timber (lackah, garu), rattans, Ma- lacca canes, bees- wax, birds-nests, rice, &c. Other articles, such as gold, tin, &c. &c., Macota said, would be procured after the war, but at present he need say nothing of them. The articles above 76 THE OURANG-OUTANG, mentioned might subsequently be greatly increased by demand ; and, in short, as every person of expe- rience knows, that in a wild country a trade must be fostered at first. " To the foregoing list I must add, the pipe- clay, the vegetable tallow, which might be useful in commerce, being of fine quality ; and the ore, found in abundance round here, of which I can make nothing, but which I believe to be copper. " \'2,th I received from the Rajah a present of an ourang-outang, young, and like others I have seen, but better clothed, with fine long hair of a bright chestnut -colour. The same melancholy which characterises her race is apparent in Bet- sy's face ; and though but just caught, she is quite quiet unless teased. " From the man who brought Betsy I pro- cured a Lemur tardigradus, called by the Malays Ciican, not Poncan as wTitten in Cuvier — Mars- den has the name right in his dictionary — and at the same time the mutilated hand of an ourang- outang of enormous size. This hand far exceeds in length, breadth, and powder, the hand of any man in the ship ; and though smoked and shrunk, the circumference of the fingers is half as bigf asain as an ordinary human finger. The natives of Borneo call the ourang-outang the M)as, of which they say there are two distinct sorts ; one called the Mias rombi (similar to the specimen aboard and the two in the Zoological Gardens), and the M1as OR MIAS. 77 pappan, a creature far larger, and more difficult to procure. To tlie latter kind the hand belongs. The mias pappan is represented to be as tall or taller than a man, and possessing vast strength : the face is fuller and larger than that of the mias rombi, and the hair reddish, but sometimes ap- proaching to black. The mias rombi never ex- ceeds four or four and a half feet ; his face, unlike the pappan, is long, and his hair redder. I must own myself inclined to this opinion from various reasons : — 1st. The natives appear so well agreed on the point, and so well acquainted with the dis- tinction and the different names, that it is impos- sible to suppose it a fabrication for our peculiar use. Of the many whom I asked respecting them, at different times and in different places, most of them of their own accord mentioned the difference between the mias pappan and the mias rombi. The animal when brought aboard was stated to be the mias rombi, or small sort. In short, the natives, whether right or ^Tong, make the distinction. 2d. The immense size of the hand in my possession, the height of the animal killed on the coast of Sumatra, and the skull in the Paris Museum, can scarcely be referred to an animal such as we know at home ; though by specious analogical reasoning, the great disparity of the skulls has been pronounced the result merely of age. " However, facts are wanting, and these facts 78 THE BORNEON I doubt not I can soon procure, if not actual proof ; and whichever way it goes, in favour of BufFon's Pongo or not, I shall be contented, so that I bring truth to light. " 19//^. — From the 12th to the IQth of Sep- tember we lay, anxious to be off, but delayed by some trifling occurrence or other, particularly for the letters which I was to receive for the mer- chants of Singapore. Our intercourse the whole time was most friendly and frequent ; almost daily I was ashore, and the rajah often visited the vessel. How tedious and ennuyant to me can only be known by those who know me well, and how repugnant these trammels of society and ceremony are to nature. Nevertheless, I suffered this mar- tyrdom with exemplary outward patience, though the spirit flagged, and the thoughts wandered, and the head often grew confused, with sitting and talk- ing trifling nonsense, through a poor interpreter. " I here bid adieu to these kind friends, fully impressed with their kindness, and the goodness of their dispositions. To me they are far different from any thing I was at all prepared to meet, and devoid of the vices with which their countrymen are usually stigmatised by modern writers. I ex- pected to find an indolent and somewhat insolent people, devoted to sensual enjoyments, addicted to smoking opium, and eternally cock-fighting or gambling : let me speak it to the honour of the Borneons, that they neither cock-fight nor smoke CHARACTER. 79 opium ; and in the military train of their rajah they find at Kuehing few conveniences and fewer luxuries. Like all the followers of Islam, they sanction polygamy ; and the number of their wo- men, and, probably, the ease and cheerfulness of the seraglio, contrasted with the ceremonial of the exterior, induces them to pass a number of their hours amid their women, and excites habits of effeminacy and indolence. I should pronounce them indolent and unwarlike ; but kind and un- reserved to foreigners, particularly to Englishmen. They are volatile, generally speaking very ignorant, but by no means deficient in acuteness of under- standing ; and, indeed, their chief defects may be traced entirely to their total want of education, and the nature of their government. The lower orders of people are poor and wretched, and the freemen are certainly poorer and more wretched than the slaves. They are not greatly addicted to theft, and yet, unlike the scrupulous honesty of the Sib- nowans, they pilfered some trifling articles occa- sionally w^hen left in their way. The retainers of the court shewed much the same mean intriguing spirit which is too often found in courts, and al- ways in Eastern ones ; and the rajah himself sel- dom requested any favour from me direct, but employed some intermediate person to sound me — get whatever was required for himself if possible, if not for the rajah. I took the hint, and always expressed my wdshes through the interpreter when 80 PERSON OF THE RAJAII. not present myself. In this way we were enabled to grant or refuse without the chance of insult or offence. The suite of the rajah consists principally of slaves, cither purchased or debtors : they are well treated, and rise to offices of some note. The Panglima Rajah was a slave-debtor, though we did not know it for some time after our arrival. I never saw either cruelty or undue harshness exercised by the great men during my stay, and in general their manners were affable and kind to those about them. The Rajah Muda Hassim is a remarkably short man, and slightly built ; about 45 years of age ; ac- tive and intelligent, but apparently little inclined to business. His disposition I formed the highest estimate of, not only from his kindness to myself, but from the testimony of many witnesses, all of whom spoke of him with affection, and gave him the character of a mild and gentle master. Muda Hassim's own brother, Muda Mahammed, is a re- served and sulky man, but they spoke well of him, and the rajah said he was a good man, but given to fits of sulkiness. " Der Macota, unlike other Malays, neither smokes tobacco or chews sirih. He souoht our society, and was the first person who spoke to me on the subject of the trade. His education has been more attended to than others of his own rank. He both reads and ^^Tites his own lan- guage, and is well acquainted ^viih the govem- ♦ ment, laws, and customs of Borneo. From him I LEAVE SARAWAK. 81 derived much information on the subject of the Dyaks and the geography of the interior ; and if I have failed to put it down, it is because I have not departed from my general rule of never giving any native statements unless they go far to verify my own actual observations. I parted from the Eajah with regret, some six or seven miles down the river. Never was such a blaz- ing as when we left Sarawak ; twenty-one guns I fired to the Rajah, and he fired forty-two to me — at least we counted twenty-four, and they went on firing afterwards, as long as ever we were in sight. The last words the Rajah Muda Hassim said, as I took my leave, were — ' Tuan Brooke, do not forget me.* " Amongst the curiosities in my possession are spears, swords, and shields, from various tribes ; a coat of mail, made to the northward of Borneo, and worn by the pirates ; specimens of Sakarran Dyak manufacture of cloth, and Sarebus ditto ; orna- ments and implements of the Sibnowans ; and, last not least, a gold-handled kris, presented me by the Rajah, which formerly belonged to his father, and which he constantly wore himself. I likewise presented him with a small English dagger with a mother-of-pearl handle ; and my favour was so high with him, that he used always to wear my gift, and I, to return the compliment, wore his. *' The climate of Sarawak is good, and seldom hot : the last eight or ten days were oppressive, VOL. I. G 82 130RNE0N GOVERNMENT. but previous to that we could sleep with a blanket, and seldom found it too warm in the day. llain at this season falls in great quantities ; and from imprudence, our crew suffered on their first arrival from colds and rheumatism ; but getting more careful, we had latterly no sick-list. " Farewell to Sarawak ! I hope to see it again ; and have obtained a promise from the Rajah that he will go with me to Borneo, and shew me every part of the country by the way. " I may here state the result of some inquiries I have made respecting the government of Bor- neo. The form of government may be considered aristocratic rather than oligarchical : it is ruled by the Sultan, but his power is kept in check by four great officers of government. These are, the Rajah Muda Hassim, the Bandar, in w^hose hands is the government of the country ; Pangeran Mumin, the Degadon, the treasurer, or as Mr. Hunt says, comptroller of the household of the Sultan ; Pangeran Tizudeen, Tumangong, or commander-in-chief ; and Pangeran Kurmaindar, the Pen-damei, or mediator and interceder. This officer is the means of communication or mediation between the Sultan and his Pangerans ; and in cases of condemnation, he sues for the pardon or mercy of his sovereign. Mr. Hunt, in his short but ex- cellent paper on Borneo, mentions some other offi- cers of state : I will not follow him ; but in the names, as well as duties of these officers, his ac- SONGI DYAKS, 83 count agrees with my information. Farther than this, I have not yet learned, therefore state not ; for I am not manufacturhig a book, but gainino- information. I may add, however, that these offices are elective, and not hereditary ; as far as I yet know, I am inclined to believe the elec- tion rests with the chief Pangerans of the state ; not only those in office, but others. When I reach Borneo I can detail this information. " 23f/. — Quitted the Royalist at the entrance of the Morotaba, and accompanied by Pangerans Subtu and Illudeen, set sail for the river Saduncr. " The town called Songi is of considerable size, and the entire population along the river may cer- tainly be reckoned at from 2000 to 3000 persons, independent of Dyaks. The country has a flourish- ing aspect, but the soil is represented as bad, being- soft and muddy. There is a good deal of trade from this river, and it annually sends several large prahus to Singapore : two were lying off the town when we arrived, and two others had sailed for that place twenty days before. The produce of the country is bees-wax, birds-nests, rice, &c. &c., but they seem to be procured in less abundance than in the other contiguous rivers. There is no- thing peculiar about the Malay population, except that it struck me, generally speaking, that thev appeared better off than the people of Sarawak, or others I have visited hereabouts. We ascended the river by night, anchored a short distance from 84 VISIT SERIFF SAIIII3. the Soiijn^i, in a tide -way like a sluice, and entered the smaller river shortly after daylight. Having sent the Pangerans ahead to advise Seriff Sahib of our arrival, we pulled slowly up to the campong of the Datu Jembrong, where we brought up to break- fast. Datu Jembrong is a native of Mindanao, an Illanun and a pirate ; he is slightly advanced in years, but stout and resolute-looking, and of a most polite demeanour — as oily-tongued a cut-throat as a gentlemen would wish to associate with. He spoke of his former life without hesitation, and confessed himself rather apprehensive of going to Singapore. He was remarkably civil, and sent us a breakfast of some fruit, salt fish, stale turtles' eggs, and coffee sweetened with syrup ; but spite of all this, his blood-thirsty education and habits prejudiced me against him. Breakfast finished, we went forward to visit Seriff Sahib, who received us in an open hall ; promised to get us as many animals as he could now ; regretted our short stay, and assured me he would collect more by the time I returned. Amongst these is to be a mias pap- pan, living or dead. I at the same time offered ten dollars for the skeleton belonoing to the hand already in my possession, and a less sum for the parts. Being the first Eui'opean Seriff Sahib had ever met, he was rather puzzled to know what we were like ; but we had every reason to be satisfied with his kindness and the civility of his people : the inhabitants, though crowding to see us, are RETURN. 85 by no means intrusive, and their curiosity is too natural to be harshly repressed. I need hardly remark here how very erroneously the position of the Saduno: river is laid down in the charts, it being placed in the bay, to the westward of Santo- bang, and nearly in the position of the Samatan river. " 25/A The last night was passed off Datu Jembrong's house, and I left him with a firm im- pression that he is still a pirate, or at any rate connected with them. He resides generally at Tawarron, to the northward of Borneo Proper, where his wives and children now are, and he has come here to superintend the building of a prahu. The people about him speak of his pursuits without disguise, and many informed us the prahu near his house is intended for a piratical vessel. No- thing could exceed the polite kindness of our ras- cally host, and I spent the rainy evening in his house with some satisfaction, acquiring information of the coast to the northward, which he is well able to give. " In the morning we dropped down with the last of the ebb to the mouth of the Songi, and took the young flood to proceed up the Sadung. Beyond the point of junction with the Songi the Sadunff retains an average breadth of from three quarters of a mile to a mile. The banks continue to be partially cleared, and here and there are a few Dyaks residing in single families or small 8(> enemies' heads. communities on their ladangs or farms. The Campong Dyak, which terminated our progress up the stream, consists of three moderately long houses inhabited by Sibnowans. The manners, customs, and language of the Sibnowans of the Sadung are the same as those of their Lundu brethren ; but they are a wilder people, and appear poor. Like other Dyaks, they had a col- lection of heads hanofinof at the entrance of their chiefs private apartments. Some of these heads were fresh, and, with the utmost sang-froid^ they told us they were women. They declared, however, they never took any heads but those of their enemies, and these women (unhappy crea- tures) had belonged to a distant tribe. The fresh heads were ornamented with fowl's feathers, and suspended rather conspicuously in separate rattan frames of open work. They professed themselves willing to go with me up the river to the moun- tains ; and on the way, they informed me, were some large Malay towns, besides some more cam- pongs of their own countrymen. Farther up they enumerated some twenty tribes of Dyaks, whose names I thought it useless to preserve. Late in the evening we set off on our return, and anchored once again off Datu Jembrong's house. " 9.Qth. — Again visited Seriff Sahib. His name and descent are Arabic ; his father, an Arab, hav- ing married a daughter of the Borneo rajah. The Malavs evidentlv honour this descent, and con- SERIFF SAHIB. 87 sider his birth very high. His power, they say, equals his family, as he is, in some measure, in- dependent ; and were he to instigate the Sadung country to take arms against Borneo, it is very probable he woidd overthrow the government, and make himself Sultan of Borneo. In person, this noble partakes much of his father's race both in height and features, being tall and large, with a fine nose and contour of face. His manners are reserved, but kind ; and he looks as if too indolent to care much about acquiring power, too fat for an active traitor, though a dangerous man to oppress. We were the first Europeans he had ever seen ; but, on our second visit, he lost much of his pre- vious reserve, and was curious in examining our arms and accoutrements. We, as usual, exchanged presents ; mine consisting of some nankeen, red cloth, knife, scissors, and handkerchief ; whilst he gave me the shield of a great Kayan warrior, a Bukar spear, a goat, fowls, and our dinner and breakfast daily. He promised me the anns of all the Dyak tribes, and plenty of animals, par- ticularly my much - desired mias pappan ; and I, in retuni, agreed to bring him two small tables, six chairs, and a gun. Subsequent to our inter- view he sent me a tattooed Dyak, the first I had seen. The lines, correctly and even elegantly laid in, of a blue colour, extended from the throat to his feet. I gained but little information ; yet the history of the poor man is curious, and similar to 88 liUYAT TRIBE that of many other unfortunates. He represented a chief amoni^st his own people in the country of Buyat, five days' journey u\) the Cotringen river (vulgo Coti river). Goino- in his canoe from the latter place to Banjamassim, he was captured by Illanun pirates, with whom he was in bondage for some time, but ultimately sold as a slave to a resident of Sadung*. It was now five years since he became first captive, but having lately got money enough to buy his liberty, he is again a freeman ; and having married, and turned to the religion of Islam, desires no longer to revisit his native country. The language of the tribe of Bu- yat he represents as entirely Malay. I made him a small present for the trouble I had given him, and he departed well content. " About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we had a heavy thunder-storm, with lightning as vivid as the tropics produce. Torrents of rain descended, and continued a great part of the night ; but, sheltered by our kajangs or mats, we managed to keep toler- ably dry. Indeed, the voyager on this coast must be prepared for exposure to hea\7 rains, and con- siderable detention from thick and cloudy weather. The latter obstruction, so little noticed or even agreeable to those making a passage, is a cause of much vexation in surveying the coast, as for days together no observations are to be had. " T/th. — About 7 A.M. we quitted Songi, and dropped down as far as Tanjong Balaban, a low OF MALAYS. 89 point forming the larboard entrance into the Sa- dung river, and bounding the bay, which lies between it and Tanjong Sipang. Coming to this point gave us a good offing for our return, and enabled me to take a round of angles to finish the survey as far as this point and Pulo Burong, which lies off it. We crossed over the sand flats with a light breeze, and reached the Royalist at 4 P.M. In the evening the Datu Jembrong, who had preceded us from Sadung, spent the evening aboard. He expressed his willingness to accom- pany me next season : whether I shall take him is another question ; but, could he be trusted, his services might be highly useful. "Our Pangerans arrived early this morning from Sadung ; and to-morrow was fixed for our departure, when an unforeseen occurrence caused a farther detention. The day passed quietly : in the evening I was ashore, and took leave of the Pangerans Subtu and Illudeen, who returned to Sarawak, leaving the Panglima Rajah to pilot us out. The first part of the night was dark ; and the Panglima in his prahu, with twelve men, lay close to the shore, and under the dark shadow of the hill. About nine, the attention of the watch on deck was attracted by some bustle ashore, and it soon swelled to the wildest cries ; the only word we could distinguish, however, being ' Dyak ! Dyak !' All hands were instantly on deck. I gave the order to charge and fire a gun with a blank