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•< «  .  L  m  K«, 

. 


Ex  Libris 
C.  K.  OGDEN 


N     /  ^£zz_  /£--»X 


- ..  . 


LETTERS  FROM  SARAWAK; 

3utnm>eli  to  a  Cfjito. 

EMBRACIKG 

AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    MANNERS,   CUSTOMS,    AND    RELIGION    OF 

THE   INHARITANTS  OF  BORNEO;    THE  PROGRESS  OF   THK 

<  HURCH  MISSION,  AND  INCIDENTS  OF  MISSIONARY 

MFE    AMONG    THE    NATIVES. 

BY 

MRS.     MCDOUGALL. 


FOURTH    THOUSAND, 
WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS    BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


LONDON : 
GRANT    AND    GRIFFITH. 

(SUCCESSORS  TO  NEWBKRY  AND  HARRIS.) 
CORNER   OF   ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCHYARD. 

M.DCCC.LIV. 


LONDOX: 

.1.   WERTHEIMF.R  AND  CO.,  PRINTERS, 
CIBCUS  PLACE,  FINSBURY. 


PREFACE. 


ALL  Parents  whose  fate  separates  them  from  their  little 
ones,  during  their  early  years,  must  feel  anxious  to  lessen 
the  distance  which  parts  them,  by  such  familiar  accounts 
of  their  life  and  habits  as  shall  give  their  children  a  vivid 
interest  in  their  parents'  home.  With. this  view  the  fol- 
lowing letters  were  sent  to  my  little  boy,  during  the  last 
two  years  we  were  parted  from  him,  when  he  was  old 
enough  to  understand  their  contents;  but  I  am  induced 
to  publish  them  at  the  instance  of  my  friends,  in  order  that 
the  Mission,  in  which  we  are  engaged,  may  become  bet- 
ter known  and  more  appreciated. 

Sarawak  has,  for  the  last  seven  years,  furnished  a  ro- 
mance to  the  English  Public,  which,  for  a  time,  made  its 
Rajah  a  favourite  hero;  such  a  feeling,  and  the  demon- 
strations it  called  forth,  were  as  creditable  to  them  as  just 
to  him ;  for  it  is  well  that  the  people  of  England  should 
sympathize  with  their  countryman  in  his  really  great  work 
of  civilising  and  humanising  a  nation,  which  has  already 
proved  itself  worthy  of  the  effort.  While,  therefore,  peace 
and  a  good  government  ensure  to  the  Malays  and  Dyaks 
all  the  fruits  of  their  industry — while  they  learn  arts  and 
manufactures,  and  imbibe  a  taste  for  luxury  and  refine- 
ment, let  their  kind  friends  in  England  join  with  their 
Rajah  at  Sarawak  in  giving  them  also  the  gospel  of 
Christ's  kingdom,  through  which  alone  all  these  acquire- 
ments can  be  made  effectual  to  their  happiness. 

1G75382 


iv  PREFACE. 

The  Mission  at  Sarawak  was  invited  there  by  Sir 
JamesBrooke,  to  assist  him  in  his  schemes  of  philanthropy 
for  Borneo.  The  funds  at  first  furnished  for  its  support, 
in  answer  to  his  appeal,  were  raised  by  the  exertions  of  a 
few  private  individuals,  with  the  assistance  of  grants  from 
the  Christian  Knowledge  Society,  and  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  After  five  years  this  money 
was  entirely  expended;  and  the  Mission  must  have  fallen 
to  the  ground  had  not  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  come  forward  to  its  support  from  the  1st  Jan. 
1853.  But  although  the  venerable  Society  has  undertaken 
this  new  work  on  its  own  reponsibiiity,  its  income  is  fully 
pledged  to  existing  Missions,  and  there  being  no  surplus 
fund,  it  must  look  entirely  to  the  enlarged  bounty  of 
Churchmen,  to  enable  it  so  to  increase  the  force,  and 
complete  the  organisation,  of  the  Mission  to  Sarawak, 
that  the  Church  may  be  planted  in  the  purity  of  Gospel 
truth  and  the  perfectness  of  Apostolic  order  in  a  land 
where  the  glad  news  was  never  before  made  known. 
Shall  not  England  have  the  honour  of  building  up  this 
young  and  vigorous  nation  of  Sarawak  in  the  faith,  which 
it  is  willing  to  embrace,  and  thus  be  the  means  of  en- 
lightening and  gathering  the  millions  of  Borneo,  and  the 
adjacent  islands,  into  Christ's  Church  ? 

H.  M'D. 

London,  December,  1853. 

*»*  Subscriptions  to  a  special  fund  for  erecting  a  Bishopric, 
founding  a  College,  and  sending  more  Missionaries  to  Borneo, 
are  received  at  the  Society's  Office,  79,  Pall  Mall. 


CONTENTS. 


LETTER  I.  Voyage  out 1 

LETTER  II.  Singapore  .        .  .        .        .11 

LETTER  III.  Arrival  at  Sarawak 19 

LETTER  IV.  The  Malays 30 

LETTER  V.  The  Religion  of  the  Malays         .  .41 

LETTER  VI.  The  Productions  of  Borneo          .        .        .50 

LETTER  VII.  The  Dyaks — Their  Religion        ..        .        .60 

LETTER  VIII.  The  Dyaks — Their  History,  Manners,  and 

Customs  ...  .    69 

LETTER  IX.  The  Pirates 79 

LETTER  X.  The  Animals  of  Sarawak     .        .        .        .91 

LETTER  XI.  Life  in  the  Court  House      .        .        .        .102 

LETTER  XII.  The  Mission  House  and  Church  .        .112 

LETTER  XIII.  The  Chinese  at  Sarawak      .        .        .        .126 

LETTER  XIV.  Journal  of  a  Trip  up  the  Rejaiig         .        .  138 

LETTER  XV.  Continuation  of  Ditto         ....  151 

LETTER  XVI.  Conclusion  of  Ditto 161 

LETTER  XVII.  Malacca 170 

LETTER  XVIII.  Life  of  Sir  James  Brooke    ,  .179 


LETTERS  FROM   SARAWAK. 


LETTER  I. 

THE    VOYAGE    OUT. 

January,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

I  purpose,  now  that  we  are  settled  in  our 
Sarawak  home,  writing  you  a  letter  once  a 
month,  which  you  must  consider  as  coming  from 
both  Papa  and  Mama,  for  we  shall  take  an  equal 
interest  in  them,  as  going  to  our  boy  in  England. 
You  are  now  no  longer  a  baby,  but  are  beginning 
to  enjoy  life,  to  observe  what  you  see  and  hear, 
and  to  feel  interested  in  the  world  in  which  you 
live.  You  also  know  something  of  time  and 
space;  and  can  understand,  that,  if  it  takes 

nearly  a  whole  day  to  travel  from  W to 

London,  although  nearly  all  the  way  by  steam 
carriage,  it  must  take  six  weeks'  constant  travel- 
ling by  steamboat,  by  the  overland  route,  to 

B 


2  LETTERS    FROM   SARAWAK. 

reach  the  other  side  of  the  round  earth,  and  four 
months  in  a  sailing  vessel,  which  only  goes  on 
when  the  wind  blows.  Papa,  and  I,  and  your 
baby  brother,  Harry,  embarked  in  the  Mary 
Louisa,  a  barque  of  400  tons,  on  the  30th  of 
December,  1847,  for  Singapore,  on  our  way  to 
Borneo.  This  barque  was  laden  with  coals  and 
gunpowder,  and  there  were  five  passengers 
besides  ourselves.  Sometimes,  when  storms  of 
lightning  and  thunder  burst  upon  us  in  those 
hot  latitudes,  where  coals  will  even  catch  fire  of 
themselves,  I  could  not  help  picturing  to  myself, 
what  a  bonfire  we  might  make  on  the  open  sea 
if  the  lightning  struck  us ! — how  those  casks  of 
gunpowder  might  send  us,  with  one  cry  of  horror 
and  agony,  to  our  last  home,  without  any  witness 
to  our  fate,  except  God  Himself!  But,  in  His 
mercy,  He  kept  us  through  all  the  dangers  of 
fire  and  water,  and  brought  us  to  the  "  Haven 
where  we  would  be,"  after  a  five  months'  voyage. 

I  kept  a  journal  of  all  that  happened  to  us 
during  those  five  months;  and,  on  looking  over 
it,  I  see  that  we  had  many  pleasures,  although  I 
have  since  looked  back  on  that  time  as  the  most 
weary  and  monotonous  of  my  life.  A  fortnight 
after  we  left  Gravesend  we  found  ourselves  sail- 


THE   MEDUSA.  3 

ing  into  pleasant  summer  weather,  which,  after 
the  cold  winds  and  rough  sea  of  the  Channel,  was 
a  delightful  change.  One  night  Papa  brought 
in,  on  his  fish-hooks,  some  sea-weed,  with  phos- 
phoric insects  in  it,  which  appeared  to  be  little 
transparent  maggots,  but  in  the  dark,  when 
touched  and  excited,  were  like  glittering  green 
flame.  When  the  sea  was  rough  these  little 
ocean-stars  danced  round  our  ships,  sometimes 
gleaming  on  the  foam  of  the  waves,  and  some- 
times floating  in  the  dark  hollows  of  the  water. 
Some  were  as  large  as  my  fist,  and  their  light 
like  a  lamp.  Now  and  then  a  shoal  of  porpoises 
played  games  of  leap-frog,  and  ran  races  within 
sight,  and  amused  us  very  much.  In  calm 
weather  curious  little  Medusae,  which  the  Captain 
called  Portuguese  men-of-war,  with  shells  of  a 
dark  blue  colour,  and  feelers  spread  out,  like 
sails,  to  catch  the  air,  floated  about  us;  and  I 
have  seen  the  pink  Nautilus,  too,  from  the 
window  of  my  cabin,  scudding  away  just  out  of 
reach,  as  if  it  laughed  at  me,  when  I  brought  my 
net,  and  stretched  out  of  the  port-hole  to  catch 
it. 

One  day  the  sailors  caught  a  dolphin,  and  we 
watched  it  change  from  one  colour  to  another,  as 

B  2 


4  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

it  died  on  the  deck :  it  varied  from  green  to  blue, 
from  blue  to  pink,  and,  lastly,  to  silver,  with 
patches  of  dark  blue.  South  of  the  Cape,  we 
fished  up  a  bucket  full  of  thick  yellow  looking 
stuff,  which  had  appeared  like  streaks  on  the 
water  for  some  days,  and  which  Papa  pronounced 
to  be  the  food  of  the  whale,  a  mass  of  animalculae : 
some  were  quite  colourless,  except  a  yellow  spot 
at  the  tail;  others  were  blue,  with  horns,  and 
these  carried  bunches  of  eggs  on  either  side  of 
their  tails,  which  we  could  see  without  the  help 
of  the  microscope.  While  becalmed,  off  Java,  a 
great  whale  sported  about  us,  amidst  a  shoal  of 
little  fish,  and  a  flock  of  men-of-war  hawks  kept 
soaring  overhead,  looking  out,  doubtless,  for  a 
tiny  fish  to  snap  up  for  their  breakfast. 

Besides  fishes,  we  had  visits  from  birds  of 
various  kinds,  when  we  were  in  the  cold  lati- 
tudes, south  of  the  Cape — the  most  notable  of 
which  was  the  Albatross,  a  gigantic  bird,  mea- 
suring ten  feet  and  more  from  tip  to  tip  of  his 
wings.  On  the  water,  with  their  long  curved 
wings  outstretched,  they  looked  as  graceful  as 
swans :  but,  when  drawn  on  deck  by  a  line  and 
hook,  baited  with  salt  pork,  they  sat  helpless  and 
clumsy,  their  enormous  hooked  bills  being  the 


THE    ALBATROSS.  5 

only  formidable  part  of  their  appearance.  If 
one  was  shot  and  wounded,  while  following  the 
ship,  his  companions  at  once  attacked  him,  and 
killed  him  outright,  uttering  hoarse  cries.  Papa 
preserved  the  head  and  feet  of  one  he  fished  on 
board,  and  the  sailmaker  ate  his  flesh,  which  our 
nurse,  Elizabeth,  declared  tasted  like  beef:  but  I 
think  she  must  have  been  very  hungry,  to  taste 
meat  which  smelt  so  rank.  The  head  and  breast 
of  the  Albatross  are  snow  white,  as  well  as  the 
bill  and  feet,  the  upper  part  of  the  wings  is  of 
a  dark  grey,  white  underneath.  These  birds, 
with  their  greediness  for  lumps  of  salt  pork, 
furnished  us  with  several  days'  entertainment; 
and  flocks  of  them,  hovering,  with  their  long 
wings,  over  the  rolling  billows  of  that  troubled 
Southern  Ocean,  their  white  breasts  rising  and 
falling  with  the  billows,  made  many  a  picture 
which  an  artist  might  have  copied.  Wha.t  a 
contrast  to  these  great  ferocious  birds  were  the 
little  flying  fish,  which  in  sunnier  latitudes 
sported  near  us,  sometimes  making  a  grand  mis- 
take in  falling  on  the  deck,  when  we  caught 
them,  and,  after  painting  a  copy  of  their  bright 
blue  bodies  and  gauzy  wings,  had  the  barbarity 


6  v          LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

to  roast  and  eat  them !  They  were  very  delicate 
morsels,  but  not  often  to  be  caught. 

Notwithstanding  these  varieties,  Charley,  we 
lived  the  most  monotonous  life  on  board  the 
Mary  Louisa.  We  breakfasted  at  eight,  and  at 
ten  all  met  together,  to  chant  the  Psalms  for  the 
day,  or,  if  it  were  a  Saint's  day,  for  divine  ser- 
vice. Part  of  the  morning  was  occupied  in 
studying  the  Malay  language,  and  I  embroidered 
some  linen  cloths  for  the  Communion  Service 
during  the  voyage,  setting  myself  a  certain  task 
each  day.  At  four  we  dined,  and,  when  the 
evening  closed  in,  we  sat  on  deck,  either  talking, 
or  singing  hymns,  in  which  the  sailors  would  at 
last  join  us. 

When  it  was  moonlight,  these  evenings  were 
very  pleasant.  The  moon  is  truly  the  Mariner's 
delight.  She  plays  at  bo-peep  with  you  behind 
the  towers  of  white  sails,  transforming  the  dull 
decks  into  fairy  land.  The  expanse  of  water 
only  looks  vast  when  the  moon,  sailing  among 
clouds,  varies  its  surface  with  long  shadows  and 
lakes  of  light ;  or  when,  on  a  cloudless  night,  the 
stream  of  brilliancy,  from  the  horizon  to  the 
vessel,  reminds  you  of  Jacob's  ladder,  uniting  the 


DIVINE    SERVICE    ON   DECK.  7 

sky  and  the  little  portion  of  earth  which  a  ship 
represents.  When  we  reached  the  southern 
hemisphere  we  busied  ourselves  with  the  new 
stars,  which  gradually  made  our  acquaintance — 
one  of  our  party,  with  a  book  and  a  dark  lantern, 
helping  the  rest  of  us  to  read  Heaven's  map  out- 
spread. The  glorious  star  Sirius  was  always  our 
starting  point.  We  were  rather  disappointed 
with  the  Southern  Cross,  and  fancied  we  saw 
many  a  more  regularly  formed  cross  in  other 
constellations;  yet,  when  you  have  once  seen  the 
real  Cross,  you  can  never  mistake  it.  On  Sun- 
days, if  the  weather  allowed,  we  had  divine 
service  on  deck.  A  flag,  spread  over  the  cuddy 
light,  made  the  reading-desk :  all  the  sailors  were 
gathered  together  on  the  duck-coops,  and  we 
passengers  sat  on  the  chicken-coops.  Papa  or 

Mr.  W ,  the  other  clergyman  of  our  party, 

preached.      Papa   and   Mr.  W took   great 

pains  in  instructing  the  sailors  during  these  five 
months ;  and,  as  Papa  was  also  the  physician  to 
their  bodily  ailments,  they  all  looked  up  to  him 
with  love  and  reverence;  and  we  have  found 
since,  that,  with  many,  the  memory  of  his  good 
advice  did  not  pass  away  with  the  voyage.  A 
ship  is  a  parish  within  the  compass  of  a  very 


8  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

short  walk,  and,  although  English  sailors  have 
the  character  of  being  a  most  godless  race,  I  be- 
lieve that  there  are  not  many  men  more  impres- 
sible, more  grateful  for  kindness,  more  open  to 
religious  convictions.  Their  very  superstitious" 
fancies  show  how  firmly  the  belief  of  a  spiritual 
world  works  upon  them ;  and  I  have  no  doubt 
that  their  comparative  solitariness,  during  those 
long  night-watches,  when  they  are  all  by  turns 
alone,  as  it  were,  with  the  sky  and  their  own 
consciences,  makes  this  disposition  inevitable  in  a 
sailor. 

My  letter  promises  to  be  as  long  as  our  voy- 
age ;  but  it  is  time  it  should  conclude.  So  you 
may  now  fancy  us,  on  the  third  of  May,  1848, 
espying  land,  the  coast  of  Java — not  Java  Head, 
the  point  of  land  we  ought  to  have  made,  but 
far,  far  to  the  east,  where  we  got  into  an  unlucky 
current,  which  set  us  back  in  the  night,  as  far  as 
the  light  breeze  took  us  on  in  the  day,  about 
thirty-six  miles.  At  first  we  were  puzzled  to 
find  that  every  morning  the  same  high  hill  stood 
before  us,  when  we  thought,  as  night  closed  in, 
we  had  bidden  it  adieu ;  and  we  named  it  "  Hill 
Difficulty,"  for  it  seemed  as  if  we  could  not  pass 
it.  But  the  current  explained  this.  The  heat, 


ANGER   STRAITS. 

during  the  ten  days  we  lay  on  this  coast,  was 
very  hard  to  bear.  The  land  shut  off  the  breeze ; 
the  sun  poured  down  on  our  heads,  and  made  the 
decks  too  hot  to  touch ;  the  sky  looked  like  a 
brazen  shield,  under  which  the  sea  seemed  to 
sicken  and  die;  for  there  was  not  one  ripple  on 
its  surface,  but  a  kind  of  scum,  on  which  slimy 
sea-snakes  and  unwholesome  little  creatures  were 
crawling.  Every  night  the  air  seemed  charged 
with  electric  fluid.  We  had  bright  lightning  and 
heavy  thunder ;  but  scarcely  any  rain  came  from 
the  shore,  where  the  peak  of  Hill  Difficulty  was 
lost  in  clouds.  But  on  Friday,  the  12th,  we  re- 
joiced in  a  fine  breeze,  which  carried  us  along 
that  odious  coast,  past  Java  Head,  and  into 
Anger  Straits,  the  same  night.  We  passed  along 
a  lovely  coast  of  hills  and  forests,  the  gales  so 
scented  with  spicy  fragrance,  that  all  our  senses 
were  delighted  at  once.  We  anchored  off  Anger, 
and  were  soon  surrounded  with  little  boats, 
bringing  fowls,  turtles,  fruit,  parrots,  and  Java 
sparrows.  Here  the  dark  skinned  Malay,  so  in- 
teresting to  us,  was  seen  for  the  first  time ;  and 
the  busy  chattering  Chinese,  making  always  the 
best  bargain  for  his  wares,  amused  us  beyond 
measure.  Indeed,  from  that  time,  until  we 


10  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

dropped  anchor  in  Singapore  harbour,  on  the 
evening  of  the  23rd,  we  could  scarcely  sleep  for 
excitement.  Every  new  island  and  coast  in  that 
beautiful  sea,  to  our  delighted  eyes,  so  long 
accustomed  to  gaze  on  a  blank  of  water,  looked 
lovely  and  romantic.  The  little  huts,  which 
nestled  among  the  trees,  seemed  the  abode  of 
peace  and  luxury;  and  even  the  great  flying 
foxes,  which  passed  us  at  night  in  troops,  as  they 
flew  from  their  hiding-places,  to  feast  on  the 
fruit-trees  of  the  jungle,  had  a  friendly  look  to 
our  indulgent  eyes.  We  did  not  leave  the  ship 
until  the  morning  of  the  24th,  and  then — as  we 
rowed  toward  shore  amidst  the  ships  of  all 
nations  lying  in  that  harbour,  from  the  English 
man-of-war  of  1200  tons,  to  the  Chinese  junk 
with  its  great  eye  painted  in  the  stern,  to  keep 
it  from  evil  chances — the  hearty  "  one  cheer 
more  for  Mr.  M'Dougall,"  fell  on  our  ears  like  a 
blessing,  sending  us  on  our  way,  with  cheerful 
hearts,  to  our  new  home,  and  untried  work. 
Good  bye  for  the  present,  my  little  boy, 

From  your  affectionate  Mother, 

H.  M'D. 


LETTER  II. 

SINGAPORE. 

February,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

My  last  letter  told  you  how  gladly  we 
landed  at  Singapore,  after  our  five  months'  voy- 
age in  the  Mary  Louisa.  The  island  of  Singa- 
pore lies  close  to  the  Malayan  Peninsula,  and  is 
about  twenty-seven  miles  long,  and  fifteen  broad. 
It  commands  a  lovely  view  of  sea  and  wooded 
islets,  with  the  hilly  outline  of  the  coast  in  the 
distance.  The  ground  rises  in  gentle  hills  from 
the  sea-shore;  and  these  rising  grounds  are 
covered  with  plantations  and  gardens,  and 
crowned  with  pretty  English  Bungalows — look- 
ing so  cool,  with  their  white  walls  and  green 
verandahs,  that  the  whole  place  seems  a  plea- 
sure ground.  You  see  two  handsome  churches 
from  the  bay,  as  you  approach :  one  is  the 
English,  the  other  the  Roman-Catholic  Church. 
In  front  of  the  sea  is  a  carriage- drive  and  es- 
planade, and  a  well-kept  green  enclosure,  where 


12  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

there  are  cricket  matches,  and  where  the  military 
band  plays  at  certain  times,  when  the  regiment, 
stationed  in  the  Straits,  is  fortunate  enough  to 
possess  one.  Handsome  houses,  with  gardens 
about  them,  overlook  this  esplanade,  and  a  flag- 
staff surmounts  the  Government  Hill,  in  front  of 
the  Bungalow  where  the  Governor  lives. 

Singapore  is  certainly  a  pretty  spot,  and  as, 
during  several  visits  there,  Papa  and  I  have  met 
with  much  kindness  from  many  excellent  people, 
we  regard  it  with  affection,  and  as  a  little  peep 
into  the  busy  world,  now  and  then,  from  the 
calm  solitude  of  our  Sarawak  home.  We  had  to 
wait  for  a  month  at  Singapore,  until  the  schooner 
Julia  could  take  us  to  Sarawak,  during  which 
time  we  lived  at  an  hotel  on  the  beach ;  and  it 
was  amusement  enough  to  me  to  watch  the 
passers  by,  thronged,  as  Singapore  is,  by  people 
of  all  nations.  First  you  may  see  some  Chinese, 
in  their  loose  blue  trousers,  white  jackets,  and 
white  straw  hats,  with  a  long  plaited  tail  of  hair 
hanging  down  behind — then  some  Parsees,  in 
flowing  white  dresses,  and  a  curious  cap  on  their 
heads,  shaped  something  like  a  bishop's  mitre, 
and  looking  as  if  it  were  made  of  oil-cloth. 
Next  comes  a  Bengalee,  with  his  black  skin,  tall 


THE   BAZAAR.  13 

slight  form,  and  white  muslin  garments,  and  a 
great  scarlet,  or  white,  turban  on  his  head. 
After  him  may  follow  a  Jew  from  Armenia, 
richly  dressed  in  fine  shawl,  turban,  and  sash, 
with  long  robes,  and  with  a  form  and  face 
equally  handsome.  Besides  these,  Portuguese, 
Germans,  French,  and  English,  Malays,  and  wild 
people  called  Orang  Laut,  who  live  in  boats,  and 
wear  scarcely  any  clothes  at  all,  present  them- 
selves one  after  another.  The  Europeans  dress 
entirely  in  white,  with  pith  hats,  to  shield  them 
from  the  sun,  which,  as  Singapore  is  only  eighty 
miles  from  the  equator,  is  the  most  dangerous 
enemy  to  brains  undefended  by  the  thick  skull 
and  thicker  head-dresses  of  eastern  nations. 

There  is  a  Chinese  town,  and  a  Kling,  or 
Indian,  town.  The  shops  on  either  side  of  the 
streets  are  called  the  Bazaar.  In  one  street  you 
see  only  vegetables  and  fruit  for  sale — in  another, 
pork — in  another,  cakes  and  sweetmeats,  which 
do  not  look  at  all  tempting  to  English  palates, 
being  more  like  cakes  of  yellow  soap,  or  lumps 
of  dirt  (or  mud  pies,  Charley,  such  as  you  manu- 
facture sometimes  of  Suffolk  clay),  than  any- 
thing fit  to  eat.  They  are  compounded  of  rice- 
flour,  coarse  sugar,  cocoa-nuts,  and  oil.  Some 


14  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

stalls  are  full  of  pine-apples,  cut  into  curious 
shapes  and  slices  —  great  green  water-melons, 
with  pink  watery  pulp,  very  pleasant  to  thirsty 
people — Jack  fruit,  so  large  that  a  man  cannot 
carry  more  than  two  at  a  time,  slung  over  his 
shoulders,  and  the  pulpy  seeds  of  which  are  very 
rich  and  high  flavoured,  but  also  very  strong- 
scented.  These  last  are,  however,  delicate,  com- 
pared to  the  Durian,  the  famous  fruit  of  the 
Straits,  which,  Papa  says,  tastes  like  a  mixture 
of  rotten  eggs,  sugar,  and  onions:  I  can  only 
say  that  it  smells  detestable,  for  I  have  never 
tasted  it.  Far  different  is  the  Mangosteen, 
another  fruit  peculiar  to  the  Straits,  which  has  a 
purple  rind,  and  a  fruit  lying  inside,  trans- 
parent as  a  large  opal,  and  as  pleasant  to  the 
taste  as  it  is  pretty.  So  much  for  the  fruit- 
market.  There  is  also  a  bazaar  for  glass,  crock- 
ery, cottons,  muslins,  and  silks,  and  where  you 
may  see  all  sorts  of  odd  things,  more  curious 
than  beautiful.  Scattered  here  and  there, 
amongst  these  bazaars,  you  see  little  shabby 
houses,  with  curtains  hung  before  the  windows, 
and  "  Opium  Shop "  written  over  the  door ! 
These  places  are  frequented  chiefly  by  the  Chi- 
nese, who  smoke  opium  ill  they  are  quite  tipsy 


TIGERS.  15 

or  insensible.  The  more  they  smoke,  the  less 
they  care  for  anything  else.  They  grow  thin, 
and  have  a  care-worn,  miserable  look,  which,  if 
they  indulge  much  in  this  habit,  you  cannot 
mistake,  and  it  kills  many  of  them  at  last. 

The  heat,  noise,  and  bustle,  of  these  bazaars 
are  not  very  pleasant.  We  were  always  glad  to 
escape  from  them,  into  the  more  airy  roads  out 
of  town,  along  which,  if  you  drive  far  enough, 
you  get  into  the  wild  woods,  which  have  not  yet 
been  cut  down  and  burnt,  and  may  even  chance 
to  see  a  tiger  spring  across  the  road.  There  are 
many  tigers  in  the  island  of  Singapore,  still 
lurking  in  the  jungle,  or  even  in  the  copses  near 
English  plantations.  The  poor  convicts,  who 
work  on  the  roads  in  the  interior  of  the  Island, 
are  often  frightened,  and  sometimes  carried  off, 
and  eaten,  by  these  savage  beasts.  The  Malays 
make  deep  pits  with  sharp  sticks  at  the  bottom, 
to  catch  and  impale  tigers ;  or  they  bait  traps, 
like  cages,  with  a  dog  or  monkey :  for  the  Sing- 
apore Government  pays  fifty  dollars  for  a  tiger's 
head,  and  the  merchants  add  fifty  more,  to  in- 
duce people  to  hunt  and  kill  them.  It  is  said 
that  360  human  lives  are  lost  in  the  course  of 
the  year,  by  the  depredations  of  these  monsters; 


16  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

and  many  are  the  tales  told  of  narrow  escapes  in 
the  jungle,  where  the  Chinese  clear  ground,  and 
plant  gardens  of  vegetables,  sirih,  coffee,  or 
gambier.  During  our  last  visit  to  Singapore, 
two  Chinamen  cleared  a  space  in  the  woods  for  a 
garden ;  but,  being  mightily  afraid  of  tigers,  one 
worked,  while  the  other  beat  a  metal  drum  called 
a  gong,  the  noise  of  which  they  thought  would 
scare  them  away.  One  day  the  working  man 
heard  the  gong  cease,  and,  looking  up,  he  beheld 
man  and  gong  both  carried  off  by  a  large  tiger. 
Papa,  one  day,  joined  a  party  of  friends,  in 
climbing  a  hill  called  Bukit  Timah  before  sunrise, 
that  they  might  see  the  view  from  thence.  Papa 
was  a  little  behind  the  rest  of  the  party  on  a 
pony,  when  he  smelt  a  tiger  close  to  him. 
Having  no  weapon  in  his  hand,  and  the  peons 
with  muskets  being  on  before,  Papa  galloped 
after  them,  and  told  them  he  was  sure  there  was 
a  tiger  in  the  thicket;  which,  indeed,  was  true 
enough,  for,  as  they  returned,  the  marks  of  his 
great  paws  were  indented  across  the  road,  just 
where  Papa  smelt  him,  and  very  close  he  must 
have  been,  but  he  did  not  venture  to  show  him- 
self. 

The  country  houses  at  Singapore  are  all  sur- 


PLANTATIONS.  1 7 

rounded  by  plantations  of  spice-trees,  cloves, 
cinnamon,  and  nutmegs,  especially  the  latter. 
The  young  plantation  has  a  stiff  formal  appear- 
ance, as  the  shrubs  are  planted  at  equal  dis- 
tances, with  a  little  shed  over  each  to  protect 
them  from  the  weather;  but,  as  the  nutmegs 
grow  tall,  the  sheds  are  dispensed  with,  and  then 
I  do  not  know  a  more  beautiful  shrub.  It  re- 
sembles a  laurel  in  its  leaf,  and  the  fruit  hangs 
in  clusters  like  half-ripe  apricots:  the  shell 
cracks,  and  you  see  the  bright  red  mace  peeping 
out,  which  holds  the  kernel  wrapped  up  in  its 
folds.  The  cinnamon  trees  are  of  a  paler  green, 
the  new  leaves  soft  pink  and  most  fragrant ;  and 
the  clove  trees  very  nearly  resemble  the  nutmeg, 
except  that  they  are  smaller.  Every  day  ser- 
vants go  round  the  plantations,  picking  up  the 
fallen  nuts,  which  are  very  valuable.  They  dry 
the  mace  in  the  sun,  when  it  loses  its  bright  red 
colour;  the  shells  are  boiled  down  with  sugar, 
and  make  a  fine  jelly,  which  AVC  eat,  instead  of 
red-currant  jelly,  with  roast  mutton.  These 
spice  plantations  have  made  many  fine  fortunes  in 
the  Straits:  but  it  takes  twelve  years'  outlay  and 
patience,  before  the  trees  begin  to  yield;  and 
meanwhile  they  require  a  great  deal  of  care  and 

c 


18  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

labour  bestowed  upon  them.  They  certainly 
give  the  ground  a  very  garden-like  and  culti- 
vated appearance.  I  must  not  close  my  letter 
about  Singapore,  without  telling  you  that  it  was 
first  settled,  as  an  English  colony,  by  Sir  Stam- 
ford Raffles,  in  the  year  1819,  and  by  him  made 
a  free  port  for  the  ships  of  all  nations ;  by  which 
I  mean,  that  merchants  pay  no  public  customs  or 
taxes,  for  any  kind  of  goods  landed  there. 
This  has  made  it  such  a  favourite  harbour  for 
merchant  ships,  and  such  a  thriving  trading 
colony,  that  it  has  for  many  years  past  proved 
the  foresight  and  wisdom  of  the  founder. 

There  is  one  little  spot  at  Singapore,  more 
dear  to  Papa  and  me,  than  all  the  plain  besides. 
This  is  the  English  Cemetery,  a  beautiful  garden 
on  the  side  of  a  hill,  where  was  buried  our  dear 
child  Harry.  He  died  at  Singapore,  at  the  age 
of  three  years,  in  1850.  A  cross  of  granite 
marks  the  grave,  and  a  jessamine  bush,  trans- 
planted from  our  garden  at  Sarawak,  grows 
beside  it. 

Good  bye,  Charley, 

From  your  loving  Mama. 


LETTER  III. 

ARRIVAL   AT   SARAWAK. 

MY  DEAR  BOY,  March' 1851' 

We  embarked  in  a  schooner  called  the 
Julia,  on  the  19th  of  June,  1848;  and,  after  ten 
days'  tedious  sailing  under  a  hot  sun,  we  en- 
tered the  Marotabas  river,  which  leads  into  the 
Sarawak.  You  must  now  get  the  Atlas,  and 
find  the  great  island  of  Borneo,  the  largest  in 
the  Eastern  Archipelago,  and,  indeed,  in  the 
world,  except  Australia.  Its  area  is  larger  than 
that  of  France,  and  its  shape  is  a  kind  of  square. 
You  will  perceive  that,  considering  its  size,  there 
are  not  many  names  of  places  marked  on  it, 
except  along  the  coasts.  What  is  known  of  the 
island  is  principally  from  ships  visiting  the 
mouths  of  the  rivers:  for,  although  both  the 
English  and  Dutch  have  taken  possession  of 
different  parts  of  the  coast,  the  English  have  not 
ventured  far  inland,  and  the  Dutch,  who  have 
explored  it  more,  have  kept  their  discoveries 

c  2 


20  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

very  secret,  lest  the  riches  of  the  country  should 
excite  the  cupidity  of  others;  so  that  all  which 
is  known  of  the  interior,  is  from  the  accounts  of 
the  natives  themselves.  They  say  that  there  are 
beautiful  lakes  lying  amongst  the  mountains,  and 
that  the  inhabitants  are  so  numerous,  that  a  man 
may  walk  across  the  country,  and  sleep  in  a 
fresh  village  every  night.  Perhaps  you  will 
wonder  why  no  European  has  yet  tried  to  do 
this;  and  so  used  I  to  do,  till  I  knew  how  im- 
passable a  new  country  is.  If  you  ascend  a  high 
hill,  from  which  you  can  see  for  many  miles 
round,  a  great  mass  of  forest  stretches  itself 
below  your  feet.  The  tops  of  the  trees,  growing 
close  together,  make  one  flat  green  mass  without 
a  break;  except  where  the  rivers,  like  silver 
threads,  wind  their  way  among  the  trees,  and  on 
their  banks  you  may  spy,  here  and  there,  clusters 
of  huts,  or  blue  smoke  curling  up  in  the  air, 
which  marks  a  human  dwelling.  The  Dyaks,  or 
inhabitants  of  the  country,  do  indeed  make  a, 
way  through  the  jungle,  from  one  village  to 
another,  by  laying  down  trunks  of  small  trees, 
and  clearing  away  the  boughs  on  either  side  of 
this  path :  but  it  is  very  difficult  walking  for  any 
but  native  feet.  The  poles,  which  they  lay 


I) YAK   BRIDGES.  21 

down,  are  round  and  slippery;  the  path,  thus 
made,  is  not  more  than  a  foot  wide,  and  often 
there  are  gaps,  so  that  it  requires  a  succession  of 
jumps  from  one  pole  to  another,  rather  than  a 
steady  pace ;  and,  if  you  miss  your  footing,  you 
are  very  likely  to  go  plurnp  up  to  your  waist  in 
the  swampy  ground  on  either  side.  The  Dyaks 
are  so  used  to  it,  that  they  carry  great  weights 
over  these  slippery  paths  without  difficulty,  and 
over  their  bridges  too,  which  are  even  worse 
than  the  paths.  Imagine  a  few  canes  of  bamboo, 
swinging  in  the  air  over  a  chasm,  with  perhaps 
a  torrent  of  water  roaring  beneath,  and  nothing 
to  ensure  the  safety  of  your  footing,  but,  now 
and  then,  a  thin  bamboo,  fastened  to  the  rocks  or 
trees,  on  either  side,  for  a  balustrade,  to  take 
hold  of — and  you  have  a  Dyak  bridge.  You 
must  walk  across  it  with  your  feet  well  turned 
out  in  the  first  position,  and  neither  looking 
down  at  the  perils  below,  nor  nervously  grasping 
your  bamboo  balustrade,  which  is  not  meant  to 
be  pulled  at,  but  only  to  give  a  more  comfortable 
look  to  the  bridge.  A  Dyak  would  not  think  of 
touching  it ;  his  feet  lay  hold  of  the  bamboos 
like  leather  suckers,  and  he  stalks  across  with  a 
heavy  laden  tambuk  (native  basket)  on  his  back, 


22  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

laughing  at  the  poor  Englishman,  in  shoes  and 
stockings,  behind  him. 

The  readiest  way  of  exploring  such  a  country 
as  this  is  by  ascending  the  rivers  in  boats.  The 
rivers  are  many  of  them  so  large,  that  ships  of 
great  burthen  might  go  up  for  many  miles.  In 
some  of  them,  nature  has  placed  an  obstacle  to 
this,  by  a  great  bar  of  sand,  which  stretches  across 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  over  which  a  ship  can 
only  float  at  high  tide.  In  the  Sakarran,  Sa- 
dong,  and  other  rivers,  there  is  another  danger 
to  boats  and  small  vessels,  which  we  call  the  Bore, 
and  the  natives,  Benna.  It  is  an  enormous  wave, 
twelve  feet  high  and  more,  which  comes  up  with 
the  first  flood  tide,  and,  with  irresistible  force, 
sweeps  all  before  it.  At  Sakarran,  there  are  only 
two  places  of  refuge  from  this  great  wave  known 
to  the  natives ;  and  it  is  highly  dangerous  for  any 
boat  to  go  up  without  a  guide.  Many  lives  have 
been  lost,  even  amongst  the  Dyaks  themselves, 
from  carelessness  about  the  Bore  and  its  follower, 
a  smaller  wave,  which  they  call  Anak  Benna,  the 
child  of  the  Bore.  Just  before  one  of  Papa's  visits 
to  Sakarran^  two  Dyak  boats,  ascending  the  river, 
were  racing  against  one  another.  They  had 
waited  until  both  the  Benna  and  Anak  Benna 


FORESTS   IN   BORNEO.  23 

had  passed  by,  and  thought  themselves  quite  safe. 
But  Dyak  boats,  paddled  at  racing  pace,  are  very 
swift,  and,  before  they  were  aware  of  their  danger, 
both  boats  were  hurried  into  the  vortex  of  the 
little  Bore,  and  sucked  under  its  waters,  not  one 
of  the  twenty  men,  who  were  on  board,  escaping 
with  life.  At  the  north  of  Borneo,  we  know 
that  there  are  fine  open  plains,  with  herds  of  wild 
cattle  on  them.  In  another  part  Elephants  have 
been  seen;  the  natives  bring  their  tusks  for 
barter,  which  they  find  shed  in  the  jungle.  And, 
no  doubt,  there  are  many  wonders  of  nature  in 
parts  where  European  foot  never  trod.  There  is 
something  sublime  in  the  thought  of  wide  forests, 
plains,  and  rivers,  where  no  human  being  lives — 
where  evil  deeds  never  cursed  the  ground  for 
man's  sake — and  where  the  songs  of  birds,  the 
chirping  of  insects,  the  rush  of  waters,  and  the 
sighing  of  the  wind  amongst  the  trees,  are  the 
only  sounds  which  have  broken  the  stillness  of  the 
air  for  hundreds  of  years,  if  not  since  the  very  cre- 
ation of  the  world :  even  such  nooks  there  may  be 
in  this  large  island.  But  how  much  better  it  would 
be,  if  the  voices  of  men,  women,  and  children 
made  these  solitudes  echo  with  songs  of  praise, 
or  the  longings  of  their  hearts  after  Him  who 


24  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

made  them — if  words  of  kindness,  and  acts  of 
mercy  made  the  angels  of  God  rejoice  over  the 
place !  Such  blessings  may  one  day  dawn  on  the 
vast  land  of  Borneo,  when  good  men,  with  the  love 
of  God  in  their  hearts,  leave  their  Christian  homes, 
for  the  sake  of  extending  Christ's  Kingdom  all 
over  the  earth — when  they  teach  the  native  tribes 
to  cultivate  the  good  land  which  God  has  given 
them,  and  to  turn  the  jungle  into  fields,  pastures, 
and  orchards,  towns  and  villages,  with  churches 
and  school-houses  amongst  the  trees. 

"Well,  as  I  said  before,  we  entered  the  river  of 
Sarawak  on  the  29th  of  June.  Papa  and  the 
Captain  of  the  Julia,  got  into  a  boat  and  rowed 
immediately  up  to  the  town,  leaving  us  in  the 
schooner  to  pursue  our  way  more  cautiously ;  for 
there  are  several  ugly  rocks  to  be  avoided,  and 
the  river  winds  so  much,  that  it  requires  careful 
navigation.  In  some  parts  the  scenery  was  very 
pretty.  Trees  grew  down  to  the  water's  edge, 
some  in  flower,  some  in  fruit.  Here  and  there 
the  trees  were  cut  down,  without  the  stumps 
being  rooted  out,  that  paddy  (rice  in  the  husk) 
might  be  planted.  These  clearings  became  more 
frequent  as  we  approached  the  town,  and  cottages, 
built  of  wood  and  palm  leaves,  with  plenty  of 


THE  FORT.  25 

little  dark-skinned  children  peeping  out,  looked 
very  snug  by  the  river  side.  Then,  over  the  trees, 
blue  hills  would  rise  so  high,  that  they  wore  a 
nightcap  of  clouds,  and  lower  wooded  heights  gave 
us  a  pleasant  idea  of  the  undulations  of  the  ground. 
You  may  be  sure  our  eyes  strove  to  find  beauties 
as  we  approached  our  new  home ;  and  I  never  felt 
more  contented,  than  when  we  turned  the  last 
corner  of  the  reach  before  the  town,  and  there  lay 
Sarawak  before  us. 

The  first  object  is  the  Fort,  a  white  building 
with  six  formidable  cannon,  peeping  out  from  the 
port-holes;  and  a  soldier,  pacing  up  and  down  the 
gravel  in  front,  hails  every  arriving  boat.  He 
did  not  challenge  us,  however.  We  had  been 
long  looked  for,  and,  at  that  time,  the  schooner 
'Julia'  was  the  only  means  of  regular  monthly 
communication  between  Sarawak  and  Singapore. 
We  were  kindly  welcomed  at  the  house  of  Sir 
James  Brooke,  our  English  Rajah,  although  he 
was  then  at  Singapore.  How  cool  and  airy  the 
rooms  of  that  wooden  Bungalow  seemed,  after 
the  hot  close  cabins  of  the  schooner !  The  roses 
and  jessamines,  which  greAV  luxuriantly  under 
the  verandahs,  perfumed  the  air,  and  the  flights 
of  cooing  blue  and  white  pigeons,  which  had  their 


26  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

dovecot  near  the  house,  gave  us  a  gentle  greet- 
ing. 

The  town  of  Sarawak  is  so  called  after  the  main 
river  on  which  it  stands :  but  its  proper  name  is 
Kuching,  from  a  streamlet  or  feeder,  which  enters 
the  Sarawak  just  below  the  fort,  and  bears  this 
name  Kuching,  which  in  Malay  means  a  cat — why, 
I  cannot  say,  except  that  the  inhabitants  are  as 
fond  of  fish  as  cats  generally  are.  On  one  side  of 
the  river  is  the  Chinese  Town,  the  Kling  Bazaar, 
the  Mosques,  or  Mahometan  houses  of  prayer, 
the  Court  of  justice,  and  most  of  the  native  dwell- 
ing-houses. On  two  gentle  rising  grounds,  farther 
away  from  the  river,  now  stand  the  Church  and 
the  Mission-house;  but  these  grounds  were  co- 
vered with  j  ungle,  when  we  reached  Kuching.  On 
the  other  side,  amidst  gardens,  and  fruit  trees, 
stands  the  Rajah's  house,  and  several  other  pretty 
Bungalows,  belonging  to  English  gentlemen,  and 
in  the  back  ground  is  a  fine  belt  of  jungle,  and 
the  blue  hill  of  Santubong,  nodding  its  head  to 
the  Rajah's  house.  There  is  no  bridge  over  the 
river.  Every  body  keeps  boats,  and  every  native 
can  paddle  himself  or  herself  up  or  down  the  ri- 
ver, with  their  little  short  broad-shaped  oars  or 
paddles.  Even  little  children,  smaller  than  you, 


BO  AT-K  AGING.  27 

can  jump  into  a  boat  and  paddle;  and,  if  the  boat 
upsets,  which  it  often  does,  with  restless  boys  in 
it,  the  urchins  swim  by  the  side,  until  they  can 
turn  the  boat  right-side  up,  bale  the  water  out, 
and  jump  in  again.  I  hope  you  will  learn  to 
swim  one  day :  it  is  not  only  a  healthful  exercise, 
but  gives  safety  and  confidence  on  the  water. 

While  I  am  talking  of  boats,  I  may  as  well 
give  you  an  account  of  the  annual  boat-races 
here.  They  take  place  on  the  1st  of  January, 
and  are  encouraged  by  the  Rajah  and  all  the 
English,  as  a  good  amusement  and  exercise  for 
the  Malays  and  Dyaks.  For  months  before 
they  are  busy  building  racing-boats.  There  are 
always  some  new  ones,  but  sometimes  a  boat 
gets  a  reputation  for  being  a  winner,  and  then 
she  is  in  great  request.  Early  in  the  morning, 
on  that  day,  you  may  see  boats,  newly  painted, 
with  a  few  men  in  them,  beating  little  gongs, 
which  are  sounded  to  collect  the  rowers.  The 
largest  boats  are  allowed  to  have  any  number  of 
rowers — sometimes  as  many  as  forty  or  fifty. 
The  man,  who  sits  at  the  stern,  uses  his  paddle 
to  steer  with,  as  they  have  no  rudder.  By 
eleven  o'clock  all  the  crews  are  collected.  Each 
Datu,  or  Officer  of  State,  has  his  boat  manned 


28  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

by  his  dependants,  and  those  who  live  in  his 
campong  (or  cluster  of  houses) :  but  the  great 
men  themselves  are  only  spectators ;  they  do  not 
row  in  the  boats.  They  are  all  arranged  in  line 
abreast  the  Rajah's  house,  where  a  flag  is  flying, 
and  from  which  a  cannon  fired  gives  the  signal 
for  starting.  The  distance  is  marked  by  a  boat 
decked  with  flags,  moored  off  the  fort,  in  the 
middle  of  the  river.  Round  this  boat  they  have 
to  turn,  and  the  goal  is  the  Rajah's  wharf.  As 
the  clock  strikes  twelve  the  cannon  is  fired,  and 
off  set  the  boats  at  a  wonderful  pace.  The 
paddles  throw  such  a  cloud  of  spray  as  to  con- 
ceal the  rowers.  The  men  shout ;  the  lookers-on 
cry  out,  first  to  one,  then  to  the  other;  some- 
times a  boat  runs  foul  of  another,  which  fills 
with  water,  and  you  see  thirty  or  forty  men  all 
sprawling  in  the  river ;  but,  though  by  this  they 
lose  the  race,  they  are  soon  all  in  the  boat  again, 
and  ready  for  another  start.  When  the  winning 
boat  arrives  at  the  Rajah's  steps  for  the  prize- 
money,  the  men  all  throw  up  their  paddles  in 
the  air,  and  yell ;  I  cannot  call  it  a  shout — it  so 
little  resembles  an  English  hurrah — but  it  means 
the  same  thing.  After  this  race  of  large  boats 
succeed  many  others,  with  smaller  and  smaller 


BOAT-RACIKG.  29 

crews,  until  the  last  is  a  race  of  tiny  sampans 
with  one  man  in  each.  The  final  one,  however, 
is  another  trial  for  all  the  big  boats,  which  lost 
the  first  race.  One  man  will  often  pull  in  several 
races;  and,  considering  how  little  hard  work  a 
Malay  is  capable  of,  it  is  plain  that  more  skill 
and  dexterity,  than  strength,  is  employed  in 
paddling:  but  they  use  all  they  have  on  this 
occasion.  I  have  been  twice  present  at  these 
races,  and  admired  the  perfect  good  humour 
with  which  our  Malays  either  win  or  lose; 
although  they  esteem  the  credit  of  winning  as 
much  as  an  English  boat's  crew  would  do.  This 
day's  sport  serves  to  talk  of  throughout  the 
year,  and  the  winning  boat  is  looked  upon  with 
great  respect. 

Good  bye,  dear  child, 

Your  loving  Mama, 

H.  M'D. 


LETTER   IV. 

THE   MALAYS. 

MY  DEAEEST  CHAKLEY,  April> 1851> 

Not  many  years  ago,  the  very  name  of  a 
Malay  suggested  the  idea  of  a  bad,  cruel,  and 
revengeful  man,  who,  always  wearing  a  sharp 
knife,  called  a  cm,  at  his  girdle,  did  not  scruple 
to  plunge  it  into  the  heart  of  any  one  who 
offended  him.  That  great  and  good  man,  Sir 
Stamford  Raffles,  from  his  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  Malays  of  Java  and  Sumatra,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  first  who  set  their  character  in  a 
just  and  true  light;  and  our  own  Rajah,  Sir 
James  Brooke,  who  treats  all  men,  Malays, 
Dyaks,  or  Europeans,  as  brothers,  has  taught 
the  world  that  a  "  Malay  has  as  kind  and  suscep- 
tible a  heart  as  an  Englishman,  and  that,  when 
well  governed,  and  living  at  peace,  they  are 
amiable,  fond  of  children,  courteous  to  strangers, 
and  grateful  for  kindness."  It  is  true  that  they 
have  some  cunning  in  their  disposition,  and 


NEGLECT   OF    CHILDREN.  31 

that,  occasionally,  a  Malay  gives  way  to  passion, 
till  he  becomes  almost  mad;  and  then,  seizing 
any  sword  or  cris  that  lies  in  his  way,  he  will 
rush  from  his  house,  and  maim,  or  kill,  as  many 
people  as  he  meets.  But  this  madness,  which  is 
called  Amok,  or,  in  English,  "  running  a  muck," 
is  now  very  rare  at  Sarawak,  since  the  Malays 
have  been  well  governed.  Formerly,  injustice 
and  oppression  drove  them  to  despair  and  des- 
perate actions.  There  is  also,  T  think,  another 
reason  for  this  peculiar  trait  in  the  Malay  cha- 
racter. The  Malays  indulge  their  children  ex- 
cessively. I  do  not  think  they  love  them  better 
than  other  parents,  for  true  love  does  not  lead  to 
foolish  indulgence:  but  they  are  an  indolent 
people,  and  will  not  take  the  trouble  of  correct- 
ing their  little  ones;  so  that,  if  a  child  has 
naturally  a  violent  temper,  it  is  never  checked, 
and,  growing  worse  and  worse,  becomes  at  times 
a  madness.  I  have  seen  a  little  Malay  girl,  in 
her  rage,  twist  her  hands  in  her  mother's  long 
hair,  and  pull  it  till  the  woman  cried  out  with 
pain :  yet,  when  I  released  her,  she  did  not 
punish  the  naughty  child,  but  kissed  her,  and 
indulged  the  very  whim  which  caused  this  out- 
break of  temper.  Another  day  I  saw  a  little 


32  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

boy  in  such  a  passion  that  he  threw  himself  into 
the  river,  and  there  kicked  and  screamed,  till  I 
thought  he  would  be  drowned.  But,  when  his 
father  at  last  persuaded  him  to  get  into  a  boat,  he 
did  not  rebuke  him  for  his  passion.  Such  chil- 
dren as  these,  if  they  grow  up  to  be  men  and 
women,  might  be  expected,  if  much  offended,  to 
run  a  muck ;  for  they  have  never  been  taught 
self-control.  The  Scripture  says,  "  It  is  good  for 
a  man  to  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth."  Be 
thankful,  therefore,  my  dear  child,  that  you  are 
under  the  wise  and  gentle  restraints  of  a  Chris- 
tian education. 

The  Malays  live  in  houses  made  of  the  leaves 
of  the  nepa  palm,  and  perched  on  poles,  to  take 
them  off  the  ground — or  the  water,  for  they  are 
very  fond  of  building  where  the  tide  will  run 
under  the  house.  This  is  one  of  their  lazy 
habits;  for  the  flooring  of  their  rooms  is  made 
of  an  open  lattice  of  laths,  laid  across  beams 
through  which  they  can  sweep  all  the  dirt  of  the 
house,  and  the  tide,  washing  up,  carries  it  away. 
Some  of  the  rich  men's  houses,  however,  are 
better  than  these,  since  the  Rajah  has  taught 
them  to  build  with  planked  walls,  to  use  sub- 
stantial posts  instead  of  riibong  palm  stems,  and 


HABITS   OF   THE   MALAYS.  33 

shingles  of  balean,  or  iron-wood,  which  look 
something  like  English  slates,  instead  of  leaf- 
roofs.  But,  inside,  most  of  the  houses  are  very 
comfortable.  You  must  not  fancy  that  a  house 
in  this  country  is  wretched,  because  it  is  made  of 
leaves.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  cool  and  pleasant ; 
we  want  no  shelter  here,  except  from  rain  and 
sun,  and  nepa  attaps  keep  both  these  out.  The 
Malays  use  no  heavy  furniture:  tables,  chairs, 
bookcases,  or  bedsteads,  are  unknown  wants  to 
them.  Nice  white  mats,  spread  on  the  floor — 
piles  of  cushions  to  sit  and  lie  on — a  few  shelves 
perhaps — and  a  great  calico  mosquito  curtain, 
with  very  gay  trimmings  round  the  top,  to  sleep 
under — are  the  extent  of  their  wants.  They 
have  boxes  to  keep  their  clothes  and  treasures  in 
— wooden  and  brass  trays,  with  lids  gaily  painted, 
to  carry  food — pieces  of  bamboo  to  carry  water. 
The  bamboo  is  a  large  hollow  cane,  with  a  di- 
vision at  every  joint;  so  that  it  has  only  to  be 
cut  into  lengths,  to  make  all  sorts  of  useful 
things. 

Kound  their  houses,  the  Malays  plant  a  few 
cocoa-nut  trees,  and  Pinang  or  Betel  nuts.  The 
Cocoa-nut  gives  them  oil  and  milk.  If  they  want 
milk  from  it,  they  grate  the  nut  and  mix  it  up 

D 


34  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

with  water,  until  the  water  has  a  white  milky 
appearance ;  if  oil,  they  boil  this  milk  until  the 
oil  rises  to  the  top,  when  they  skim  it  off.  This 
oil  they  burn  for  light,  and  fry  their  fish  and 
cakes  in  it :  they  also  steep  sweet-scented  flowers 
in  it,  to  anoint  their  hair  and  their  skins.  Before 
the  nut  is  ripe,  and  the  kernel  formed,  it  is 
full  of  a  sparkling  and  most  refreshing  water, 
which  all  people,  whether  Malays  or  English, 
enjoy,  as  a  cooling  draught,  on  a  hot  day.  The 
Betel  Nut,  which  is  a  very  tall  and  graceful 
palm,  has  a  great  bunch  of  yellow-husked  nuts 
under  its  crown  of  leaves.  The  natives  chew 
these  nuts  with  lime,  tobacco,  and  a  hot  aromatic 
leaf,  called  Sirih,  which  mixture  turns  their 
mouths  of  a  bright  red  colour,  like  blood.  It 
has  a  strong  smell,  but,  I  believe,  a  very  sooth- 
ing effect ;  and  it  is  the  occupation  of  all  their 
leisure  time,  and  the  amusement  of  all  their 
social  parties,  to  chew  it.  But  it  is  a  nasty 
habit ;  for  a  Malay,  chewing  Sirih,  is  constantly 
squirting  red  juice  out  of  his  mouth,  and  his 
upper  lip  is  pushed  out  of  shape  by  a  lump  of 
tobacco — all  which,  added  to  a  curious  custom 
they  have,  of  filing  their  teeth  very  short,  and 
staining  them  black,  makes  his  mouth  as  dis- 


MALAY   FISHERMEN.  35 

agreeable  a  feature  as  it  can  well  be.  They  like 
smoking  tobacco,  too,  rolling  it  up  in  a  strip  of 
palm  leaf;  but  they  never  drink  wine,  beer,  or 
spirits.  They  are  very  moderate  and  simple  in 
their  food,  living  on  rice,  fish,  vegetables,  and 
fruits.  Wild  leaves  out  of  the  jungle  furnish 
them  with  acid,  or  bitter  salads,  which  they  like : 
but  the  flesh  of  deer,  goats,  or  chickens,  is  only 
an  occasional  delicacy.  Pigs,  ducks,  and  all 
creatures  which  the  Jews  were  taught  to  con- 
sider unclean,  are  their  abhorrence :  if  they  wish 
to  taunt  another,  they  say,  "  He  eats  pork ;"  and 
to  be  called  a  pig  is  a  great  insult  to  them. 

As  the  Malays  live  so  much  on  fish,  you  may 
be  sure  they  are  clever  fishermen.  In  the  river 
they  use  a  casting-net  for  this  purpose.  I  have 
often  watched  them  engaged  in  this  graceful 
exercise.  One  man  paddles  the  boat,  while 
another  stands  at  the  prow,  with  the  large  fine 
net  gathered  in  his  hands.  When  he  comes  to  a 
likely  place  in  the  river  he  poises  himself  so  as 
to  keep  a  firm  footing,  and  throws  the  net,  which 
falls  in  a  wide  circle  on  the  water,  and  entangles 
everything  within  its  space.  Then  he  immediately 
begins  to  draw  it  in  again,  picking  out  the  fish, 
or  prawns,  as  he  meets  with  them.  Out  at  the 

D  2 


36  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

mouth  of  the  river  the  Malays  erect  fishing- 
stakes,  which  they  visit  at  every  low  tide,  to  take 
the  fish  caught  in  the  net  of  rattan,  which  is 
spread  between  them.  But,  about  twice  in  the 
year,  there  is  a  kind  of  fishing  festival,  which 
the  Malays  enjoy  beyond  everything,  and  in 
which  the  English  do  not  hesitate  to  partake: 
this  is  called  a  tuba  fishing. 

Tuba  is  the  root  of  a  climbing  plant,  which 
has  a  narcotic,  stupifying  property.  The  Malays 
collect  a  quantity  of  this  root,  and  take  it  in 
their  boats  to  the  mouth  of  some  river,  two  or 
three  days  before  full  moon,  when  there  is  a 
spring  tide,  that  is  to  say,  when  there  is  the 
lowest  and  highest  tide  in  the  month.  While 
the  tide  is  ebbing,  they  are  very  busy  mashing 
the  tuba  root  in  water,  at  the  bottom  of  their 
boats.  It  makes  a  milky-looking  fluid,  which, 
just  before  the  tide  turns,  they  throw  into  the 
river.  The  flowing  tide,  bringing  up  the  fish 
from  the  sea  into  the  river,  meets  this  strong 

'  O 

dose  of  opiate,  and  the  little  fishes  immediately 
float,  stupified,  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
Gradually  the  tuba  sends  the  larger  fish  also  into 
a  trance;  and,  as  soon  as  they  float,  the  Malays 
dart  upon  them  with  long  spears,  transfix  them; 


MALAY   CLOTHING.  37 

and  throw  them  into  their  boats.  This  causes  a 
most  animated  scene.  The  fish,  feeling  the 
wound  of  the  spear,  half  wakes  out  of  its 
lethargy,  and  plunges  along  the  water,  sometimes 
dragging  the  man  out  of  his  boat.  Little  boys, 
as  small  as  you,  Charley,  are  active  in  this  sport ; 
and  Papa  saw  a  child  run  his  spear  at  so  large 
a  fish,  that  he  could  not  draw  it  into  his  boat ; 
but,  after  a  grand  battle,  he  jumped  into  the 
water,  fairly  clasped  the  big  fish  in  his  arms,  and 
carried  it  off.  A  Malay  will  often  catch  from 
thirty  to  fifty  good-sized  fishes,  besides  smaller 
ones  of  all  sorts,  as  one  boat's  prize;  and,  as 
there  may  be  seventy  boats  at  one  fishing,  you 
may  imagine  the  number  caught.  The  little 
ones  are  brought  up  in  baskets  full,  and  not 
counted.  Then  ensues  a  grand  salting  and  dry- 
ing of  fish  in  the  sun.  Their  dose  of  tuba  does 
not  make  them  in  the  least  unwholesome  as 
food. 

The  clothes  worn  by  the  Malay  men  and  women 
are  very  graceful,  and  suitable  to  the  climate. 
The  men  use  a  handkerchief  of  some  dark  colour, 
edged  with  gold  lace  or  fringe,  twisted  into  a  tur- 
ban, round  their  heads — loose  trousers,  of  striped 
cotton  or  silk,  according  to  the  wealth  of  the 


38  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

wearer — a  white  calico  or  silk  jacket — and  a  sa- 
rong or  long  scarf,  sewn  together  at  the  ends, 
which  the  Malay  women  weave  in  pretty  checks 
or  tartans,  gathered  in  graceful  folds  round  the 
waist — and,  sticking  up  from  this  last,  is  the  cm, 
without  which  no  Malay  gentleman  would  con- 
sider himself  dressed,  though  the  poorer  sort 
sometimes  wear  a  parang  or  long  knife,  for  cut- 
ting jungle,  in  its  stead.  They  use  neither  shoes 
nor  stockings,  nor  feel  the  want  of  them  in  this 
warm  climate;  for  the  soles  of  their  feet  get  as 
thick  as  the  soles  of  our  shoes,  from  continually 
walking  on  them.  I  have  often  envied  them  the 
ease,  with  which  they  go  with  bare  feet  over 
slippery  places,  holding  on  with  their  toes,  which 
are  like  another  set  of  fingers  to  them.  Never- 
theless, I  must  confess,  that  the  exposure  of  the 
feet  to  rough  walking  sometimes  gives  them  sad 
cracks  in  the  thick-skinned  sole  and  heel,  which 
are  very  tedious  to  cure,  and  painful,  too,  to  bear. 
So,  after  all,  our  civilised  ways  are  best. 

The  Malay  women  often  wear  very  gay  dresses 
of  purple  satin,  and  bright  silk  sarongs  inter- 
woven with  gold  thread.  Their  jackets  are 
almost  covered  in  front  with  gold  ornaments,  and 
the  sleeves  with  gold  buttons,  made  like  flowers. 


APPEARANCE    OF   THE   MALAYS.  39 

As  for  the  children,  until  they  are  five  or  six 
years  of  age,  they  only  wear  clothes  on  great  oc- 
casions, unless  a  string  of  silver  coins,  or  silver 
anklets,  can  be  called  clothes,  However,  a  little 
girl  is  quite  dressed  enough,  if  she  has  a  sarong 
fastened  round  her  waist ;  and  a  boy,  if  he  wears 
cotton  trousers.  This  light  clothing,  so  suitable 
to  the  climate,  saves  them  a  great  deal  of  trouble. 
They  constantly  jump  into  the  water,  and  have  a 
swim  or  game  of  fun,  without  fear  of  spoiling 
what  they  wear.  Men,  women,  and  children,  are 
all  great  bathers;  some  of  their  prayers  are  re- 
peated, as  they  stand  in  the  river,  washing  their 
faces,  noses,  teeth,  &c. :  for  by  this  means  Maho- 
met, their  Lawgiver  and  Prophet,  ensured  the 
cleanliness  of  his  disciples,  which  is  even  more 
necessary  in  a  warm  country  than  in  England. 

In  appearance,  the  Malays  are  not  much  fa- 
voured by  nature.  I  remember  thinking  them 
very  ugly  when  I  first  arrived  at  Sarawak ;  and 
that  the  Orang-Utans,  of  whom  they  are  so  fond, 
must  be  first  cousins  of  theirs,  from  their  resem- 
blance. However,  I  wronged  the  Malays;  for 
they  have  nearly  all  well-shaped  heads,  and  wide 
foreheads,  which  no  kind  of  monkey  can  possess. 
They  have  also  a  gentle  and  intelligent  expres- 


40  LETTERS   FROM  SARAWAK. 

sion ;  their  noses  are  rather  flat  and  too  small, 
and  the  lower  jaw  advances,  which  gives  them 
somewhat  of  the  Orang-Utan  look.  Their  figures 
are  slight,  but  they  walk  well,  and  the  higher 
classes  are  graceful  and  dignified  in  their  move- 
ments :  indeed,  the  manners  of  all  are  free  from 
rudeness,  and  even  the  poorest  boatmen  or  fisher- 
men are  as  light-hearted  and  merry  as  children. 
They  enjoy  a  joke,  and,  being  all  in  easy  circum- 
stances, with  all  the  necessaries  and  some  of  the 
luxuries  of  life,  and  no  hard  toil  either  for  their 
heads  or  their  hands,  I  think  we  may  consider 
them  a  happy  people.  In  my  next,  I  will  tell 
you  about  their  religion. 


LETTER  V. 

THE    RELIGION   OF   THE   MALAYS. 

May,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

The  Malays  are  by  religion  Mahometans. 
A  Mahometan  believes  in  the  one  True  and  Great 
GOD  ;  but  he  thinks  that  our  Saviour  JESUS  CHRIST 
was  only  a  Prophet,  like  Daniel  or  Isaiah,  and 
that  Mahomet  was  the  last  and  greatest  of  all 
Prophets,  who  wrote  a  book,  called  the  Koran, 
which  they  read  and  believe,  as  we  do  the  Bible. 
Mahomet  gave  them  a  great  many  laws  in  the 
Koran,  some  good,  some  bad — amongst  others, 
the  directions  about  food,  drink,  and  bathing, 
which  I  mentioned  in  a  former  letter :  these  were 
certainly  good  on  the  whole,  for  strong  drinks, 
and  indulgence  in  eating,  are  very  unhealthy,  es- 
pecially in  a  warm  climate,  such  as  Arabia,  where 
Mahomet  lived,  or  Sarawak,  where  we  live.  The 
Malays  have  a  house  of  prayer,  or  Mosque,  at 
Sarawak,  and  the  Klings,  who  are  Mahometans 
of  another  sect,  have  one  also.  They  are  much 


42  LETTERS  FROM  SARAWAK. 

more  attentive  to  their  religion,  since  we  came 
here,  than  they  used  to  be  before.  Some  years 
ago,  the  Mosque  had  almost  fallen  to  decay,  and 
the  people  were  not  at  all  disposed  to  give  money 
to  build  it  up  again ;  but  now  the  Mosque  is  quite 
a  good-looking  building,  and  they  have  lately 
surmounted  it  with  a  great  brass  ball,  which 
glitters  in  the  sun,  and  draws  all  eyes  to  it.  Since 
our  church-bell  has  called  the  few  Christians  in 
the  place  twice  every  day  to  public  worship,  the 
Hadjis,  or  Priests,  have  insisted  on  their  people 
also  attending  daily  service  in  the  Mosque,  and 
fined  them  in  rice  and  fowls,  if  they  failed  in  the 
due  observance  of  their  stated  hours  of  prayer; 
and  now  you  hear,  before  and  after  sunrise,  and 
before  and  after  sunset,  a  man  calling  from  the 
top  of  the  Mosque,  in  Arabic — '  It  is  the  hour  of 
prayer :  there  is  but  one  God,  and  Mahomet  is 
His  Prophet.'  This  is  their  confession  of  faith,  as 
the  Apostles'  Creed  is  ours. 

At  sunset,  you  may  see  the  Malays,  who  hap- 
pen to  be  on  the  river  at  the  time,  praying  in  their 
boats,  kneeling  down  on  their  praying-mats,  pros- 
trating their  foreheads,  and  rising  again  several 
times,  their  faces  turned  towards  Mecca,  where 
is  the  sacred  tomb  of  their  prophet.  Meanwhile, 


RELIGION   OF   THE   MALAYS.  43 

rhey  repeat  Arabic  prayers,  which  by  the  bye, 
they  do  not  understand,  nor  the  Koran  either, 
except  such  parts  as  the  Hadjis  have  learnt  to  ex- 
plain to  them ;  for  it  was  one  of  Mahomet's  laws, 
that  the  Koran,  being  written  in  the  purest  Ara- 
bic, could  not  be  translated  into  other  languages, 
without  being  spoilt.  What  a  contrast  to  our 
Holy  Scriptures,  which  are,  perhaps,  the  only 
Book  in  the  world,  which  is  beautiful  in  all  lan- 
guages, and  applicable  to  every  nation  of  man- 
kind, as  we  might  expect  God's  message  to  be ! 
Mahomet  taught  his  religion  first  to  his  own  peo- 
ple, the  Arabians ;  but  he  told  them  not  to  keep 
it  to  themselves,  but  to  become  missionaries  all 
over  the  earth.  So,  after  his  death,  as  they  were 
a  very  strong  and  warlike  people,  they  over-ran 
all  the  neighbouring  countries,  and  obliged  their 
inhabitants,  whom  they  overcame  in  battle,  to 
embrace  their  religion,  at  the  edge  of  their  sharp 
swords.  Their  prisoners  only  escaped  with  their 
lives,  by  becoming  converts  to  their  faith — 'There 
is  one  God,  and  Mahomet  is  His  Prophet.' 

Any  man,  who  has  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Mecca, 
a  city  in  Arabia  where  Mahomet  lived,  and  has 
there  learnt  certain  forms  of  prayer  and  passages 
of  the  Koran,  becomes  a  Priest,  or  Hadji,  and  so 


44  LETTEKS   FKOM   SARAWAK. 

the  teachers  are  often  nearly  as  ignorant  as  the 
scholars.  This  pilgrimage  to  Mecca  is  another 
of  Mahomet's  laws,  which  he  intended  to  be  uni- 
versal ;  but  it  is  easy  to  see,  that,  when  countries 
far  from  Arabia  embraced  his  faith,  the  in- 
habitants could  not  all  make  such  a  distant  and 
fatiguing  journey :  the  poor  would  want  money, 
the  sickly  strength,  to  perform  it,  and  the  occupa- 
tions of  many  would  prevent  so  long  an  absence. 
Thus  when  men  make  laws  in  religious  matters, 
they  are  sure  to  become  hard  and  painful 
penances;  but  God's  'yoke  is  easy  and  His  burden 
light.'  Mecca  was,  even  before  Mahomet's  time, 
considered  a  'holy  place,  and  had  a  Caaba,  or 
temple,  in  it,  which  was  said  to  have  been  built 
by  Abraham  and  his  son  Ishmael.  There  is  a 
black  stone  in  this  temple,  on  which  they  pretend 
to  show  the  print  of  Abraham's  foot,  and  here  too, 
they  say,  Abraham  offered  his  son  as  a  sacrifice, 
in  obedience  to  God's  command :  only  they  think 
that  Ishmael,  not  Isaac,  was  the  beloved  son 
offered.  This  tradition  arises  from  their  being 
descendants  of  Ishmael,  and  therefore  wishing 
to  do  him  honour.  It  is  astonishing  how  many  poor 
Mahometans  manage  to  make  the  pilgrimage  to 
Mecca.  They  endure  the  greatest  hardships 


RELIGIOUS   FASTING.  45 

from  heat  and  starvation,  in  little  wretched  ves- 
sels, to  reach  this  blessed  place.  Many  of  them 
die  of  want  or  disease :  but  those,  who  live  to  re- 
turn to  their  own  land,  are  treated  with  respect, 
and  constitute,  as  I  said  before,  the  schoolmasters 
of  the  children,  and  teachers  of  their  religion. 
They  marry,  bury,  and  circumcise,  as  our  clergy- 
men marry,  bury,  and  baptize.  They  conduct 
the  prayer-meetings,  and  preside  at  the  great 
feast,  which  takes  place  once  a  year,  when  the 
month  of  fasting  is  over.  This  holy  month  of 
fasting  and  prayer  is  one  of  the  most  important 
rites  of  the  Mahometan  religion,  and  very  strictly 
observed :  no  person,  arrived  at  man's  estate,  is 
allowed  to  taste  food  or  drink,  while  the  sun  is 
above  the  horizon. 

At  Sarawak,  the  sun  rises  at  six  o'clock  and 
sets  at  six  o'clock,  with  only  a  few  minutes'  va- 
riation throughout  the  year.  We  have  no  long 
and  short  days,  no  hours  of  twilight,  as  you  have 
in  England ;  because  we  live  just  at  the  middle, 
or  broadest  part  of  the  earth,  which  always  shows 
the  same  face  to  the  sun.  (You  will  understand, 
one  day,  what  is  meant  by  living  near  the  Equa- 
tor. )  For  these  twelve  hours,  from  six  to  six, 
our  Malays  eat  nothing,  nor  drink  even  water, 


46  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

nor  chew  their  favourite  Betel-nut  and  Sirih,  nor 
smoke.  How  they  watch  for  the  sunset,  you 
may  fancy !  Last  summer,  Papa,  some  friends, 
and  I,  went  an  excursion  up  the  river  during 
the  fasting  month.  We  had  two  boats,  one 
pulled  by  nine  boys,  the  other  by  seven  men. 
The  boys  did  not  fast,  but  ate  fruit,  and  drank, 
when  they  were  thirsty ;  but  the  crew  of  men 
tasted  nothing,  and,  by  the  time  we  reached  the 
Battu  Tikus  (rat  stones)  by  the  river's  side,  where 
we  staid  the  night,  these  poor  fellows  were  quite 
exhausted.  They  began  to  get  their  food  ready 
long  before  they  might  eat  it ;  and,  when  the  pots 
of  rice  were  cooked,  and  the  fish,  and  little 
messes  they  ate  with  it,  all  prepared,  they  sat  on 
their  heels  round  the  feast,  watching  the  sun.  I 
was  also  sitting  with  my  watch  in  my  hand, 
ready  to  call  out  when  it  told  six ;  and  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  see  them  eat  their  meal,  having,  as 
they  thought,  fulfilled  the  day's  painful  duty. 
They  rose  again  before  the  sun,  to  eat  another 
slight  meal,  and  so  get  through  the  next  day. 
But  you  may  always  see  that  the  men  get  thin- 
ner and  paler,  even  through  their  dark  skins,  at 
the  end  of  the  fasting  month ;  and  Papa  says  that 
at  that  time  many. come  to  him  for  physic,  whose 


MALAY   PRAYER   MEETING.  47 

ailments  are  entirely  owing  to  their  rigorous  fast- 
ing. Besides  fasting,  during  this  month,  they 
have  frequent  prayer-meetings  at  night.  The 
men  all  stand  round  the  room  or  rnosque,  where- 
in the  meeting  takes  place ;  the  Hadji  stands  in 
the  middle.  Then  he  begins  to  say  slowly,  in 
Arabic,  the  name  of  God— "Allah-il- Allah."  The 
men  all  repeat  with  himr  but  they  gradually  say 
it  faster  and  faster,  till,  at  last,  the  words  are  not 
audible,  only  a  kind  of  jerk  in  their  voice :  they 
never  stop,  until  quite  exhausted,  and  some  even 
fall  on  the  floor  insensible  from  fatigue.  What 
senseless  prayer  is  this !  It  reminds  one  of  the 
priests  of  Baal,  in  Elijah's  time,  who  called  upon 
the  name  of  their  God,  from  morning  until  even- 
ing ;  and  in  their  excitement  cut  themselves  with 
knives,  so  that  the  blood  gushed  out  upon  them : 
"but  none  answered"  nor  can  we  think  that  such 
prayers  are  pleasing  to  God,  who  looks  at  our 
hearts. 

There  is  one  more  peculiarity  in  the  Mahome- 
tan religion,  which  I  must  mention,  because  it 
influences  their  character  very  much.  They  be- 
lieve that  every  thing  that  happens  to  them, 
sickness  or  sorrow,  good  or  bad  fortune,  was 
decreed  before  the  world  was  made,  and  t  at 


48  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

nothing  that  they  can    do  will  change  it.     This 
makes  them  consider  all  exertion,  or  painstaking, 
useless ;  and  their  whole  religion   only  a  submis- 
sion to  God's  unbending  will.     The  other  day, 
one  of  the  Datu's  children  was  taken  ill  in  the 
night,  and  in  a  few  hours  it  died.     The  Datu 
was  very  grieved ;   but  when  he  was  asked,  why 
he  did  not  take  the  child  to  the  doctor,  or  try 
any  remedies  for  it,  he  said,  "What  was  the  use? 
no  doubt  God  had  called  the  child,  and  he  must 
go."    It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  God  orders  all  that 
happens  to  us,  of  joy  and  grief.    But  He  does  so, 
to  make  us  act  for  ourselves,  that  by  our  exer- 
tions, our  prayers,  our  faith  in  Him,  we  may 
turn  our  sorrows  to  blessings,  and  wake  our  slow 
hearts  from  the  sleep  of  selfishness  to  the  ac- 
tivity of  love.      The  Mahometans  repeat  prayers 
five  times  in  a  day.     One  of  these  prayers  is 
called  the  "prayer  of  Jesus,"  but  it  is  not  what  we 
call  the  Lord's  Prayer.     They  say  that  Christ  is 
to  come  again  at  the  end  of  the  world,  and  judge 
all  men,  and  that,  after  the  judgment,  all  man- 
kind will  believe  the  true  religion,    or   Islam. 
Here  we  see  a  glimmering  of  truth ;  for  we  are 
told  in  the  Bible,  that  the  time  will  come,  when 


RELIGIOUS   FASTING.  49 

'the  Earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea'. 

Before  I  close  this  letter,  I  must  tell  you  how 
the  Mahometans  may  become  examples  to  us. 
I  think  we  must  admire — 1st,  their  constant  re- 
collection of  God  in  frequent  prayer; — 2nd,  their 
self  denial  in  the  Fasting  Month; — 3rd,  their 
charity,  for  they  consider  it  a  great  duty  to  give 
alms  to  the  poor.  Mahometans  have  often  had 
cause  to  say  of  Christians  living  amongst  them. 
'  These  men  neither  pray  nor  fast ;  such  duties 
are  evidently  no  part  of  their  religion.'  I  trust 
this  will  never  be  said  at  Sarawak.  "We  have 
now  a  beautiful  Church,  and  the  bell  calls  us 
there,  to  worship  God,  at  six  o'clock  every  morn- 
ing, and  at  five  every  evening.  Neither  is  there 
anything,  in  this  quiet  happy  place,  to  prevent 
us  from  thus  living  in  God's  presence ;  for  we  are 
out  of  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  the  world,  and 
can  so  apportion  our  time,  as  not  to  be  overbur- 
dened by  the  cares,  or  the  pleasures,  of  this  life. 
When  you  are  older,  you  will  like  to  read  the  life 
of  Mahomet,  and  the  history  of  his  followers, 
who  were  great  warriors,  and  some  of  them  great 
and  noble  men. 

E 


LETTER  VI. 

THE   PRODUCTIONS   OF   BORNEO. 

July,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

Borneo  is  a  country  rich  in  some  of  the 
most  valuable  productions  of  nature.  In  the 
hills  there  are  mines  of  iron,  tin,  and  antimony- 
ore,  a  valuable  and  scarce  mineral,  used  chiefly 
in  the  manufacture  of  type  for  printing.  There 
are,  no  doubt,  stores  of  gold,  too,  in  the  hills; 
for  the  mountain-streams  wash  down  gold-dust, 
and  small  fragments  of  the  pure  metal,  into  the 
plains,  where  the  Chinese  collect  it,  by  washing 
the  soil  in  little  ditches,  which  carry  off  the 
lighter  earth,  and  leave  the  gold  at  the  bottom 
of  the  ditch. 

Diamonds  are  constantly  found.  Most  Malays 
wear  diamond  rings  on  their  fingers,  and  the 
rich  men  present  their  wives  with  a  set  of  dia- 
mond studs  for  their  jackets,  or  with  earrings 
made  like  studs,  to  fasten  into  the  ear  by  a  little 
screw  nut.  A  favorite  mode  of  borrowing  money 
amongst  the  Malays,  is  to  pawn  their  wives'  gold 


TREES    OF   BORNEO.  51 

and  diamond  ornaments,  which  they  redeem 
when  the  trading  venture  proves  successful. 
They  constantly  pay  for  goods  in  gold-dust  in- 
stead of  money.  The  mode  some  Dyaks  adopt 
of  measuring  an  amas  of  dust,  value  one  dollar, 
is  by  stuffing  one  nostril  with  it,  which  they 
then  dexterously  blow  out  again;  their  wide 
open  nostrils  make  this  an  easier  operation  than 
we  should  find  it. 

Besides  these  valuable  minerals  Borneo  fur- 
nishes a  peculiar  kind  of  camphor,  which  is  use- 
ful in  medicine.  It  is  found  in  the  stem  of  a 
large  forest  tree,  and  the  Chinese  are  willing  to 
pay  an  enormous  price  for  it.  The  rattan,  which 
makes  the  bottoms  of  chairs  and  sofas,  is  a 
climbing  palm,  growing  in  Bornean  forests,  and 
sent  by  ship-loads  to  Europe.  But  the  king  of 
the  jungle  is  the  tapang  tree:  its  magnificent 
stem  is  often  more  than  150  feet  high,  before  it 
branches;  and  the  natural  buttresses,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  stem,  are  thick  enough  to  furnish 
planks  of  sufficient  size  to  make  a  billiard  table. 

Mr.  C has  a  table,  made  out  of  one  of  these 

planks,  which  will  dine  fourteen  people  comfort- 
ably. The  wood  is  like  dark  old  oak,  and  takes 
a  high  polish. 


52  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

The  Dyaks,  however,  do  not  often  fell  the 
tapang  trees ;  for  on  their  summits  the  wild  bees 
build  their  nests :  from  whence  they  can  overlook 
the  fields  of  flowers,  which  the  lower  trees  of 
the  jungle  spread  before  them  continually,  and 
which  help  them  to  make,  I  think,  the  finest  fla- 
voured honey  in  the  world,  and  this  honey,  and 
the  bees-wax,  are  great  articles  of  commerce.  The 
Dyaks  mount  these  enormous  tapang  trees,  and 
rob  the  nests  of  honey  and  wax — quite  regard- 
less of  the  stings  they  get  in  the  operation. 
Indeed,  it  is  considered  a  good  exercise  for  the 
courage  and  endurance  of  the  Dyak  boys,  who 
are  as  proud  as  little  Spartans  of  bearing  the 
pain  without  complaint.  Before  they  ascend  the 
tree  they  make  a  blazing  fire  underneath ;  for, 
say  they,  "  the  bee  is  fond  of  gold,  and,  when  he 
espies  the  flames  and  sparks,  he  thinks  a  hoard 
of  treasure  is  beneath  the  tree,  and  leaves  his 
nest  to  fetch  it."  Doubtless,  the  wood  smoke 
drives  the  bees  out  of  their  nest. 

Large  quantities  of  bees-wax  are  exported 
from  Borneo  every  year,  passing  from  the  hands 
of  the  Dyaks  to  the  Malays,  who  give  them  in 
exchange  salt,  or  brass  rings,  gongs,  etc.  The 
Sago  Palm,  which  grows  luxuriantly  in  the 


GUTTA   PERCHA.  53 

forests,  furnishes  us  with  wholesome  food.  Sago 
is  the  pith  of  this  tree,  taken  out  before  it 
flowers  and  fruits;  for  the  flower  exhausts  the 
nourishing  pith,  and1  the  tree  decays  when  the 
fruit  is  ripe.  Having  cut  out  the  pith,  and 
washed  it,  the  natives  pack  it  up  in  little  pottle- 
shaped  parcels,  and  bury  them  in  the  mud  by 
the  sides  of  the  rivers.  Here  it  undergoes  a 
process  of  fermentation,  which  would  make  most 
people,  who  smelt  it,  fancy  it  was  no  longer  fit 
for  use.  Not  so,  however.  After  a  time  the 
packets  of  sago  are  sent  to  Singapore,  where 
they  are  thrown  into  troughs  of  water,  and 
washed  over  and  over  again,  until  the  seemingly 
rotten  mass  becomes  a  pure  powder,  which  is 
then  forced  through  sieves,  and  falls  into  the 
little  round  grains,  which  are  called  Pearl  Sago, 
and  which  often  make  you  a  nice  pudding.  Some 
Dyak  tribes,  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  live 
on  cakes  made  of  sago,  in  preference  to  rice. 

Gutta  Percha,  which  is  useful  in  making 
waterproof  pipes,  surgical  splints,  picture  frames, 
and  all  sorts  of  ornamental  furniture,  is  the  gum 
of  a  fine  forest  tree  in  Borneo.  The  tree  is 
obliged  to  be  cut  down,  to  get  at  the  Gutta, 
which  is  inside.  When  the  hill  was  cleared,  on 


54  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

which  our  church  now  stands,  one  of  these  beau- 
tiful trees  was  left  for  a  time;  it  took  five  people, 
with  their  arras  spread  out,  to  encircle  its  trunk ; 
and  I  hoped  we  might  make  a  seat  around  it, 
whence  we  could  watch  the  carpenters  building. 
One  evening,  after  Papa  and  I  had  been  walking 
round  our  favourite  tree,  and  considering  whether 
it  would  endanger  the  people  working  at  the 
church,  a  fearful  storm  of  lightning  came  on, 
and,  as  we  stood  admiring  the  bright  flashes,  we 
saw  one  strike  the  Gutta  Percha  tree,  making  a 
cleft  in  it  all  down  the  stem.  After  this,  we 
dared  not  leave  it  standing  so  near  the  church, 
lest  another  storm  should  bring  it  down  on  the 
building;  so  we  had  it  felled.  Its  downfall  dis- 
turbed a  number  of  curious  bats,  with  little 
trunks  like  elephants,  who  lived  in  a  hollow  part 
of  it.  It  was  well  we  cut  it  down,  for  the  inside 
was  much  decayed,  and  it  could  not  have  stood 
long. 

Tortoise  Shell  is  another  article  of  commerce, 
which  Europeans  value,  and  which  is  found  on 
our  coasts.  But,  besides  these  things,  there 
are  some  treasures  in  Borneo,  which  are  only 
esteemed  by  the  Chinese,  but  which  are  no  less 
articles  of  commerce  for  our  Malays.  Such  is 


EDIBLE   NESTS.  55 

the  edible  swaUoufa  nest,  which  the  Chinese  buy 
for  its  weight  in  silver  or  twenty  dollars  a  catty 
(pound  and  a  quarter).  These  little  birds  build 
in  large  communities  in  the  interior  of  caves. 
Their  nests  are  fastened  against  the  walls  of  the 
caves,  and  are  collected  by  the  Dyaks  twice  a 
year.  They  are  like  woven  isinglass;  some  al- 
most as  clear  and  transparent  looking,  which  are 
then  termed  white  nests — others  more  dirty  and 
mixed  with  tiny  feathers,  which  are  less  valuable 
and  called  black  nests.  You  remember,  Charley, 
my  sending  you  one  of  these  delicate  little  nests, 
in  a  letter;  but  I  fear  it  did  not  reach  you  in 
good  preservation.  The  Chinese  make  them  into 
soup,  which  they  imagine  to  be  more  strengthen- 
ing than  any  other  food :  but,  as  it  has  no  fla- 
vour, it  is  not  especially  prized  by  the  English. 

There  is  also  a  certain  sea-slug,  called  trepang 
which  the  natives  collect,  and  sell  to  the  Chinese 
for  soups.  And  another  favourite  article  of  com- 
merce is  blacham,  a  condiment,  which  both  Chi- 
nese and  Indians  esteem  as  a  flavouring  for  their 
meals  of  rice,  and  which  consists  of  shrimps  and 
small  fish,  dried  in  the  sun,  and  mashed  in  a 
mortar  to  a  paste.  It  tastes  like  the  strong 
caviare,  which  the  Greeks  are  so  fond  of.  Our 


56  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

Malays  buy  all  these  precious  things,  and  many 
others,  which  I  cannot  remember,  of  the  country 
people,  or  Dyaks.  They  then  freight  their  ves- 
sels, and  carry  them  to  Singapore,  or  Java,  or 
Bruni,  and  bring  back,  in  exchange,  china,  glass, 
brass  vessels,  gongs,  and  musical  instruments,  for 
which  the  Javanese  are  famous. 

Indeed,  the  Malays  have  quite  a  genius  for 
trading.  Two  or  three  Nakodas,  as  the  mer- 
chants are  called,  join  together  to  build  a  large 
boat.  When  finished,  a  great  many  of  their 
friends  volunteer  to  accompany  them,  in  a  tra- 
ding voyage;  each  man  brings  some  goods,  or 
gold  dust,  which  he  wants  to  barter  or  sell,  until 
a  sufficient  cargo  is  collected.  For  the  privilege 
of  trading  in  her,  the  men  give  their  services  as 
sailors,  and  bring  their  provisions  for  the  voyage ; 
so  that  the  owners  have  no  expenses  of  manning 
or  victualling  their  ship.  Every  Malay  knows 
something  of  the  sea,  and  the  simple  manage- 
ment of  their  mat  sails.  They  seldom  venture 
far  out  of  sight  of  land.  The  seas  are  dotted 
with  islands ;  and  these,  and  the  stars,  serve  as 
guides  for  their  voyage. 

The  first  year  we  lived  at  Sarawak,  two  Xako- 
das  built  a  larger  vessel,  than  had  yet  been  at- 


THE  S'REE  SARAWAK.  57 

tempted  by  native  workmen.  She  was  called  the 
*  Beauty  of  Sarawak,'  (S'ree  Sarawak,)  and  Papa 
often  paid  her  a  visit,  while  building — giving  the 
Malays  the  benefit  of  his  advice  and  criticism. 
When  she  was  finished,  the  Nakodas  made  a 
feast,  and  invited  the  English  of  Sarawak  on 
board,  where  they  were  entertained  with  cakes 
and  sweetmeats ;  as  I  did  not  go,  they  sent  me  a 
tray  of  sweetmeats  afterwards.  Papa  made 
Nakoda  Mahomet,  and  Nakoda  Sie  a  present  of  a 
telescope ;  and  I  copied  them  a  map  of  the  coast 
of  Java,  whither  they  directed  their  first  voyage. 
We  were  much  interested  in  the  success  of  this 
vessel,  which  has  since  made  the  fortunes  of  these 
two  merchants.  But  there  are  now  many  others, 
even  better  built  and  larger, — (the  S'ree  was  about 
150  tons  burthen,) — for  Sarawak  is  becoming  a 
thriving  place.  Last  year  the  value  of  its  exports 
amounted  to  150,125  dollars;  and  vessels  from 
Singapore,  the  Natunas  Islands,  (whence  we  get 
Cocoa  Nuts  and  oil,)  the  Dutch  Settlements  of 
Sambas,  Pontianak,  Java,  Bali,  the  North-west 
coast  of  Borneo,  Labuan,  Rhio,  and  Tringanu, 
imported,  to  Sarawak,  goods  to  the  value  of 
197,166  dollars,  under  British,  Dutch,  Native 
and  Sarawakiari  flags. 


58  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

The  Sarawak  flag  is  a  red  and  purple  cross, 
out  of  Sir  James  Brooke's  armorial  shield,  on  a 
yellow  ground,  yellow  being  the  royal  colour  of 
Borneo.  It  was  given  by  the  Rajah  to  his  people, 
on  his  return  from  England,  in  1848,  and  I  re- 
member well,  what  a  grand  occasion  it  was. 
H.  M.  S.  Meander  was  at  Sarawak  at  the  time, 
and  their  band  played  'God  Save  the  Queen,'  as 
the  flag  was,  for  the  first  time,  hoisted  on  the 
flag-staff  before  the  Rajah's  house.  All  the 
English  were  assembled  there,  and  a  great  crowd 
of  natives,  Malays  and  Dyaks,  whom  the  Rajah 
addressed  in  the  Malay  language,  telling  them 
that  the  flag,  which  he  had  that  day  given  them, 
would,  he  hoped,  be  their  glory  and  protection, 
as  the  flag  of  England  had  long  been  hers.  He 
said  that,  by  the  help  of  his  native  country,  he 
would  engage  to  clear  the  seas  of  the  Archipe- 
lago of  the  pirates,  who  prevented  their  trading 
vessels  from  venturing  along  the  coasts,  and, 
when  this  was  accomplished,  he  trusted  to  see 
Sarawak  become  a  rich  and  thriving  place,  with 
all  the  blessings  of  peace,  civilisation,  and  re- 
ligion. A  great  deal  more  than  this,  and  much 
more  to  the  purpose  than  I  can  remember,  our 
Rajah  said  that  day  to  his  people;  for  his  heart 


PIRATES.  59 

was  full  of  desires  for  their  welfare,  and  hope 
and  trust  in  the  English  Government,  to  aid 
him  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  designs.  The 
Malays  listened  with  love  and  reverence  to  his 
wortls,  and,  from  my  house  across  the  river,  I 
could  hear  their  acclamations.  Since  then,  the 
Sarawak  flag  flies,  not  only  at  the  Fort  at  the 
entrance  of  the  town,  but  at  the  mast  of  many 
a  vessel,  laden  with  Bornean  treasures,  on  all  the 
coasts  of  the  Archipelago.  I  must  tell  you  in  a 
future  letter  about  the  pirates,  who,  in  1848, 
were  a  constant  terror  to  our  little  trading  ves- 
sels, and  to  those  of  all  other  native  states,  and 
how  the  Rajah  fulfilled  his  promise  to  his  people, 
of  punishing  these  sea  robbers,  and  forcing  them 
to  live  at  peace  with  their  neighbours. 

For  to  day,  good  bye. 


LETTER  VII. 

THE   DYAKS — THEIR   RELIGION. 

August  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHILD, 

You  know  as  well  as  I  do,  that  God  made 
all  men,  as  well  as  all  creatures  and  things.  We 
should  feel  sure  of  this,  even  if  the  Bible  had 
not  told  us  all  about  it ;  because  our  common 
sense  assures  us  that  nothing  can  make  itself,  so 
that,  what  men  are  not  wise  and  strong  enough 
to  make,  must  have  been  created  by  some  Person 
more  wise  and  powerful  than  any  man.  You 
know  that  "  to  create,"  means  "  to  make  some- 
thing out  of  nothing ;"  and  that  is  what  no  man 
can  do.  He  may  join  created  things  together, 
or  he  may  even  discover  some  new  substance  by 
doing  so ;  as,  for  instance,  clear  transparent  glass 
is  made  by  melting  sand,  flint,  and  the  ashes  of 
sea- weed  (potash),  in  a  hot  fire;  and  so,  too, 
paper  is  made  by  washing  old  rags  in  water :  but 
without  the  sand,  flint,  and  potash,  no  man  could 
make  glass;  and  without  the  rags,  or  something 
like  them,  paper  could  not  be  made. 

We  may  also  find  out,  that  some  things  in  the 
earth   are   made,  as  it  were,  by  other  things. 


DYAK   RELIGION.  61 

Thus,  coal  is  known  to  be  old  forests,  which 
have  been  covered  with  water  for  many  ages. 
Sand  is  the  dust  of  stone,  worn  by  the  action  of 
the  water.  The  fine  black  mould,  which  lies  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  nourishes  the  roots 
of  trees,  flowers,  and  grasses,  is  made  by  a  mix- 
ture of  all  sorts  of  dead  vegetables  and  animal 
matter,  and  the  effects  of  sun,  rain,  and  air 
upon  them.  But,  though  I  might  add  to  these 
many  other  things,  which  Nature  makes  and 
man  cannot,  there  must  always  remain  some, 
which  have  been  created,  some  time  or  other,  by 
God.  Such  are  light,  heat,  air,  water,  all  living 
creatures,  and  man. 

Savage  nations,  who  have  no  learning,  and 
never  heard  of  the  Bible,  know  this,  and  they 
call  God  "  The  Great  Spirit,"  "  The  Creator,"  or 
by  some  other  word,  which  means  that  He  made 
them,  and  all  they  see.  The  Bible  explains  this 
to  us ;  for  it  says  that,  when  God  made  man, 
"  He  breathed  into  him,  and  man  became  a 
living  soul."  The  voice  of  God's  Spirit  speaks 
of  Him,  to  the  soul  of  every  one :  so  that,  if  we 
lived  in  a  wild  country,  without  a  book  to  teach 
us,  we  should  sometimes  feel  obliged  to  look  up 
to  Heaven,  and  worship  our  Maker:  we  should 
feel  that,  as  He  made  us,  He  can  take  care  of  us, 


62  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

and  do  us  good  or  harm  as  He  wills ;  and  these 
feelings  we  call  natural  religion,  because  Nature 
without,  and  God's  voice  within,  teach  it  to  us. 

The  religion  of  the  Dyaks,  by  which  name  we 
call  the  numerous  tribes  of  people,  who  inhabit 
this  island,  and  about  whom  I  now  intend  to 
write  to  you,  is  chiefly  this.  They  know  that 
some  great  Spirit  made  them,  and  the  country 
they  live  in;  they  feel  sure  that  the  rice,  fruit, 
fish,  and  animals,  which  form  their  food,  are 
His  gifts ;  therefore  they  pray  for  His  blessing 
when  they  sow  the  seed  in  their  Paddy  fields. 
They  call  God  Tuppa,  Jeroang,  or  Dewatah, 
which  is  a  very  old  word  belonging  to  the  San- 
scrit language — a  language  so  ancient,  that  it  is 
no  longer  spoken  by  any  nation  in  the  world, 
except  that  some  learned  people  of  India  use  it 
in  arguing,  as  formerly  learned  Europeans  did 
the  Latin  language.  But  there  are  still  many 
books  to  be  found  written  in  Sanscrit,  and  from 
it  most  eastern  languages  are  derived. 

Thus  far  the  religion  of  the  Dyaks  is  right, 
and  even  farther;  for  they  have  a  firm  belief  in 
evil  spirits  (antoos),  to  whom  they  ascribe  all 
the  sickness  and  misfortune  which  happen  to 
them.  But  at  this  point  they  depart  from  the 
truth,  and  become  superstitious :  for  they  do  not 


HEAD-TAKING.  63 

know  that  God  is  stronger  than  the  devil;  so 
they  make  offerings  and  prayers  to  the  antoos,  to 
avert  their  wrath,  and  keep  them  in  good  temper. 
From  this  false,  cowardly,  fear  of  evil  spirits  or 
devils,  no  doubt  arises  the  Dyak  custom  of  head- 
taking.  If  a  man  loses  his  wife  or  child,  he 
puts  on  a  kind  of  mourning,  of  common  coarse 
clothes,  and  sets  out  to  take  as  many  human 
heads  as  he  thinks  an  equivalent  for  his  misfor- 
tune; thus  he  hopes  to  propitiate  the  evil  spirit 
of  death.  Before  he  has  sown  the  seed  in  his 
farm  he  seeks  more  heads,  which  he  brings  home, 
fastened  about  his  own  neck,  to  rejoice  over 
when  his  harvest  is  reaped.  The  evil  spirits 
they  think  are  pleased  with  blood.  When  a 
journey  or  any  enterprise  is  to  be  undertaken,  a 
fowl  is  killed,  and  all  those  to  be  engaged  in  it 
are  touched  with  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice.  At 
a  feast,  the  white  fowl's  blood  is  sprinkled  on  the 
posts  of  the  house,  reminding  one  of  the  houses 
of  the  Israelites,  which  the  avenging  angel  passed 
over,  when  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the 
Paschal  Lamb. 

When  the  Dyaks  build  a  new  house,  the  first 
post  to  support  it  is  driven  through  the  body  of 
a  live  fowl,  and  they  say  that,  some  generations 
back,  a  young  girl  was  thus  horribly  empaled 


64  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

instead  of  a  chicken,  to  insure  the  prosperity  of 
the  new  house  and  its  inmates.  As  I  said  before, 
the  custom  of  head-taking  was,  no  doubt,  derived 
from  the  notion  of  propitiating  the  evil  spirits 
by  blood.  But  now  the  Dyaks  consider  a  head 
taker  in  the  same  glorious  light?  with  which  we 
regard  a  successful  warrior.  This  ghastly  pre- 
sent of  a  human  head,  is  the  favourite  love- 
token  which  a  young  man  lays  at  the  girl's  feet 
whom  he  desires  to  marry,  and  which  she  accepts 
with  favour :  for  an  old  legend  of  the  Sakarrans 
tells  her,  that  the  daughter  of  their  great  ances- 
tor, who  resides  in  heaven,  near  the  Evening 
Star,  refused  to  marry  until  her  betrothed 
brought  her  a  present  worth  her  acceptance. 
The  man  went  into  the  jungle  and  killed  a  deer, 
which  he  presented  to  her;  but  the  fair  lady 
turned  away  in  disdain.  He  went  again,  and 
returned  with  a  mias,  the  great  monkey  who 
haunts  the  forest ;  but  this  present  was  not  more 
to  her  taste.  Then,  in  a  fit  of  despair,  the  lover 
went  abroad,  and  killed  the  first  man  that  he 
met,  and  throwing  his  victim's  head  at  the 
maiden's  feet,  he  exclaimed  at  the  cruelty  she 
had  made  him  guilty  of;  but,  to  his  surprise,  she 


DYAK   WEDDING   CUSTOM.  65 

smiled,  and  said,  that  now  he  had  discovered  the 
only  gift  worthy  of  herself. 

To  this  day  the  women  of  this  tribe  incite  the 
men  to  this  horrible  practice.  It  matters  not 
whether  the  head  be  of  man,  woman,  or  child, 
enemy  or  stranger;  but  a  head  they  must  have 
for  a  wedding  present.  You  see,  my  child,  how 
far  astray  from  goodness,  gentleness,  and  mercy, 
mankind  have  wandered  when  they  have  for- 
gotten the  Great  God  their  Maker,  and  wor- 
shipped Evil  instead  of  Good. 

Not  long  ago  Papa  paid  a  visit  to  the  Lundu 
Dyaks,  whom  we  consider  the  most  intelligent  of 
the  Sarawak  tribes.  The  wife  of  the  Orang 
Kaya's  (chief's)  son  was  very  ill,  and  both  she 
and  her  little  infant  were  in  great  danger  of 
dying.  Papa  told  Kalong,  her  husband,  that  he 
could  relieve  her,  and  give  her  physic :  but  the 
old  women,  who  seem  to  be  the  doctors  of  the 
tribe,  said,  "  they  must  drive  the  antoos  away 
first."  So  they  commenced  a  horrible  noise 
with  gongs  and  drums,  shrieks  and  yells;  they 
then  rushed  on  the  roof  of  the  house,  to  drive, 
as  they  said,  the  antoos  off  the  premises ;  and  it 
was  not  until  the  baby  died,  and  the  poor  mother 
grew  worse  and  worse,  and  exhausted  by  the  din 

F 


66  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

they  made,  that  they  admitted  Papa  to  give  her 
any  assistance.  Besides  these  antoos  Papa  has 
heard  the  Dyaks  talk  of  spirits  they  call  Triu, 
who,  they  fancy,  inhabit  the  jungle,  and  espe- 
cially the  summits  of  the  hills  and  mountains. 
If  an  Englishman  wishes  to  make  an  excursion 
to  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  he  has  great  difficulty 
in  persuading  a  Dyak  to  accompany  him.  Should 
he  consent  to  go,  however,  he  will  not  help  to 
cut  down  trees  there,  nor  cook  food,  nor  throw 
stones  down  the  hill,  lest  he  should  offend  the 
spirits,  who,  he  believes,  live  there,  and  who,  he 
vainly  imagines,  will  assist  him  in  war,  if  he 
does  not  disturb  them,  by  appearing  in  the  shape 
of  Dyak  men,  and  fighting  at  his  side.  Mingled 
with  these  Triu,  they  suppose,  are  savage,  malig- 
nant spirits,  called  by  them  Kamang,  who  also 
accompany  them  to  their  wars,  for  the  purpose 
of  enjoying  the  carriage.  They  are  believed  to 
drink  human  blood,  and  to  inspire  those  who 
worship  them  with  desperate  valour.  These 
Kamang  are,  however,  enemies  of  the  Triu. 

Beside  these,  the  Dyaks  have  endless  super- 
stitions about  charms  and  magic.  They  will  not 
sow  their  paddy  until  the  voice  of  a  certain  bird 
is  heard  in  the  woods ;  and,  when  they  go  on  any 


DYAK   SUPERSTITIONS.  67 

expedition,  if  one  of  these  omen  birds  sings 
behind  them,  they  return,  convinced  that  misfor- 
tune will  overtake  them  if  they  proceed.  On 
each  of  their  farms  they  cultivate  a  certain  white 
lily,  over  which  they  build  a  shed,  and  to  which, 
as  to  something  sacred,  they  present  offerings  of 
fruit,  rice,  etc.,  fancying  that  their  paddy  will 
not  grow  well  unless  they  do  so.  They  can  give 
no  reason  for  this,  and  many  other  foolish  cus- 
toms, except  that  "  such  was  the  custom  of  their 
ancestors."  Notwithstanding  all  these  ignorant 
fancies,  the  Dyaks  retain  their  belief  in  one 
Great  God  and  Father  of  all  men ;  they  acknow- 
ledge that  they  are  foolish  and  ignorant,  and 
that  the  religion  of  the  white  men,  as  they  call 
Christianity,  is  a  truer  and  better  one  than  their 
own.  They  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  pirate 
tribes,  a  gentle,  kindly  people,  simple  as  children, 
and  inclined  to  love  and  reverence  all  men  whom 
they  see  to  be  wiser  and  more  civilised  than 
themselves.  I  will  tell  you,  in  my  next  letter, 
something  of  their  houses,  dress,  and  manners. 


F  2 


LETTER  VIII. 

THE   DYAKS — THEIR  HISTORY,    MANNERS,   AND 
CUSTOMS. 

September,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  BOY, 

The  Dyaks  are  supposed  to  be  the  Abori- 
gines, or  first  inhabitants,  of  Borneo ;  when  they 
came  there  they  do  not  know,  nor  from  whence. 
They  have,  doubtless,  for  many  generations  past, 
followed  exactly  the  same  manners  and  customs ; 
for  they  have  a  great  reverence  for  their  ances- 
tors, and  consider  it  reason  enough  for  many  a 
foolish  habit,  that  such  was  the  custom  of  their 
forefathers.  We  generally  divide  the  Dyaks  into 
Land  and  Sea  tribes,  but  the  Orang-Laut  (people 
of  the  sea),  do  not  allow  that  they  are  Dyaks  at 
all,  by  this  name  designating  only  the  inland 


DYAK   COSTUMES.  69 

tribes.  Besides  this  distinction  they  must  be 
divided  into  tribes,  according  to  the  locality  in 
which  they  live.  Thus  the  country  of  Sarawak 
possesses  as  many  as  thirty-two  tribes  of  Dyaks, 
each  tribe  having  a  chief,  or  rich  man,  as  the 
title  Orang-Kaya  signifies.  This  chief  is  elected 
by  his  people,  and,  although  the  dignity  is  gene- 
rally hereditary,  he  may  be  deposed,  if  such  is 
the  will  of  the  tribe.  Each  tribe  has  its  own 
territory  and  particular  farms,  which  they  culti- 
vate by  turns,  allowing  them  to  lie  fallow  in  the 
intervening  years:  for  in  that  country,  where 
there  is  room  and  to  spare  for  the  inhabitants, 
they  know  nothing  of  the  rotation  of  crops. 

Rice  is  the  food  of  all,  and  a  little  Indian  corn, 
or  millet,  may  be  added  by  way  of  luxury. 
Some  of  them  grow  tobacco,  of  which  they  are 
very  fond;  and  cotton,  which  they  dye,  and 
weave  into  the  thick  jackets  and  scarfs  of  which 
their  dress  consists.  A  Dyak  man's  working 
dress  is  only  a  long  scarf  of  this  cotton,  or  the 
bark  of  a  tree,  beaten  into  a  kind  of  cloth, 
wound  about  his  body.  On  his  head  another 
piece  of  bark-cloth  is  twisted,  sticking  up  on 
either  side  like  ears.  The  scarf  hangs  down  like 
a  tail  before  and  behind,  so  that  I  have  no  doubt 


70  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

old  stories  of  wild  men  with  tails,  which  may  be 
found  in  some  travels,  have  originated  from  this 
costume.  These  two  articles  of  clothing  are 
common  to  all  Dyaks ;  but  the  various  tribes  are 
distinguishable  by  their  different  ornaments. 
Thus  the  Sakarrans  wear  a  bracelet  of  white 
shell  round  the  upper  part  of  the  arm;  the 
Sarebas,  a  great  number  of  brass  rings  along  the 
shell  of  their  ears;  our  Sarawak  tribes  value 
white  beads  as  necklaces ;  some  wear  brass  rings 
all  the  way  up  both  the  arm  and  leg,  leaving 
only  the  elbow  free :  others  have  many  twists  of 
rattan,  stained  black  or  red,  round  their  waists; 
the  women  a  kind  of  basket-stays  of  this  mate- 
rial. The  inland  tribes  are  many  of  them  tat- 
tooed. Their  wardresses  consist  of  a  jacket  of 
the  native  thick  cotton,  closely  wadded,  a  head- 
dress of  feathers  of  the  rhinoceros  hornbill,  and 
tufts  of  hair  dyed,  of  various  colours,  which  ore 
set  in  a  kind  of  coronet  of  beads.  They  use,  as 
weapons  of  war,  spears,  the  points  of  which  are 
hardened  by  fire;  swords,  made  some  for  the 
right,  and  some  for  the  left  hand ;  and  the  sum- 
pit  an,  a  long  blow  pipe  of  wood,  which  throws 
poisoned  darts,  to  a  distance  of  thirty  or  forty 
yards.  They  also  carry  wooden  shields  to  de- 


HOUSES   OF    THE    DYAKS. 


71 


fend  themselves  from  the  spears  of  their  ene- 
mies. 


DYAK    BLOWING    SUMPITAN. 


When  I  send  you  Papa's  journal  of  his  trip 
up  the  Rejang  river,  you  will  there  find  more 
minute  descriptions  of  the  costumes  of  the  Dyaks. 
They  do  not  live  in  cottages,  or  separate  houses, 
but  as  many  as  fifty  or  a  hundred  families  in  one 
house,  or  rather  barrack.  These  houses  are 
built  on  long  poles,  with  a  very  deep  verandah 
in  front,  on  which  all  the  business  of  the  day  is 
transacted — the  cooking,  mat  and  basket  making, 


72  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

&c.,  in  which  men  and  women  are  employed. 
Under  the  house  reside  the  pigs,  and  their  food 
is  thrown  to  them  through  the  floor.  This  is 
certainly  an  improvement  on  the  Irish  custom, 
of  having  the  pigs  in  the  same  apartment :  still 
it  is  not  very  sweet.  In  the  interior  of  the 
house,  are  the  sleeping  rooms  of  the  married  peo- 
ple, and  women  and  children :  but  the  unmarried 
men  sleep  all  together,  in  a  house  which  is  also 
used  to  keep  the  dried  heads  of  their  enemies. 
The  heads  hang  from  the  roof,  the  bachelors  sleep 
on  the  floor,  and,  if  any  visitors  come  to  the 
tribe,  this  house  is  generally  appointed  for  their 
quarters.  But  I  am  happy  to  say  that,  with 
our  Sarawak  Dyaks,  the  head-house  is  no  longer 
such  an  important  place,  as  it  used  to  be :  this 
vile  custom  is  against  the  laws  of  our  Rajah's 
Government,  and  will  die  out  by  degrees,  as  the 
people  learn  better  habits,  and  the  Christian  law 
of  love. 

Both  Dyak  men  and  women  are  better  looking 
than  the  Malays.  The  tribes  vary  in  appearance. 
Some,  that  have  been  much  oppressed,  either  by 
their  Malay  masters,  or  the  piratical  Dyak  tribes, 
are  stunted  in  figure,  and  very  subject  to  a  skin 
disease,  which  looks  disagreeable,  and  causes 


PERSONAL   APPEARANCE    OF   THE   DYAKS.       73 

them  much  discomfort — no  doubt  arising  from 
exposure  to  the  weather,  and  want  of  proper  food. 
But,  when  the  tribe  is  well  off,  and  enjoying  the 
blessings  of  peace,  they  are  fine  well-proportioned 
men,  with  fairer  skins  than  the  Malays,  and  finer 
features.  Their  eyes  are  particularly  bright  and 
intelligent.  The  women  are  rather  small,  but 
often  pretty  when  young,  although  the  hard  work, 
which  they  do  in  the  rice-fields,  makes  them 
old-looking  at  an  early  age.  I  have  seen  little 
Dyak  children  as  fair  and  pretty  as  English 
children.  In  my  school,  I  have  a  little  Sarebas 
Dyak  girl,  who,  when  brought  to  me,  was  quite 
an  infant.  Her  father  was  killed  in  battle,  and 
her  mother  had  cast  the  baby  into  the  long  grass, 
and  fled  into  the  jungle.  The  poor  orphan  was 
brought  to  Sarawak,  and  given  to  me.  She  had 
long  golden  hair,  and  large  brown  eyes.  I 
thought  her  as  sweet  a  baby  as  I  had  ever  seen. 
She  is  now  nearly  five  years  old ;  but  I  cannot 
say  that  she  is  any  longer  pretty,  although  she 
is  a  gentle  nice  child,  and  sings  like  a  little  bird. 
The  Dyaks  are  fond  of  pork,  but  they  will  eat 
monkeys,  squirrels,  and,  in  fact,  any  thing  they 
can  catch  in  the  jungle,  except  deer,  and  this 
some  tribes  object  to,  as  a  meat  likely  to  make 


74  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

them  timid  and  faint-hearted,  arid  therefore  only 
allowable  to  women  and  children.  This  is  an 
old  tradition  of  their  forefathers;  and  I  think  the 
Malays  do  not  discourage  it,  as  they  are  very 
fond  of  venison,  and  like  to  keep  the  game 
for  themselves. 

There  is  a  certain  slimy  clay,  which  the  Sakar- 
ran  Dyaks  always  provide  themselves  with,  when 
they  make  their  excursions  in  their  boats,  and 
which  they  suck  when  their  stock  of  rice  is  ex- 
hausted :  they  say  it  is  very  nutritious.  Twice 
a  year,  when  the  rice-harvest  is  gathered  in,  the 
Dyaks  make  a  great  public  feast.  Papa  hap- 
pened to  visit  the  Miradang  tribe  once,  just  as 
their  harvest-home  feast  was  being  ended.  As 
the  tribe  all  live  in  two  or  three  great  houses, 
there  was  no  difficulty  in  collecting  them  to- 
gether. Being  all  assembled,  they  feasted  for 
three  days,  during  which  they  consumed  700 
fowls,  500  bushels  (pasus)  of  rice,  300  pasus  of 
cakes,  made  of  rice,  flour,  and  sugar,  rolled  as 
fine  as  vermicelli,  and  fried  in  cocoa  nut  oil,  and 
70  jars  of  arrack,  with  which  they  made  them- 
selves very  tipsy.  It  is  only  on  such  occasions 
they  get  tipsy;  but  they  have  not  yet  learnt, 
that  it  is  a  shame  and  disgrace  to  be  so.  This 


THE   SUNTAH   DYAKS.  75 

tribe  numbers  at  least  2000  men,  women,  and 
children.  I  do  not  remember  how  many  pigs 
they  ate  at  this  feast — a  great  many,  of  course. 
Besides  eating  and  drinking,  they  had  public 
games,  a  greased  pole  to  climb,  surmounted  by  a 
brass  ball,  and  with  two  arms  of  wood,  from 
which  depended  the  prizes  of  fowls,  which  be- 
longed to  whoever  could  reach  them.  On  the 
pole,  were  carved  images  of  lizards,  and  croco- 
diles, to  measure  how  high  each  man  could  as- 
cend. This  tribe,  living  on  the  Quop  river,  is 
very  prosperous. 

Last  year,  Papa  accompanied  the  Rajah,  in  a 
visit  to  the  Suntah  Dyaks.  This  tribe  used  to 
be  a  prey  to  the  Sakarran  and  Sarebas  pirates, 
who  had  so  often  destroyed  their  houses,  and 
farms,  and  stolen  their  wives,  children,  and 
goods,  that,  when  Sir  James  Brooke  first  lived 
at  Sarawak,  they  were  reduced  to  a  very  small 
number,  and  robbed  of  their  possessions.  The 
chief  appealed  to  Sir  James  for  protection,  and, 
since  then,  they  have  lived  securely,  and  cultiva- 
ted their  paddy-farms  in  peace,  growing  richer 
from  year  to  year ;  as  they  sell  the  paddy  they 
do  not  want  to  eat,  to  purchase  clothes,  gongs, 
brazen  vessels,  and  other  things  they  value. 


76  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

They  were  delighted  to  receive  a  visit  from  the 
Rajah,  to  whom  they  owed  so  much.  The  chief 
walked  down  the  hill,  on  which  they  lived,  to 
meet  him,  and  as  they  entered  the  principal 
house,  guns  were  fired  off  as  a  salute.  The  old 
women  of  the  tribe  stood  ready  to  receive  them, 
dressed  in  curious  long  jackets,  embroidered 
with  figures  of  lizards,  crocodiles,  and  other  hid- 
eous monsters,  made  of  small  shells  called  cowries. 
These  old  women  made  yells  of  welcome,  and 
stroked  their  visitors'  arms  and  legs;  for  they 
fancy  there  is  some  goodness  or  virtue  to  be  rub- 
bed but  of  white  people.  They  then  washed  their 
feet  in  cocoa-nut  water,  and  set  aside  the  water 
to  steep  their  seed  paddy  in,  imagining  it  would 
help  it  to  grow.  At  night,  when,  tired  with 
their  long  walk,  the  Rajah  and  Papa  laid  them- 
selves down  to  sleep  on  the  floor,  the  Dyaks 
feasted  and  drank  in  honour  of  their  visit ;  and 
these  silly  old  women  stood  over  Papa,  whom 
they  knew  to  be  a  Doctor,  and  constantly  woke 
him,  by  stroking  his  limbs,  and  swaying  their 
arms  about,  close  to  his  face.  They  thought 
him  a  very  reverend  person,  no  doubt,  but  I 
think  he  could  gladly  have  dispensed  with  so 
much  attention. 


CUSTOMS   OF   THE  DYAKS.  77 

Another  custom  of  theirs  is  almost  too  nasty 
to  speak  of.  They  brought  portions  of  cooked 
rice  on  leaves,  and  begged  the  Englishmen  to 
spit  into  them,  after  which  they  ate  them  up, 
thinking  they  should  be  the  better  for  it.  The 
day  will  come,  I  trust,  when  these  simple  people 
will  know  that  "  God  made  man  of  one  flesh,  in 
all  the  nations  upon  earth ;"  and  will  regard  the 
white  men  as  His  ambassadors,  to  teach  them 
heavenly  wisdom.  This  is  the  only  light  in 
which  our  Rajah,  or  Papa,  would  wish  to  be 
reverenced.  But  we  cannot  wonder  at  their 
superstitious  love  of  the  Rajah.  He  has  deli- 
vered them  from  the  exactions  of  the  Malays, 
and  the  dread  of  the  pirates,  who  made  them  the 
poorest,  and  the  most  miserable,  of  human  beings, 
and  kept  them  in  constant  fear  of  death  for 
themselves,  and  starving  for  their  wives  and 
children. 

It  is  time  that  I  should  tell  you  something 
about  these  pirate  tribes,  as  I  have  so  often  men- 
tioned them  in  my  letters ;  but  I  will  not  begin 
to-day,  as  my  sheet  is  full. 


LETTER   IX. 

THE   PIRATES. 

October,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

When  your  little  cousin  Harriette  was 
asked  "what  is  a  pirate?"  she  said,  "  a  great 
rogue  of  the  sea;"  and  perhaps  I  could  not  give 
you  a  better  definition  of  these  bad  men,  who 
have,  for  centuries  past,  been  the  terror  of  all 
native  trading  vessels,  in  the  seas  of  the  Eastern 
Archipelago.  "  It  is  in  the  Malay's  nature," 
says  a  Dutch  writer,  "  to  rove  on  the  seas  in  his 
prahu,  as  it  is  in  that  of  the  Arab  to  wander 
with  his  steed  on  the  sands  of  the  desert."  Be- 
fore the  English  and  the  Dutch  governments 
exerted  themselves  to  put  down  piracy  in  this 
part  of  the  world,  there  were  communities  of 
these  Malays,  settled  on  various  parts  of  the 
coast  of  Borneo,  who  made  it  the  business  of 
their  lives  to  rob  and  destroy  all  the  vessels  they 
could  meet  with,  either  killing  the  crews,  or 
reducing  them  to  slavery.  Eor  this  purpose, 


THE   PIRATES.  79 

many  still  go  out  in  fleets,  of  from  ten  to  thirty 
war  boats  or  prahus.  These  boats  are  about 
ninety  feet  long;  they  carry  a  large  cannon  in 
the  bow  of  the  vessel,  and  from  three  to  four 
lelas  (smaller  brass  cannon),  on  each  broadside, 
besides  about  twenty  or  thirty  rifles  or  muskets. 
Each  prahu  is  rowed  by  sixty  or  eighty  oars,  in 
two  tiers,  and  will  carry  from  eighty  to  a  hun- 
dred men.  Over  the  rowers,  and  extending  the 
whole  length  of  the  vessel,  is  a  light,  flat  roof, 
made  of  split  bamboo  and  covered  with  mats : 
this  protects  their  ammunition  and  provisions 
from  the  rain,  and  serves  as  a  platform  on  which 
they  mount  to  fight,  and  from  which  they  fire 
their  muskets,  and  hurl  their  spears.  These 
formidable  boats  skulk  about,  in  the  sheltered 
bays  of  the  coast,  at  the  season  of  the  year 
when  they  know  that  merchant  vessels  will  be 
passing  laden  with  rich  cargoes  for  the  ports  of 
Singapore,  Penang,  or  to  and  from  China.  A 
scout  boat,  with  but  few  men  in  it,  which  would 
not  excite  suspicion,  goes  out  to  spy  for  sails. 
They  do  not  generally  attack  well  armed  large 
vessels,  though  many  a  Dutch  and  English  brig, 
which  has  been  becalmed,  or  enticed  by  them 
into  dangerous  and  shallow  water,  has  been  over- 


80  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

powered  by  their  superior  numbers.  But  it  is, 
usually,  the  small  unarmed  vessels  they  fall  upon, 
with  fearful  yells,  binding  those  they  do  not  kill, 
and,  when  they  have  robbed  them,  burning  the 
vessels,  to  avoid  detection.  They  then  carry 
their  prisoners  to  some  Malay  town,  whose  inha- 
bitants, or,  at  any  rate,  the  rulers  and  great  men, 
connive  at  their  wickedness,  and  buy  their  booty 
and  slaves.  While  the  fair  wind,  or  south-west 
monsoon  blows,  the  pirates  do  not  return  to  their 
homes,  but  lurk  about  in  uninhabited  bays  and 
creeks,  until  the  trading  season  is  over.  But 
when  the  north-east  wind  begins  to  blow  they  go 
back  to  their  settlements,  often  rich  in  booty,  and 
with  blood  on  their  hands,  only  to  rejoice  over 
the  past,  and  prepare  themselves  for  another  ex- 
cursion. 

There  are  still  nests  of  pirates,  in  the  north  of 
Borneo,  who  are  as  yet  unsubdued  by  the  forces 
which  English,  Dutch,  and  Spaniards  have  sent 
against  them.  But  the  Malay  towns  in  the 
Straits  which  used  to  encourage  the  pirates,  by 
buying  their  slaves,  etc.,  do  not  now  dare  to 
deal  with  them  so  openly;  as  the  Europeans 
have  made  them  promise  to  assist  them  in  extir- 
pating this  great  evil.  This  is  the  case  at  Bruni, 


SUPPORT   OF    THE   PIRATES.  81 

the  capital  of  the  Malay  power,  on  the  north  of 
Borneo,  where  the  Sultan  lives.  The  Sultan  is 
a  bad  man,  and  used  to  enrich  himself  by  allow- 
ing the  pirates,  from  the  countries  and  islands 
further  north,  to  trade  with  him  and  his  Pange- 
rans  (nobles),  and  to  pay  him  tribute  in  slaves 
and  presents  for  the  permission.  The  Sultan  of 
Sooloo,  has  also  been  obliged  to  withdraw  his 
countenance  from  the  pirates  who  infest  the 
groups  of  islands  to  the  north  of  Borneo. 

When  Sir  James  Brooke  first  visited  Sarawak 
the  Malay  nobles  there,  who  were  subjects  of  the 
Sultan  of  Bruni,  used  to  follow  the  evil  example 
of  their  master,  and  encourage  the  piratical 
Dyaks  of  Sarebas  and  Sakarran  to  pay  them 
tribute,  for  allowing  their  raids-on  the  defenceless 
inhabitants  of  the  coasts,  thus  impoverishing  the 
very  country  they  ruled,  and  preventing  all 
native  trade,  for  their  own  individual  profit — a 
very  short-sighted,  as  well  as  wicked  policy. 
But  now  the  state  of  things  is  altered  at  Sarawak; 
and  no  pirate  boat  dares  to  lurk  near  the  d \vell- 
ing  of  an  English  rajah,  who  is  their  determined 
foe,  and  who,  by  teaching  his  subjects  the  benefits 
of  a  good  government,  and  the  certain  riches  of 
industry,  has  made  them  as  averse  to  piracy  as 

G 


82  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

himself.  The  Dyaks  of  Sarebas  and  Sakarran 
have  been  taught  piracy  by  the  Malays,  who 
have  settled  amongst  them.  They  were  always 
head-hunters,  and  used  to  pull  the  oars  in  the 
Malay  prahus,  for  the  sake  of  the  heads  of  the 
slain,  which  were  alone  valuable  to  them,  where- 
as the  Malays  coveted  the  booty;  thus  the  Malays 
made  use  of  them  at  first,  as  the  monkey  used 
the  cat's  paw,  to  take  the  roasted  chestnuts  off 
the  fire.  But,  in  course  of  time,  the  Dyaks 
became  expert  seamen.  They  built  boats,  which 
they  called  bangkongs ;  and  went  out  with  the 
Malays,  in  fleets  of  100  war-boats,  devastating 
the  coast,  and  killing  Malays,  Chinese,  Dyaks,  or 
Europeans,  wherever  they  could  get  them.  The 
Dyak  bangkong,  or  war-boat,  draws  very  little 
water,  and  is  both  lighter  and  faster  than  the 
Malay  prahu;  it  is  100  feet  long  and  nine  or  ten 
broad.  Sixty  or  eighty  men,  with  paddles,  make 
her  skim  through  the  water  as  swiftly  as  a 
London  race-boat.  She  moves  without  noise, 
and  surprises  and  overwhelms  her  victims  with 
showers  of  spears,  in  the  dead  of  the  night; 
neither  can  any  vessel,  except  a  steamer,  catch  a 
Dyak  bangkong,  if  the  crew  deem  it  necessary  to 
fly.  These  boats  can  be  easily  taken  to  pieces ; 


CRUELTY   OF   THE   PIRATES.  83 

for  the  planks  are  not  fastened  with  nails,  but 
laced  together  with  rattans,  and  caulked  with 
bark,  which  swells  when  wet:  so  that,  if  they 
wish  to  hide  their  retreat  in  the  jungle,  they  can 
quickly  unlace  their  boats,  carry  them  on  their 
shoulders  into  the  woods,  and  put  them  together 
again,  when  they  want  them. 

When  we  first  lived  at  Sarawak  no  merchant 
boat  dared  go  out  of  the  river  alone,  and  un- 
armed; and  we  were  constantly  shocked  with 
dreadful  accounts  of  villages  on  the  coast,  or 
boats  at  the  entrance,  being  surprised,  and  men, 
women,  and  children,  barbarously  murdered  by 
these  wretches.  I  remember  once  a  boat  being 
found  with  only  three  fingers  of  a  man  in  it,  and 
a  bloody  mark  at  the  side,  where  the  heads  of 
those  to  whom  the  bboat  belonged  had  been  cut 
off.  Sometimes  the  pirates  would  wait  until 
they  knew  the  men  of  a  village  were  all  away, 
working  at  their  paddy-farms,  and  then  they 
would  fall  suddenly  upon  the  poor  defenceless 
women  and  children,  kill  some,  make  slaves  of 
the  rest,  and  rob  their  houses.  Sometimes, 
having  destroyed  a  village  and  its  inhabitants, 
they  would  dress  themselves  in  the  clothes  of 
the  slain,  and  proceeding  to  another  place,  would 


84  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

call  out  to  the  women,  "  The  Sarebas  are  coming, 
but,  if  you  bring  down  your  valuables  to  us,  we 
will  defend  you,  and  your  property ;"  and  many 
of  the  poor  women  fell  into  the  snare,  and  be- 
came a  prey  to  their  enemies. 

There  is  no  action  too  cruel  for  a  pirate.  If 
they  attack  a  house  when  the  men  are  at  home  it 
is  in  the  night.  They  pull  stealthily  up  the 
river  in  their  boats,  and,  landing  under  cover  of 
their  shields,  they  creep  under  the  house,  which 
you  know  stands  on  very  tall  poles.  They  then 
set  fire  to  dry  wood,  and  a  quantity  of  chillies 
which  they  bring  with  them  for  the  purpose: 
this  makes  a  suffocating  smoke  which  hinders 
the  inmates  of  the  house  from  coming  out  to 
defend  themselves.  They  commence  cutting 
down  the  posts  of  the  house,  which  falls,  with 
all  it  contains,  into  their  ruthless  hands. 

In  the  year  1849  the  atrocities  of  the  piratical 
Dyaks  were  so  frequent  that  the  Rajah  applied 
to  the  English  Admiral  in  the  Straits,  for  some 
men-of-war  to  assist  him  in  destroying  them. 
Remonstrances  and  threats  had  been  tried  again 

o 

and  again.  The  pirates  would  always  promise 
good  behaviour  for  the  future,  to  avert  a  present 
danger;  but  they  never  kept  these  promises 


EXPEDITION  AGAINST  THE    PIRATES.  85 

when  an  opportunity  offered  for  breaking  them 
with  impunity.  There  is  no  good  faith  in  bad 
men,  and  cruelty  and  falsehood  are  generally  to 
be  found  together.  In  consequence  of  Sir  James 
Brooke's  application,  H.  M.  S.  Albatross,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Farquhar,  H.  M.  sloop 
Royalist,  Commander  Lieutenant  Everest,  and 
H.  E.  I.  C.  steamer  Nemesis,  Commander  Cap- 
tain Wallage,  were  sent  by  Admiral  Collyer  to 
Sarawak.  Then  the  Rajah  had  all  his  war-boats 
got  ready  to  join  the  English  forces.  There  was 
the  Lion  King,  the  Royal  Eagle,  the  Tiger,  the 
Big  Snake,  the  Little  Snake,  the  Frog,  the  Alli- 
gator, and  many  others,  belonging  to  the  Datus, 
who,  on  occasions  like  these,  are  bound  to  call  on 
their  servants,  and  a  certain  number  of  able- 
bodied  men,  in  their  campongs,  to  man  and  fight 
in  their  boats:  this  is  their  service  to  Govern- 
ment, instead  of  paying  taxes,  as  English  people 
do.  The  Rajah  supplies  the  whole  force  with 
rice  for  the  expedition,  and  a  certain  number  of 
muskets.  The  English  ships  were  left,  the 
Albatross  at  Sarawak,  and  the  Royalist  to  guard 
the  entrance  of  the  Batang  Lupar  river;  but 
their  boats,  and  nearly  all  the  officers,  accom- 
panied the  fleet,  and  the  steamer  Nemesis  went 


86  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

also.  On  the  24th  of  July  they  left  us,  as  many 
as  eighteen  Malay  prahus,  manned  by  from  twenty 
to  seventy  men  in  a  boat,  and  decorated  with 
flags,  and  streamers  innumerable,  of  the  bright- 
est colours,  the  Sarawak  flag  always  at  the  stern. 
For  the  Tiger  I  made  a  flag,  with  a  tiger's  head 
painted  on  it,  looking  wonderfully  ferocious.  It 
was  an  exciting  time,  with  gongs  and  drums, 
Malay  yells  and  English  hurrahs;  and  our  fer- 
vent prayers,  for  their  safety  and  success,  accom- 
panied them  that  night,  as  they  dropped  down 
the  river  in  gay  procession.  They  were  after- 
wards joined  by  bangkongs  of  friendly  Dyaks, 
300  men  from  Lundu,  800  from  Linga,  some 
from  Saraarakan,  Sadong,  and  various  places 
which  had  suffered  from  the  pirates,  and  were 
anxious  to  assist  in  giving  them  a  lesson.  We 
heard  nothing  of  the  fleet  until  the  2nd  of  Au- 
gust, when  I  received  a  little  note  from  the  Rajah, 
written  in  pencil,  on  a  scrap  of  paper,  on  the  night 
of  the  31st  of  July,  and  giving  us  an  account  of 
how  they  fell  in  with  a  great  balla  (war  fleet), 
of  Sarebas  and  Sakarran  pirates,  consisting  of 
150  bangkongs,  and  caught  them  returning  to 
their  homes,  with  plunder  and  captives  in  their 
boats.  The  pirates  found  all  the  entrances  to 


DEFEAT   OF   THE   PIRATES.  87 

the  river  occupied  by  their  enemies — the  English, 
Malay,  and  Dyak  forces,  being  placed  in  three 
detachments,  and  the  Nemesis  all  ready  to  help 
whenever  the  attack  should  begin.  The  Singha 
Rajah  sent  up  a  rocket  when  she  espied  the 
pirate  fleet,  to  apprise  the  rest  of  their  approach. 
Then  there  was  a  dead  silence,  broken  only  by 
three  strokes  of  a  gong,  which  called  the  pirates 
to  a  council  of  war.  A  few  minutes  afterwards 
a  fearful  yell  gave  notice  of  their  advance,  and 
the  fleet  approached  in  two  divisions.  But, 
when  they  sighted  the  steamer,  they  became 
aware  of  the  odds  against  them,  and  again 
called  a  council  by  beat  of  gong :  after  another 
pause  a  second  yell  of  defiance  showed  that  they 
had  decided  upon  giving  battle. 

Then,  in  the  dead  of  the  night,  ensued  a  fearful 
scene.  The  pirates  fought  bravely,  but  could 
not  withstand  the  superior  forces  of  their  ene- 
mies. Their  boats  were  upset  by  the  paddles  of 
the  steamer;  they  were  hemmed  in  on  every 
side,  and  five  hundred  men  were  killed  sword  in 
hand ;  while  two  thousand  five  hundred  escaped 
to  the  jungle.  The  boats  were  broken  to  pieces, 
or  deserted  on  the  beach  by  their  crews ;  and  the 
morning  light  shewed  a  sad  spectacle  of  ruin  and 


88  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

defeat.  Upwards  of  eighty  prahus  and  bang- 
kongs  were  captured,  many  from  sixty  to  eighty 
feet  long,  with  nine  or  ten  feet  of  beam. 

The  English  officers,  on  that  night,  offered 
prizes  to  all  who  should  bring  in  captives  alive : 
but  the  pirates  would  take  no  quarter;  in  the 
water  they  still  fought  without  surrender,  for 
they  could  not  understand  a  mercy  which  they 
never  extended  to  their  enemies.  Consequently, 
the  prisoners  were  very  few,  and  the  darkness  of 
the  night  favoured  their  escape  to  the  jungle. 
The  peninsula,  to  which  they  escaped,  could 
easily  have  been  so  surrounded  by  the  Dyak  and 
Malay  forces,  that  not  one  man  of  that  pirate 
fleet  could  have  left  it  alive.  This  blockade  the 
Malays  entreated  the  Rajah  to  make;  but  he 
refused,  saying,  that  he  hoped  they  had  already 
received  a  sufficiently  severe  lesson,  and  would 
return  to  their  homes  humbled  and  corrected. 
Our  Rajah  has  always  endeavoured  to  teach  his 
people  that  a  great  warrior  is  as  merciful  as  he  is 
brave.  He,  therefore,  ordered  his  fleet  to  pro- 
ceed up  the  river,  and  the  pirates  returned  to 
their  homes. 

After  this  the  Rajah  hoped  that  the  Sarebas 
and  Sakarran  tribes  would  forswear  piracy  for 


THE    SAKARRANS.  89 

the  future.  They  have  indeed  made  many  pro- 
mises of  amendment,  and  the  Sakarraris  have 
suffered  an  English  gentleman,  Mr.  Brereton,  to 
live  amongst  them  for  two  years,  and  to  build  a 
fort  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  to  prevent  armed 
boats  from  going  out.  He  has  sought  to  govern 
them  with  gentleness  and  kindness,  and  to  in- 
duce them  to  turn  their  attention  to  trade  and 
agriculture,  leaving  their  former  evil  habits ;  and 
they  have  consented  to  receive  a  missionary, 
Mr.  Chambers,  as  their  teacher.  Let  us  hope 
that  this  change  for  the  better  will  ripen  into  a 
lasting  peace,  and  lead  to  the  dawn  of  Chris- 
tianity amongst  them.  But  I  have  little  faith  in 
them,  Charley,  unless  the  English  men-of-war  in 
the  Straits  pay  them  an  occasional  visit,  to  re- 
mind them  of  the  past. 

This  is  a  long  letter :  so  adieu  until  the  next 
mail. 

Note.  A  Sakarran  Dyak  told  Papa,  since  this  letter  was 
written,  that  he  led  a  detachment  of  the  pirate  boats  on  the 
night  of  the  31st  of  July,  sent  by  the  fleet  to  board  the 
Nemesis.  "  We  thought,"  said  he,  "  that  it  was  a  long  gun 
boat  we  saw  on  the  water,  and  had  she  not  been  a  steamer, 
and  overturned  us  with  her  paddles,  we  should  have  taken 
her  in  five  minutes,  and  had  every  head  on  board." 


LETTER   X. 

THE   ANIMALS   OF    SAEAWAK. 

November,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHAKLEY, 

Papa  and  I  have  just  returned  from  a 
pleasant  row  down  the  river  to  Tanah  Puteh 
(white  earth).  I  wish  you  had  been  with  us, 
for  there  are  some  fruit  trees  now  in  bearing  by 
the  water's  edge,  and  a  number  of  monkeys  were 
running  up  and  down  the  boughs,  getting  their 
supper.  What  a  chattering  they  made,  and  how 
they  swung  themselves  from  branch  to  branch, 
making  the  trees  quiver  and  bend,  as  if  they 
would  snap  in  two !  They  did  not  heed  us  in 
the  least,  though  our  boat  lay  close  to  shore,  and 
Papa  landed  to  look  for  some  wood  he  wanted 
for  building.  The  Malays  get  a  fine  clay  from 
this  place,  with  which  they  make  tiles,  and  jars, 
and  pots  (chatties  as  they  call  them),  to  cook 
their  food  in.  But  to  return  to  the  monkeys, 
at  Tanah  Puteh;  we  call  them  long-nosed  mon- 
keys ;  they  grow  to  a  great  size ;  and  have  more 


ANIMALS   OF   SARAWAK.  91 

human  features  than  any  other  animal.     The 

other  day  Mr.  C caught  one  and  brought  it 

home.  He  soon  became  tame,  and  I  paid  him 
several  visits.  "  Nosey,"  as  we  named  him,  stood 
more  than  four  feet  high,  and  his  limbs  were 
wonderfully  strong ;  his  face  was  free  from  hair, 
his  eyes  hazel,  his  nose  hung  down  over  his 
upper  lip;  round  his  neck  nature  had  given  him 
a  fine  fur  tippet  of  light  brown,  and  round  his 
waist  the  hair  was  white,  so  that  he  had  quite  a 
clothed  appearance.  He  was  very  amiable,  and 
allowed  any  one  to  pull  his  marvellous  nose: 
but  he  did  not  live  long  in  captivity ;  his  appe- 
tite was  enormous,  and  he  devoured  so  much 
curry  and  rice,  that  it  brought  on  an  inflamma- 
tion of  which  he  died.  Papa  sent  his  skin  to 
England.  I  have  seen  many  of  this  species  of 
monkey  since,  but  their  noses  were  more  turned 
up,  and  not  so  long  as  "  Nosey's."  Monkeys  are 
not  favourite  pets  of  mine,  or  I  might  indulge 
myself  with  several  interesting  varieties  which 
are  common  at  Sarawak. 

Here  is  the  Wawa  or  long-armed  ape,  which 
makes  a  melodious  noise  in  the  jungle  early  in 
the  morning,  like  the  bubbling  of  water  out  of  a 
long  necked  bottle.  It  is  a  gentle  creature, 


92  LETTERS    FROM   SARAWAK. 

black  with  a  white  face.  But  the  monkey,  which 
is  most  esteemed,  is  the  Mias  or  Orang-Utan 
(wild  man  of  the  woods).  These  are  very  large, 
and  disgustingly  like  human  beings :  they  have  a 
melancholy  expression  and  manner,  and  get  very 
fond  of  their  owners.  A  large  female  monkey  of 
this  kind,  which  we  called  Jemima,  and  which 

lived  a  long  time  at  Mr.  R 's,  was  quite  fond 

of  Papa,  would  kiss  his  hands,  and  fret  if  he  did 
not  notice  her.  There  is  a  Mias  in  the  Zoologi- 
cal Gardens,  which  came  from  Sarawak. 

I  am  thankful  to  say  that  we  are  not  troubled 
with  the  fear  of  wild  beasts  at  Sarawak.  No 
lions  or  tigers  roar  in  our  jungles;  the  worst 
enemy  you  are  likely  to  meet,  if  you  walk  into 
the  depths  of  the  forest,  is  a  small  bear,  who 
would  be  more  afraid  of  you,  than  you  need  be 
of  it.  We  have  kept  several  of  these  bears. 
They  are  black  with  a  patch  of  white  or  tan,  co- 
lour on  their  chest;  their  heads  and  feet  are 
large  in  proportion  to  their  bodies,  which  are  no 
bigger  than  that  of  your  Skye  terrier.  But  they 
are  the  most  ill-tempered  creatures  imaginable. 
The  first  we  had  would  never  eat  his  rice  with- 
out sugar.  One  day  on  my  offering  him  his  din- 
ner without  the  sweet  sauce,  he  went  into  a  great 


ANIMALS   OF   SARAWAK.  93 

rage,  and,  seizing  a  knife  on  the  ground  between 
his  teeth,  he  cut  his  mouth  with  it.  After  this, 
he  would  not  touch  food  of  any  kind,  but  sulked 
until  he  died.  Mr.  Brereton  kept  one  of  these 
bears  in  the  fort  at  Sakarran ;  it  used  to  run 
about  the  house  like  a  dog,  and  was  quite  tame. 
One  day  it  made  its  way  into  the  store-room, 
where  stood  a  tall  jar,  full  of  brown  sugar,  with 
rather  a  narrow  mouth.  Bruin  dipped  his  paws 
into  the  jar,  and  ate  all  he  could  get  at ;  then,  find- 
ing there  was  still  a  great  deal  in  the  jar  beyond 
his  reach,  he  proceeded  to  let  himself  down  into 
it.  For  four  days  no  one  could  imagine  what 
was  become  of  the  bear;  they  began  to  fear  he 
had  strayed  into  the  jungle,  when  some  one, 
opening  the  store-room  door,  heard  curious 
grumbling  sounds  issuing  from  the  sugar  jar; 
and  there  sat  Bruin  on  his  hind  legs,  having 
eaten  all  the  sugar,  and  thus  having  let  himself 
down  too  deep  to  be  able  to  get  out  again.  These 
bears  live  very  much  on  honey  in  the  jungle. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  at  Sarawak,  I  had  a 
beautiful  little  snake  brought  me,  which  is  called 
the  Flower  snake.  It  was  of  a  bright  green  co- 
lour, with  a  delicate  stripe  of  lilac  down  each 
side.  The  Malay  man,  who  sold  it  to  me,  said 


94  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

that  he  had  taken  out  its  poisonous  fangs ;  but  I 
do  not  believe  it  ever  had  any.  It  was  quite 
harmless,  and  looked  very  pretty,  twining  itself 
round  the  furniture  in  the  room,  and  climbing 
about  to  catch  flies.  One  day  it  coiled  itself  on 
the  top  of  a  very  high  door,  and,  the  wind  mov- 
ing the  door  on  its  hinges,  the  snake  fell  suddenly 
to  the  ground  and  broke  its  back — which  soon 
killed  it. 

My  pets  generally  come  to  some  sad  end.  The 
merriest  I  ever  had  was  a  squirrel,  of  which  I 
sent  you  a  little  picture.  He'  was  a  very  hand- 
some fellow,  and  used  to  tumble  head-over-heels 
by  the  half-hour  together,  as  if  he  had  been 
taught  to  turn  a  whirl-a-gig;  but  it  was  pure 
fun  on  his  part.  I  kept  him  in  a  cage,  but  let 
him  out  now  and  then,  as  he  only  ran  up  and 
down  my  arms,  over  my  neck,  and  then  into  his 
cage  again.  Once  he  ran  away — a  large  bird  of 
the  Parrot  kind  was  put  into  his  cage,  and  he 
was  so  frightened,  that  he  jumped  out  over  the 
roof  of  a  house  below,  and  into  the  river,  in  a 

minute.     I  thought  he  was  lost,  but  Mr.  P 

got  into  a  boat  and  went  after  him;  and,  when 
he  was  tired  of  swimming,  he  ran  up  the  oar  into 
the  boat,  and  so  came  home  again.  Perhaps  this 


ANIMALS    OF    SARAWAK.  95 

little  trip  gave  him  a  taste  for  liberty ;  as,  soon 
after,  when  we  moved  to  our  new  house  on  the 
hill,  he  escaped  to  the  jungle,  and  I  never  saw 
him  again. 

After  the  squirrel  was  gone,  I  had  a  Malacca 
thrush,  a  bird  with  a  very  fine  voice,  who  learnt 
to  whistle  any  tune  it  was  taught.  It  could  ac- 
complish 'Highland  Laddie,'  and  part  of  'the  Bri- 
tish Grenadiers,'  before  it  died,  and  would  have 
sung  more,  if  I  could  have  whistled  to  it ;  but  I 
liked  its  natural  notes  best.  It  lived  on  grass- 
hoppers or  flies,  which  I  dare  say,  in  its  wild 
state,  it  caught  flying,  for  it  had  a  wide  mouth, 
rather  like  a  goat-sucker.  This  bird  is  common 
in  our  jungles:  the  Malays  call  it  Burong  Boya, 
or  th$  alligator-bird,  and  tell  this  story  about  it. 
The  ancestors  of  the  Burong  Boya  owe  a  large 
debt  to  the  alligator;  and  every  year  the  alliga- 
tor comes,  and  asks  the  bird  to  pay  this  old  debt. 
Then  the  bird,  perching  itself  on  a  high  branch, 
shakes  its  wings  and  sings,  'How  can  I  pay  ?  I've 
nothing  but  my  feathers,  nothing  but  my  fea- 
thers :'  so  the  alligator  is  obliged  to  go  away  till 
next  year.  This  Malay  story  arises  from  the 
thrush  always  shaking  his  wings  when  he  is  in 
full  song.  Poor  Dick  died  just  before  I  left 


96  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

Sarawak  last  year.  My  school-children  were  very 
sorry ;  they  used  to  find  him  grasshoppers  in  the 
grass  about  the  house,  and  the  Rajah  used  to 
send  them  bottles  of  sugar  plums,  which  I  dealt 
out,  in  exchange  for  the  grasshoppers. 

The  birds  at  Sarawak  are  very  beautiful — 
bright  parroquets,  green  and  pink — pigeons  of 
many  varieties,  one  of  which  they  call  the 
wounded  heart,  because  it  is  white,  with  a  rose 
coloured  stain  on  its  breast.  Little  delicate  doves 
of  sober  colours,  which  live  in  nutmeg  trees,  and 
are  therefore  called  nutmeg  doves,  are  very 
plentiful.  There  are  also  tiny  birds  with  long 
tongues,  who  eat  the  honey  from  the  flowers  like 
bees,  and  are  not  many  times  larger.  Some  of 
these  are  of  brilliant  colours.  The  boys  kill 
them  with  a  little  surnpitan  or  blow-pipe,  which 
throws  a  tiny  dart ;  for  they  are  easily  knocked 
down,  and  shot  would  spoil  their  plumage. 

There  are  beautiful  fire-back  pheasants,  often 
caught  in  the  snares  the  Malays  set  in  the  jungle 
—so  called  on  account  of  the  bright  flame  co- 
loured feathers  on  their  backs ;  and  the  cryptonix, 
or  jungle  partridge  is  a  pretty  bird,  the  male  a 
dark  purple  with  a  fine  red  crest  on  his  head, 
the  female  green  and  without  a  crest.  But  it 


ANIMALS   OF   SARAWAK.  97 

would  take  more  time  than  I  have  to  spare,  to 
describe  all  the  wonders  and  beauties,  which 
have  their  homes  in  our  woods ;  neither  could  I 
tell  you  the  names  of  many,  as  the  natives  have 
given  them  none.  I  had  for  some  time  a  little 
mouse  deer  (Plandok),  which  grew  tame  in  the 
chicken-house.  This  tiny  creature  is  smaller 
than  an  Italian  greyhound;  it  has  large  dark 
eyes,  like  all  the  gazelle  tribe,  and  its  legs  are  as 
thin  as  your  little  finger.  It  eats  the  buds  and 
flowers  of  the  Paga-shrub;  and  you  may  fancy 
how  small  and  delicate  a  creature  it  is,  when  I 
tell  you  that  it  died  in  consequence  of  a  chicken 
pecking  its  head.  There  are  much  larger  kinds 
of  deer  to  be  found  in  the  country — the  Kejang, 
or  roebuck,  and  the  Rusa,  a  fine  large  deer — but 
these  are  not  easily  tamed,  nor  often  met  with 
near  the  town.  Wild  pigs  abound. 

Sometimes  we  have  an  unwelcome  visitant  in 
a  cobra  snake,  whose  bite  is  certain  death;  but 
they  cannot  be  very  numerous,  as  I  have  not 
heard  of  one  person  being  bitten,  since  we  lived 
at  Sarawak.  When  we  first  occupied  our  present 
house,  the  ground  had  been  newly  cleared,  and 
the  snakes,  I  suppose,  missed  their  former  hiding 
places:  so  they  walked  into  the  house  to  look 

H 


98  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

for  them,  and  got  knocked  on  the  head  for  their 
pains. 

One  day  Papa  was  walking  up  the  hill  which 
led  to  the  church.  He  had  a  book  in  his  hand, 
and  was  reading  as  he  went  along,  when  suddenly 
he  heard  a  loud  hissing,  and,  looking  up,  saw 
one  of  these  black  cobras  standing  on  the  path 
before  him,  with  his  hood  puffed  out  (for  they 
inflate  a  hood  of  loose  skin  over  their  heads 
when  angry).  Papa  had  no  stick  in  his  hand, 
so  he  stood  still,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  snake, 
and  called  to  the  carpenters  at  work  in  the 
church  to  come  with  some  sharp  tools  to  his 
help,  which  they  did,  and  despatched  the  snake. 
But  I  think  Papa  owed  his  escape  to  his  presence 
of  mind;  for,  had  he  attempted  to  run  away, 
the  creature  would  have  darted  at  him.  There 
are  many  other  kinds  of  snakes ;  the  natives  are 
fond  of  telling  wonderful  stories  of  their  adven- 
tures with  them  in  the  jungle;  but  I  do  not 
believe  all  they  say.  No  doubt,  however,  there 
are  large  boa  constrictors  to  be  met  with  some- 
times. A  Malay  man,  whose  word  I  can  rely 
on,  once  told  me,  that  he  was  in  the  jungle  cut- 
ting wood,  and,  being  tired,  was  going  to  sit 
down  on  what  he  took  for  part  of  the  twisted 


ANIMALS   OF    SARAWAK.  99 

roots  of  a  great  tree ;  as  he  looked  at  it,  it  began 
to  move,  and  then  he  saw  it  was  a  huge  snake, 
partly  coiled  on  the  ground,  and  partly  up  the 
tree.  He  immediately  assailed  it  with  his  parang, 
and  cut  it  in  two;  it  was  quite  inert  and  stupid, 
for  inside  he  found  a  large  deer  which  it  had 
swallowed,  and  which  he  affirmed  to  be  as  large 
as  an  ox — as,  if  it  was  a  Rusa,  it  doubtless  was. 
One  more  creature  I  must  tell  you  about,  though 
my  paper  is"  nearly  full.  We  have,  as  in  all 
warm  countries,  plenty  of  lizards,  from  the  little 
Chic-chak,  which  runs  on  the  ceiling  catching 
mosquitoes,  and  sometimes  falls  down  plump  into 
your  plate  at  dinner,  leaving  his  tail  in  the  gravy, 
to  the  land  crocodile  or  iguana,  which  eats  the 
chickens  and  ducks  in  the  farm  yard.  When  we 
were  building  our  Mission  House,  a  certain  kind 
of  lizard,  called  a  Tokay,  got  into  the  roof 
between  the  timbers.  There  he  lived  and  made 
a  most  disagreeable  noise,  like  the  bark  of  a  little 
hoarse  dog.  He  settled  himself  over  the  library, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  read  or  think,  with  the 
creature  yapping  close  over  your  head ;  your  little 
brother  Harry  was  quite  frightened  at  a  noise 
for  which  he  could  see  no  living  cause.  At  last 
Papa  offered  two  dollars  to  any  one  who  would 

H  2 


100  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

kill  it,  and  the  carpenter  managed  to  shoot  it 
with  a  pistol.  It  was  rather  more  than  a  foot 
long,  of  a  dark  grey,  with  a  loose  skin ;  its  back 
was  arched  and  furnished  with  a  saw-like  edge, 
and  the  natives  say  it  bites  fiercely.  The  Sia- 
mese have  a  legend  about  the  Tokay.  They  say 
that  he  was  once  set  as  a  sentinel  to  guard  the 
gates  of  a  paradise,  belonging  to  one  of  their 
heroes,  named  Ismara.  Nontheak,  an  enemy  of 
Ismara,  taking  advantage  of  his  absence,  one  day 
presented  himself  at  the  gate;  there  he  found 
Tokay,  who  told  him  that  he  could  not  enter 
without  learning  certain  magic  words.  How- 
ever, Nontheak  flattered  and  threatened  the  lizard 
till  he  taught  him  the  magic  words;  and,  when 
Ismara  returned  to  his  paradise,  he  found  his 
enemy  in  possession.  He  managed  to  turn  him 
out,  being  the  more  powerful  of  the  two;  and 
then,  to  punish  the  lizard,  he  doomed  him  to 
a  perpetual  liver  complaint,  and  an  occasional 
visit  from  a  little  green  lizard,  who  was  to  run 
down  his  throat,  eat  up  his  heart  and  liver,  and 
run  out  again. 

What  child's  tales !  You  must  not  believe  them, 
Charley. 


LETTER    XL 

LITE   IN   THE    COURT   HOUSE. 

December,  1851. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

After  we  had  spent  a  week  at  the  Rajah's 
house,  on  our  first  landing  at  Sarawak,  the 
30th  June,  1848,  we  removed  to  the  Court 
House,  just  across  the  river.  This  house  was 
built  by  a  German  Missionary,  the  year  before. 
He  intended  to  have  a  day  school  in  the  rooms 
below,  and  to  live  in  the  upper  story;  but 
before  he  had  finished  the  house,  he  was 
recalled  to  Germany,  and  the  Rajah  converted 
his  school-rooms  into  a  Hall,  for  the  adminis- 
tration of  Justice,  and  allowed  us  to  live  in 
the  upper  rooms,  until  we  could  build  a  Mission 
House  on  the  land,  which  he  gave  us  for  the 
purpose.  In  the  Court-House,  therefore,  we  re- 
mained rather  more  than  a  year.  It  had,  like 
most  other  places,  its  pleasures  and  disagreeable 
points :  I  liked  it  for  being  in  the  town,  and  on 
the  river,  where  I  could  see  and  hear  all  that 


102  LETTERS  FROM   SARAWAK. 

went  on,  and,  even  at  night,  did  not  feel  lonely, 
as  the  fishermen  in  their  boats,  under  our  win- 
dows, kept  up  a  perpetual  talking.  We  were  so 
surrounded  by  the  Malays,  too,  who  were  always 
in  and  about  the  house,  that  we  had  better  oppor- 
tunities of  learning  their  language,  than  if  we 
had  lived  in  a  more  retired  spot.  The  first  step 
towards  gaining  influence  with  a  foreign  people 
is  to  become  acquainted  with  their  language, 
manners,  and  customs,  that  you  may  not  only 
know  how  to  talk  to  them,  but  may  avoid  offend- 
ing any  of  their  national  peculiarities.  Papa 
was  soon  at  home  with  the  Malays;  he  studied 
the  language  during  his  voyage  from  England, 
and  quickly  caught  the  pronunciation,  In  a 
little  room,  next  the  Hall  of  Justice,  he  had  a 
dispensary  for  medicine,  and  the  people  soon 
learnt  to  value  the  physic  and  medical  aid,  which 
was  there  given  to  them.  This  little  room  was 
often  crowded  with  patients  and  visitors ;  and  I, 
sitting  overhead,  could  hear  a  great  deal  of  talk- 
ing and  laughter  going  on  beneath.  Then  Papa 
would  bring  his  visitors  up  to  me,  to  hear  a  little 
music,  and  look  at  the  pictures  we  brought  from 
England  with  us,  especially  those  of  the  Queen 
and  Prince  Albert,  which  interested  them  exceed- 


LADIES   OF   SARAWAK.  103 

ingly;  but  they  were  rather  puzzled  to  under- 
stand how  Prince  Albert  could  be  the  Queen's 
husband  without  being  the  King. 

The  Malays  have  not  as  yet  learnt  to  give 
women  their  right  place  in  society.  They  are 
still  in  a  measure  their  slaves,  or  at  best  their 
dolls,  whom  they  like  to  see  handsomely  dressed, 
and  employed  in  embroidery  and  cooking.  Until 
I  went  to  live  at  Sarawak,  and  the  Rajah  en- 
couraged the  chief  men  of  the  place  to  allow 
their  wives  and  daughters  to  receive  European 
visitors,  they  were  scarcely  ever  seen  out  of  their 
own  apartments.  The  higher  their  rank,  the 
less  they  were  allowed  to  appear  in  public,  and, 
consequently,  they  were  as  silly  and  ignorant  as 
children,  and  did  not  consider  themselves  capable 
of  learning  anything.  They  are,  however,  not 
at  all  deficient  in  quickness  and  intelligence; 
many  of  them  can  read  and  write  Malay;  they 
weave  and  embroider  very  cleverly,  and  are  inge- 
nious confectioners.  I  think  they  would  gladly 
welcome  an  English  lady  who  would  visit  them 
in  their  homes,  and  teach  them  geography,  his- 
tory, and  general  knowledge,  music  and  singing ; 
these  they  would  like  to  learn :  and  the  respect 
with  which  they  listen  to  a  white  lady  would 


104  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

gain  their  attention  to  any  lessons  on  morality 
and  religion,  which  she  might  give  them.  I  have 
never  had  either  health  or  leisure  to  devote 
myself  to  the  Malay  ladies ;  yet  many  of  them 
are  my  friends,  and  pay  me  frequent  visits, 
often  following  my  advice,  with  a  docility  which 
surprises  me,  as  it  is  contrary  to  their  long-esta- 
blished superstitions  and  customs.  They  like  to 
visit  me  in  the  evening,  as  they  are  then  less 
seen  on  their  way  to  and  from  the  house.  Ac- 
cordingly the  head  of  the  family  enquires  the 
day  before  whether  he  may  bring  his  wife  to  see 
Mem  Padre.  Of  course  I  consent,  and  some- 
times have  the  magic  lantern  prepared  for  their 
amusement,  and  some  little  presents  of  orna- 
ments, needle-books,  or  work-bags,  ready  for 
them.  About  seven  o'clock  I  'see  a  long  pro- 
cession, by  torch-light,  approaching  the  house. 
They  generally  choose  moonlight  nights,  but  the 
torches  are  carried  partly  for  ceremony.  First, 
the  master  of  the  house  walks  in,  and  after  him 
come  his  wife,  and  his  children,  and  as  many  of 
her  relations,  dependents,  and  slaves,  as  can  be 
mustered  for  the  occasion.  There  are  often  as 
many  as  fifty  women,  all  drest  in  their  best,  or 
they  borrow  fine  garments  for  the  night.  Their 


LADIES    OF    SARAWAK.  105 

hair  is  decorated  with  white  or  yellow  flowers, 
which  they  pick  without  the  stalks,  and  string 
into  garlands  on  thread;  they  are  constantly 
arranging  their  dress  or  hair,  which  they  like  you 
to  admire  and  notice.  I  do  not  attempt  to  talk 
to  all  my  visitors.  The  Datu,  or  whoever  the 
husband  may  be,  introduces  his  wife  to  me,  and 
she  calls  the  slave  to  bring  the  children,  who  are 
always  carried  on  the  servants'  backs,  and  are 
generally  very  shy,  and  begin  to  cry,  till  I  give 
them  sweetmeats,  or  toys,  to  reassure  them. 
The  principal  women  sit  on  chairs,  and  the  rest 
on  the  floor,  which  is  their  usual  custom,  and 
therefore  more  comfortable  to  them.  Sometimes 
they  like  to  play  at  chess.  The  pieces  being 
arranged  on  the  board,  they  divide  themselves 
into  two  parties,  and  each  party  consults  together 
what  the  move  shall  be.  Their  game  very  nearly 
resembles  ours.  I  never  saw  them  lose  their 
temper  over  it,  yet  they  play  very  \vell,  and  like 
to  win.  Sometimes  they  ask  me  to  shew  them, 
on  the  terrestrial  globe,  where  England  is,  and 
Sarawak,  and  Mecca,  and  "  Room,"  as  they  call 
Constantinople.  This  is  the  extent  of  their 
geography.  They  generally  petition  me  for  soap, 
or  whatever  I  use  to  make  my  skin  white,  as 


106  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

they  would  like  to  be  fair  also.  I  assure  them 
that  God  made  our  skins  of  different  colours, 
and  that  their  dark  skin  is  quite  as  pretty  as 
mine;  but  I  generally  give  them  some  soap,  as  I 
should  like  them  to  learn  how  useful  it  is  for 
cleanliness. 

They  are  never  tired  of  hearing  me  sing  and 
play,  and  are  especially  amused  to  see  that  I  read 
the  music  from  a  book,  and  that  I  stop  if  they 
shut  it  up.  They  are  a  merry  set,  and  always 
make  me  wish  I  could  see  more  of  them,  and 
know  them  better  when  they  visit  me.  I  hope 
that  one  day  they  will  become  intelligent  wives 
and  mothers,  and  a  blessing  to  their  country. 
This  will  scarcely  be  while  the  men  buy  their 
wives  for  money,  and  are  allowed  to  have  more 
than  one.  I  cannot  say  that  this  is  very  common 
unless  a  man  is  rich ;  still  it  is  permitted  by  their 
religion  and  customs;  therefore  the  wife  does 
not  feel  herself  the  friend  and  companion  of  her 
husband,  but  his  property  and  household  furni- 
ture. Our  Datu  Patinghi,  or  head  magistrate, 
has  two  wives:  they  have  separate  houses  and 
establishments,  which  he  often  complains  of,  as  a 
heavy  expense  to  him.  One  of  these  wives  is 
said  to  be  the  favourite.  After  the  Rajah  had 


SCHOOL.  107 

built  himself  a  wooden  Bungalow,  the  Datu  had 
a  new  house  built,  in  imitation  of  the  Rajah's, 
for  this  wife,  Mina.  Then  the  other  wife  and  her 
daughter  Fatima  said  to  the  Datu,  "  We  must 
also  have  a  new  wooden  house  like  Mina's,  why 
should  she  be  better  off  than  we  are?"  "I 
cannot  afford,"  said  the  Datu,  "  to  build  two 
new  houses:  my  purse  is  empty;  you  must  wait 
until  it  is  refilled."  "  No,  no !  we  will  not  wait; 
we  will  give  you  no  peace  till  you  begin  a  new 
house  for  us.  See,  we  will  take  a  parang,  and 
chop  down  a  post  of  this  old  tumble-down  house 
every  day;  then  in  time  it  will  fall,  and  you 
must  give  us  another."  So  the  Datu,  shrugging 
up  his  shoulders  at  the  expense  and  trouble  of 
having  two  wives,  was  forced  to  build  another 
wooden  house;  but  he  now  always  recommends 
the  Malays  to  be  content  with  one  wife. 

While  we  lived  at  the  Court-House,  Papa  esta- 
blished a  day-school  for  the  Malays,  where  I 
used  to  go  for  two  hours  in  the  morning  to  teach 
any  girls  or  women  who  presented  themselves, 
while  a  schoolmaster  in  another  room  taught  the 
boys  and  men.  Sometimes  there  were  a  good 
many  scholars,  sometimes  scarcely  any;  the 
women  liked  to  bring  their  bajus,  and  sew, 


108  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

chatting  to  me  meanwhile;  but  I  soon  found 
that  the  poorest  and  least  respectable  women 
came,  and  that  it  was  mere  curiosity  on  their 
part  to  see  the  English  Mem,  by  which  I  did  not 
gain  in  the  opinion  of  the  better  sort,  so  I  gave 
up  the  women's  department.  At  this  time,  how- 
ever, we  took  four  little  orphan  children,  two 
boys  and  two  girls,  to  live  with  us,  and  they 
were  my  constant  scholars.  They  were  baptized 
by  Papa  on  Advent  Sunday,  1848.  Peter  was 
the  eldest,  five  years  old;  Mary  and  Julia,  five 
and  four ;  Tommy,  two  and  a  half.  They  were 
very  pleased  to  have  pretty  new  frocks,  and  sit 
by  me  in  church  that  day  on  a  cushion  on  the 
floor.  "  What  beautiful  praying  dresses  these 
are,"  said  Julia,  when  she  saw  them  making. 
They  soon  learnt  their  letters :  I  used  to  take  a 
picture  alphabet  to  school,  and,  strewing  some 
letters  on  the  floor,  say,  "  Who  will  bring  me 
A,  B,"  etc. ;  so  they  all  ran  and  looked  for  them. 
One  Sunday,  little  Tommy,  sitting  by  me  in 
church  arid  peeping  over  my  book,  called  out, 
"  Ah  there's  great  A  " — however  they  were  very 
good  and  quiet  during  the  service.  Of  course 
they  knew  nothing  when  they  first  came  to  us : 
I  had  to  teach  them  that  God  made  them  and  all 


MALAY   CHILDREN.  109 

things.  One  day  I  took  them  some  pine  apple 
tartlets,  saying,  "  Who  was  so  kind  as  to  make 
these  tarts  for  my  children?"  Little  Mary  look- 
ing very  grave,  said,  "  Perhaps  God  in  heaven;" 
but  they  soon  knew  better  than  this.  We  after- 
wards took  another  boy,  a  little  older,  whose 
father  was  a  Portuguese,  his  mother  a  Malay. 
Dominick  was  the  boy's  name,  his  age  about 
seven.  I  asked  him  how  old  he  was  the  day  he 
came,  and  he  answered,  "  About  a  hundred." 
To  these  children  were  soon  added  little  Dyak 
Polly,  the  Sarebas  baby  I  told  you  of,  and  a  little 
Malay  boy,  son  of  Pangeran  Dout,  a  Malay 
nobleman,  who  had  fallen  into  poverty  from  his 
habit  of  gambling;  and  having  more  children 
than  he  knew  how  to  feed,  was  glad  to  give  me 
one.  John  Dout  was  a  pretty  child  with  a 
round  moon-like  face  and  fine  black  eyes ;  he  had 
a  sweet  voice  and  good  ear  for  music,  so  that 
when  I  taught  the  children  to  sing  hymns  and 
little  songs,  John  was  always  the  leader.  It 
was  a  great  pleasure  to  these  children  to  sit  of 
an  evening  on  the  steps  of  the  verandah,  and 
sing  "  Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star,"  as  the  sky 
darkened  and  the  stars  peeped  out  one  by  one. 
But  all  this  was  later  than  when  we  lived  in 


110  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

the  Court  House.  I  must  go  back  to  that  time, 
to  tell  you  how  Papa  had  the  jungle  cleared  from 
the  hill  on  which  our  Mission  House  was  to  be 
built,  and  then  the  top  of  the  hill  levelled  for 
the  foundation.  Malays  and  Chinese  were  the 
labourers ;  but  the  Chinese,  although  they  worked 
harder  than  the  Malays,  liked  to  do  it  their  own 
way.  They  could  not  be  persuaded  to  make  use 
of  wheelbarrows,  but  carried  the  earth  from  the 
hill  in  little  baskets  slung  over  their  shoulders; 
and  as  these  baskets  hold  not  a  quarter  as  much 
as  a  wheelbarrow,  and  they  had  to  carry  the 
earth  some  distance,  their  work  was  very  slow. 
Nevertheless,  in  time  the  foundation  was  ready. 
Meanwhile,  the  timbers  were  squared  and  fitted 
by  the  Chinese  carpenters,  in  a  field  near  the 
Court  House.  A  wooden  house  is  joiners'  work : 
all  the  great  sleepers,  as  they  call  the  foundation 
timbers,  are  fitted  into  one  another,  and  the  posts 
stand  in  them  like  the  bottom  and  posts  of  a 
great  bed ;  so  that  all  the  skeleton  of  the  house 
can  be  made,  and  laid  by  ready,  and  set  up  so 
quickly,  that  it  seems  to  rise  out  of  the  earth 
like  a  fairy  palace.  Every  evening  I  and  my 
children  used  to  walk  up  the  hill  to  see  how  the 
house  progressed;  we  sat  down  on  the  great 


VIEW   FKOM   THE    HILL. 


Ill 


timbers,  and  drew  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  on 
the  glistening  white  sand,  which  covered  the  hill. 
Sometimes  we  took  flowers,  seeds,  and  cuttings 
of  roses,  and  jessamines,  or  young  fruit  trees, 
and  planted  about  the  house,  that  they  might 
grow  to  a  good  size  by  the  time  the  building  was 
finished.  The  view  is  so  lovely  from  thence ;  the 
winding  river;  the  busy  town,  the  pretty  English 
Bungalows,  with  their  fine  back-ground  of 
jungle  trees,  and  the  blue  mountains  on  either 
side,  make  as  pleasant  a  medley  of  nature's  re- 
pose and  man's  activity  as  can  well  be  fancied. 


LETTER  XII. 

THE   MISSION   HOUSE    AND    CHURCH. 

January,  1852. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

The  first  week  in  August,  1848,  our  new 
house  on  the  hill,  "  College  Hill "  as  we  called 
it,  was  sufficiently  completed  for  us  to  remove 
there;  and  Sunday,  the  12th,  we  had  divine  ser- 
vice in  our  large  dining-hall,  instead  of  in  the 
lower  room  of  the  Court  House.  A  wide  stair- 
case outside  the  front  of  the  house,  with  a  pretty 
little  porch  at  the  top,  leads  to  this  hall.  Over 
the  porch  hangs  a  great  bell,  which  rings  at  cer- 
tain hours  of  the  day  to  set  us  all  to  our  various 
employments;  it  calls  the  Malays  to  their  work 
at  six;  the  Chinese  at  seven;  at  eleven  it  rings 
for  their  two  hours  to  rest ;  at  one  that  they  may 
begin  work  again;  at  five  to  say  that  work  is 
over  for  the  day.  At  one  time,  when  we  had  no 
longer  workmen  in  our  employ,  I  thought  the 
bell,  and  our  ears  too,  might  have  a  little  rest 
from  its  frequent  ding-dong,  but  the  townspeople 


DYAK   HOSTAGES.  113 

petitioned  it  might  go  on  as  usual,  for  they  were 
so  accustomed  to  time  their  hours  by  it,  that 
they  should  feel  quite  at  a  loss  without  it. 

While  we  were  removing  to  the  Mission  House, 
the  Rajah,  and  nearly  all  the  English  were  away 
on  the  expedition  up  the  pirate  rivers,  which  I 
told  you  about  some  time  ago.  On  the  24th  of 
August,  however,  they  returned,  and  a  great 
rejoicing  took  place;  our  house  was  filled  in 
every  corner  with  officers  from  the  ships  of  war, 
who  enjoyed  a  few  nights  on  shore,  and  espe- 
cially on  our  cool  breezy  hill. 

On  the  evening  of  the  26th,  six  Dyak  women 
who  had  been  made  captives,  and  were  kept  and 
brought  to  Sarawak,  as  hostages  for  their  hus- 
bands' good  behaviour,  arrived,  and  the  Rajah 
asked  me  to  take  care  of  them;  he  wished  to 
shew  them  how  differently  Christian  people  treat 
their  prisoners  to  what  pirates  do,  consequently 
these  poor  women  were  astonished  to  receive  new 
clothes,  and  plenty  of  good  food,  and  anything 
they  desired.  There  were  several  children  with 
them,  and  I  tried  hard  to  persuade  them  to  give 
me  these  little  girls  to  bring  up,  but  they  would 
not  hear  of  such  a  thing.  In  vain  I  displayed  a 
pretty  pink  frock  and  white  cap,  which  should 


114  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

belong  to  the  little  girl  who  would  come  to  school ; 
I  do  not  know  whether  they  took  me  for  an 
ogress,  but  at  last  they  went  to  the  Rajah,  and 
made  him  promise  them  I  should  not  have  the 
children.  I  was  glad  to  see  how  fond  they  were 
of  their  little  ones,  though  they  little  knew  the 
blessings  they  refused  for  them.  These  women 
were  sent  back  to  their  country  when  the  Sare- 
bas  and  Sakarran  people  submitted,  laden  with 
presents,  except  one,  who  chose  to  marry  a  China- 
man and  settle  at  Sarawak. 

As  soon  as  we  had  removed  to  College  Hill 
Papa  began  to  build  the  church.  On  the  28th 
of  August  the  summit  of  the  next  rising  ground, 
near  the  house,  having  been  cleared  and  levelled, 
a  large  shed  was  built  over  the  ground,  which 
the  "  Albatross "  sailors  and  our  workmen 
adorned  with  gay  flags  and  green  boughs.  The 
Rajah  walked  there  from  our  house,  dressed  in 
full  uniform,  as  Governor  of  Labuan;  then 
came  Papa,  the  English  residents,  the  .Naval 
officers,  and  a  number  of  Malays  and  Chinese,  to 
witness  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  first  great 
block  of  wood  in  the  foundation  of  the  Church 
of  St.  Thomas,  Sarawak.  A  little  hollow  place 
in  the  block  had  some  silver  coins  put  into  it, 


CHURCH   AT    SARAWAK.  115 

and  your  brother  Harry  added  a  new  silver  four- 
pence  his  aunt  Sophy  had  sent  him ;  then,  after 
some  prayers  had  been  read  by  Papa,  the  Rajah 
lowered  the  wooden  block  into  its  place,  and  we 
all  returned  home.  From  that  day  the  church 
began  to  rise  out  of  the  earth  with  the  same 
seeming  magic  as  the  house  had  done,  for  the 
great  timbers  were  already  prepared.  It  was 
most  interesting  to  us — every  arch,  every  mould- 
ing, each  pillar  in  that  church,  was  a  subject  of 
thought  and  discussion.  ,  I  had  to  draw  sketches 
of  every  part,  and  Papa  often  to  make  models  of 
them  for  the  Chinese  carpenters,  before  they 
could  understand.  We  had  a  German  overseer 
for  the  Chinese ;  he  was  ship  carpenter  in  the 
Mary  Louisa,  and  followed  us  to  Sarawak,  when 
she  was  wrecked,  because  he  hoped  Papa  would 
employ  him  for  the  house  and  church,  which  in- 
deed we  were  very  glad  to  do. 

When  we  were  at  Singapore  during  the  winter 
of  1849,  Papa  had  a  pulpit  and  reading-desk, 
chairs,  and  a  painted  glass  east  window,  made 
with  the  cross  of  the  Sarawak  flag,  deep  blue 
and  red,  on  a  yellow  ground,  for  the  centre  light. 
These  pleased  the  Malays ;  indeed  they  admire 
our  house  and  church  immensely,  and  always 

i  2 


116 


LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 


assure  us,  as  do  the  Dyaks  also,  that  they  know 
we  could  not  have  built  either,  unless  spirits,  or 
genii  (antoos),  had  helped  us.  Well,  God  gave 
"wisdom  and  understanding  to  Bezaleel  and 
Aholiab,  and  every  wise-hearted  man  "  among 
the  Jews  when  the  tabernacle  was  to  be  made ; 
and  so,  doubtless,  it  is  His  good  Spirit  which  in- 
spires men  with  all  knowledge,  and  the  skill  of 
the  craftsman,  for  "  every  good  and  perfect  gift 
comes  from  above."  The  baptismal  font  in  our 


CHURCH    AND    MISSION    HOUSE,    SARAWAK. 

church  is,  I  think,  particularly  pretty.  It  is  a 
very  large  white  shell ;  so  large  that  a  baby  could 
be  dipped  into  it  if  need  be.  It  stands  on  a 


CHINESE.  117 

wooden  pedestal,  which  I  meant  should  be  carved 
like  a  branch  of  coral,  but  the  carpenters  could 
not  manage  it,  so  it  is  only  a  fluted  column;  but 
it  was  Papa's  idea  to  put  old  father  ocean  to 
contribution.  The  church  was  not  finished  until 
January,  1851,  when  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta 
paid  us  a  visit,  and  consecrated  it ;  but  a  great 
many  events  happened  in  the  meanwhile. 

In  August,  1850,  there  was  a  war  at  Sambas, 
between  the  Chinese,  who  were  friendly  to  the 
Dutch,  and  who  were  settled  at  Penankat,  and  the 
Montrado  Chinese  (with  the  Dyaks  of  the  country, 
to  help  them,)  who  rebelled  against  the  Dutch 
Government.  The  Montrados  beat  the  Penankat 
Chinese,  and  they  fled  from  the  place,  carrying 
with  them  their  wives  and  children,  and  what- 
ever goods  and  property  they  could  cram  into 
their  boats.  The  boats  were  overladen,  and 
many  of  them  perished  at  sea,  but  some  reached 
Tanjong  Datu.  On  the  26th  of  August,  400  of 
these  poor  creatures  arrived  at  Sarawak,  saying 
there  were  3000  more  starving  on  the  sands  at 
Datu,  who  would  follow  as  soon  as  they  could ; 
and,  in  course  of  time,  most  of  them  did  find 
their  way  up  the  river,  though  Papa  and  the 
magistrates  in  charge  of  the  government  at 


118  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

Sarawak,  did  their  best  to  persuade  them  to 
make  a  town  at  Santubong,  the  entrance  of  the 
Sarawak  river,  and  settle  there;  but  the  gold 
workings  up  the  river  were  too  great  a  tempta- 
tion to  them,  and  every  day  brought  boats,  full 
of  Chinamen,  into  the  place.  Our  Rajah  fed 
these  poor  people  for  months  with  rice,  and  gave 
them  tools  that  they  might  clear  the  ground,  and 
make  gardens  in  the  jungle.  At  first,  before 
they  could  build  themselves  houses,  the  whole 
place  seemed  upset  by  them,  many  lived  in  their 
boats,  every  shed  and  workshop  in  the  town  was 
full.  One  night  Papa  walked  into  the  church, 
then  unfinished,  to  see  that  all  was  safe  there, 
for  it  was  a  great  temptation  to  these  poor  people 
to  steal  the  planks,  which  were  piled  ready  for 
building.  All  was  quiet ;  but,  by  a  stray  moon- 
beam, Papa  perceived  that  the  boarded  east  end 
of  the  church  was  full  of  mosquito  curtains,  and 
they  as  full  of  sleeping  Chinamen.  Such  a 
thing  could  not  be  allowed — nails  knocked  into 
the  polished  walls,  to  tie  the  curtains  to;  tobacco 
perfuming  the  place,  sirih  juice  squirted  about, 
to  say  nothing  of  a  considerable  allowance  of 
bugs,  which  Chinese  people  always  carry  about 
with  them.  Papa  jumped  straight  into  the 


INFLUX   OF   CHINESE.  119 

middle  of  the  canvass  curtains,  with  a  shout, 
and,  amidst  a  hubbub  of  Chinese  tongues,  yaw, 
yaw,  and  laughter,  bundled  them  all  out  into 
the  workmen's  shed,  close  by,  where  they  could 
sleep  safely  amongst  the  shavings,  and  do  no 
damage.  Even  walking  in  the  main  strait  of  the 
town,  at  that  time,  I  have  seen  mosquito  curtains 
set  out  in  the  open  air,  so  full  to  overflowing 
were  the  houses.  Of  course  amongst  such  a 
number  of  people,  who  had  undergone  so  many 
hardships,  there  was  a  great  deal  of  sickness. 
Papa  had  so  many  patients  that  he  asked  the 
Rajah  to  build  a  hospital,  which  he  did,  a  tem- 
porary place  at  first,  and  afterwards  the  upper 
part  of  the  fort  was  appropriated  to  this  purpose. 
Our  good  Rajah  supplies  all  the  medicines  for 
the  inmates  of  the  hospital,  as  well  as  for  all  the 
sick  in  the  place;  he  allows  them  food,  and  a 
servant  to  wait  on  them ;  Papa  is  their  doctor, 
and  teaches  the  missionaries  to  assist  him.  The 
first  day  the  hospital  was  opened  twenty  beds 
were  occupied.  It  will  hold  twenty-eight,  and 
these  have  all  been  filled  sometimes.  It  occurred 
to  Papa,  when  all  these  Chinese  strangers  came 
to  Sarawak,  that  some  of  them  would  be  glad  to 
have  their  children  brought  up  with  our  seven 


120  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

little  orphans.  He  went  therefore  to  Aboo,  the 
Chinese  magistrate,  and  offered  to  take  ten  chil- 
dren into  our  house,  to  be  brought  up  as  Chris- 
tian children,  baptized  and  educated  for  ten 
years. 

The  Chinese  know  something  of  the  value  of 
education,  and  were  very  glad  to  give  them  to 
us.  I  shall  never  forget  sitting  in  the  porch  one 
morning  to  receive  my  new  family.  Often  neither 
parents  nor  children  could  speak  any  Malay; 
they  walked  up  the  steps  leading  a  little  boy  or 
girl,  nodded  and  smiled  at  me,  then  put  the 
child's  hand  into  mine,  as  much  as  to  say  "  there 
take  it;"  then  I  called  one  of  my  Chinese  ser- 
vants who  could  interpret  to  me  in  Malay,  and 
made  him  tell  the  Papa  and  Mama  what  I  would 
do  for  their  child,  and  how,  if  I  took  it,  it  must 
be  really  mine,  until  it  was  grown  up.  In  this 
way  we  took  Sunfoon,  and  Salion,  Chinzu,  Quy- 
fat,  Assin,  Unique,  Achim,  boys;  Achong,  Mok- 
moy,  Poingzu,  girls.  None  of  them  could  speak 
any  language  except  Chinese.  When  they  came 
to  us  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  Chinese  servant 
always  with  them,  to  tell  us  what  they  said  and 
wanted.  Then  the  Chinese  tailor,  and  Elizabeth 
and  I,  were  all  busy  making  them  new  clothes 


SCHOOL    AT    SARAWAK.  121 

and  mosquito  curtains.  In  the  course  of  a  week 
they  were  all  clean  and  neat— their  heads  nicely 
shaved,  with  their  long  tail  of  hair  plaited 
smoothly  behind,  and  tied  with  red  and  black 
silk;  wide  blue  cotton  trousers  fastened  round 
their  waists;  and  blue  jackets,  adorned  down  the 
front  and  at  the  wrist  with  little  ball  brass 
buttons.  The  girls  dressed  just  like  the  boys, 
except  that  their  jackets  reached  to  the  knee. 

On  Sunday  they  had  white  jackets  to  wear  at 
church,  and  every  evening  to  walk  out  in,  and 
round  wide  straw  hats  fastened  under  the  chin, 
with  a  string  of  beads,  the  colour  of  which  tells 
which  child  it  belongs  to.  These  ten  children 
soon  learnt  to  talk  Malay:  then  we  took  five 
more,  and  after  that,  one  now  and  then,  until  our 
school  numbered  twenty-seven  with  our  seven 
little  orphans.  I  scarcely  think  twenty-seven 
English  children  would  have  been  so  soon  and 
easily  reduced  to  order  as  our  little  foreigners ; 
their  ages  varied  from  eighteen  months  to  twelve 
years;  only  six  were  girls,  yet  they  were  docile 
and  obedient,  and  followed  each  other  like  a  flock 
of  sheep.  And  now  I  will  tell  you  how  my 
children  spend  their  day — they  rise  at  half-past 
five,  which  is  as  soon  as  the  day  dawns :  the  little 


122  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

boys,  with  their  towels  and  soap  in  their  hands, 
go  down  to  a  little  stream,  about  a  hundred 
yards  below  the  house  in  the  jungle,  and  bathe. 
They  have  a  servant  with  them,  who  sees  that 
they  wash  themselves  properly.  The  little  girls 
bathe  in  Elizabeth's  bath-room  in  the  house. 
Then  the  great  boys  run  to  church,  and,  when 
the  bell  in  the  porch  gives  them  notice,  they 
ring  the  church  bell  for  early  service.  It  goes 
for  ten  minutes ;  and  then,  all  the  rest  of  the 
children  having  eaten  a  great  slice  of  cold  rice 
pudding  for  their  early  breakfast,  attend  the 
short  morning  service.  It  takes  about  twenty 
minutes,  when  they  sometimes  have  a  walk,  if  I 
am  with  them,  and  the  morning  is  not  too  hot ; 
but  more  often  they  return  home,  and  sit  down 
to  learn  their  lessons.  By  seven  o'clock  there  is 
quite  a  buzzing  of  conning  lessons  down  stairs  at 
the  long  table  of  the  school-room,  which  goes  on 
till  half-past  eight,  when  the  cook  brings  in  an 
immense  red  earthern  jar  of  boiled  rice,  and 
another  smaller  jar  of  fish,  and  vegetables  cur- 
ried; a  pile  of  plates  and  spoons,  and  little  tin 
mugs  and  a  teapot.  The  books  are  all  cleared 
away,  and  two  boys  (they  all  take  it  by  turns), 
set  the  breakfast,  the  plates  and  spoons  all  down 


MEALS   OF   THE   SCHOOL.  123 

the  table,  and  the  tin  mugs,  and  the  children  in 
their  places  before  them.  Elizabeth  then  comes 
in,  and  the  two  boys  bring  her  the  plates  to  be 
filled  with  rice,  and  have  a  proper  quantity  of 
curry  juice,  fish,  and  vegetables  put  over  it.  No 
one  begins  till  all  are  served,  then  they  sing  a 
grace — "  We  thank  the  Lord  who  gives  us  food, 
and  all  things  else  we  have  of  good."  A  great 
clatter  of  spoons  follows,  and  there  used  to  be  a 
great  deal  of  talking,  until  I  made  a  point  of 
going  down  when  I  heard  the  grace  sung,  and 
sitting  at  the  head  of  the  table,  when,  if  any 
little  tongue  began,  I  took  up  the  plate,  and 
threatened  to  remove  it;  once  or  twice  I  really 
took  it  away,  and  they  soon  learnt  that  a  good 
breakfast  was  better  than  empty  talk. 

When  all  have  finished  they  repeat  a  thanks- 
giving grace,  the  fragments  are  collected  on  one 
plate  for  the  dogs,  and  two  boys  sweep  the  room 
out  for  school.  From  ten  to  one  they  are  at 
lessons;  the  three  eldest  girls  come  up  to  me, 
the  boys  and  little  ones  have  an  English  school- 
master, and  two  Chinese  masters,  to  teach  them 
English  and  Chinese  reading,  writing,  arithmetic, 
and  geography.  At  one  they  have  some  more 
rice  pudding  and  a  little  play.  From  two  to 


124  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

four  lessons  again,  and  the  girls  sewing;  half- 
past  four  dinner,  which  is  a  repetition  of  the 
breakfast,  only  that  they  have  sometimes  fowls 
or  pork  curried,  and  sometimes  eggs;  at  five 
they  go  to  church  for  afternoon  service,  and, 
when  that  is  over,  I  give  them  a  singing  lesson 
to  the  harmonium,  which  they  like  very  much ; 
they  have  learnt  many  simple  chants  and  hymns, 
and  sing  in  good  tune,  now  they  have  learnt 
some  time,  but  the  Chinese  are  not  a  musical 
people.  The  lesson  over  they  take  a  walk  two 
and  two  in  the  public  road,  and  when  they  meet 
the  Rajah  or  Captain  Brooke,  off  go  all  the  hats, 
and  they  all  cry  out,  "  Good  evening,  Sir." 
The  Rajah  takes  the  kindest  interest  in  these 
children :  he  always  stops  to  speak  to  them,  and 
sometimes  he  comes  to  the  house  to  hear  them 
sing;  at  others  he  sends  for  them  all  to  come 
across  the  river  to  his  house,  and  gives  them  a 
feast  of  fruit  and  cakes,  and  lets  them  play  in 
his  garden ;  he  is  constantly  making  presents  to 
the  school,  and  gives  the  children  all  the  rice 
they  eat,  which  is  not  a  little. 

On  Sundays  the  children  put  on  their  best 
clothes,  they  leam  their  catechism  in  Malay  and 
Chinese,  and  English  hymns.  After  morning 


SCHOOL-HOURS.  125 

church  they  have  a  luncheon  of  cakes,  made  of 
rice  flour,  and  cocoa-nut,  and  sugar,  and  often 
fruit,  pine  apples  and  plantains;  then  they  come 
up  to  me,  and  I  let  them  have  picture  books  to 
look  at  in  the  verandah  and  dining-hall.  Their 
dinner  is  always  curried  fowls,  which  they  like 
best,  and  they  have  a  long  walk  in  the  evening 
after  Malay  service  is  over  in  church.  At  half- 
past  seven  they  all  stand  round  Elizabeth,  and 
sing  the  Evening  Hymn,  then  they  kneel  down, 
and  the  Chinese  children  say  the  Lord's  Prayer 
in  Chinese,  the  Malay  children  repeat  the  same 
in  Malay :  then  altogether  they  say  a  little  prayer 
I  taught  them  in  English.  The  little  ones  then 
go  to  bed,  and  the  eldest  boys  soon  follow;  the 
little  boys  sleep  in  one  long  room,  with  a  row  of 
little  beds  in  it,  the  eldest  boys  in  a  smaller  room, 
the  girls  in  a  room  out  of  Elizabeth's,  on  a  great 
platform,  made  into  a  tent,  by  a  mosquito  cur- 
tain, and  the  youngest  in  a  little  crib  beside  it. 
What  peace  reigns  in  the  house  when  they  are 
all  asleep. 


LETTER  XIIT. 

THE    CHINESE    AT   SAKAWAK. 

February  1852. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

After  all  I  told  you  about  our  family  of 
twenty-seven  children,  in  my  last  letter,  you  will 
see  that  ours  is  a  busy  household.  There  is  not 
much  inducement  to  lie  in  bed  in  the  morning, 
in  a  climate  where  the  early  hours  are  the  fresh- 
est, most  cheerful  part  of  the  day :  consequently 
we  rise,  not  with  the  lark,  for  larks  we  have 
none,  but  with  the  wawas  and  wood  pigeons, 
whose  soft  voices  are  heard  with  the  dawn,  and, 
after  a  cup  of  tea,  we  go  to  church.  Our  short 
service  over  the  bell  rings  again  to  call  the 
Chinese  congregation.  When  I  left  Sarawak 
there  were  twenty  Chinese  adult  converts  bap- 
tized, and  received  into  our  Church.  I  think 
their  attention  was  first  turned  to  Christianity 
by  their  children  being  taken  into  our  school ; 
then  Papa  sent  for  a  Christian  Chinese  teacher 
for  the  school,  from  Penang,  and  twice  a  week  in 
the  village,  and  twice  a  week  at  the  hospital, 
gave  public  instruction  to  any  Chinese  who  came 


CHINESE.  127 

to  hear  Ayoon  translating  into  Chinese  what 
Papa  said  in  English  or  Malay.  When  Mr.  Fox 
came  from  Calcutta  to  help  Papa  these  lectures 
fell  to  his  share,  and  he  is  learning  Chinese,  that 
he  may  be  more  independent  of  Ayoon's  transla- 
tion. Soon  after  this  a  learned  Chinese  came 
from  Sarebas,  to  set  up  a  scho.ol  at  Sarawak. 
Papa  engaged  him  to  teach  our  children  Chinese 
reading  and  writing,  and  employed  him  also  to 
help  Ayoon  to  translate  some  prayers  into  Chi- 
nese for  our  Christians.  This  led  to  many  con- 
versations with  Singsong,  as  he  is  called,  which 
ended  in  his  desiring  to  be  a  Christian  himself, 
and  having  his  two  little  children  baptized,  and 
his  wife  instructed  in  Christianity. 

Our  Chinese  converts  increased,  arid  their 
heathen  neighbours  began  to  mock  at  them, 
which  is  generally  a  good  sign  that  the  Devil  is 
angry  at  not  having  all  his  own  way.  At  that 
time  Papa  was  very  lame  with  rheumatism  in 
his  knee,  and  was  obliged  to  use  crutches ;  the 
Chinese  carpenters  told  one  of  their  Christian 
companions  that  it  was  a  punishment  inflicted 
upon  Mr.  M'Dougall  by  the  Chinese  gods,  for 
interfering  with  their  religion.  "  He  is  no  longer 
a  man,"  said  they,  "  but  obliged  to  go  on  four 
legs,  like  a  beast." 


128  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

The  Chinese  religion  is  not  very  well  under- 
stood by  the  people  at  Sarawak.  They  think 
there  is  a  Great  God,  "  Lord  of  Heaven,"  who, 
having  made  the  world,  takes  no  further  notice 
of  it.  But  there  are  inferior  deities,  and  evil 
spirits  innumerable;  they  also  worship  their  an- 
cestors, and  once  a  year  make  a  great  feast, 
which  they  spread  out  of  doors  before  the  Joss- 
house  (place  of  worship),  and  a  number  of  gar- 
ments cut  out  of  coloured  paper,  trousers  and 
jackets,  which  they  present  to  the  ghosts  of  their 
forefathers,  to  wear  till  the  day  comes  round 
again ;  I  have  often  asked  how  it  was  that  the 
ghosts  never  came  either  to  eat  the  feast  or 
claim  the  paper  clothes,  although  they  were  called 
by  a  stunning  noise  of  gongs  and  drums,  and  a 
kind  of  clashing  cymbal,  which  is  deafening  to 
mortal  ear.  "  Well,  they  do  not  come,  so  we  eat 
the  feast  ourselves."  This,  I  suspect,  is  the  rea- 
son why  it  is  still  offered.  The  dishes  are  most 
curious — sucking  pigs  baked  and  standing  in  the 
dish  on  their  four  legs,  with  a  lime  in  their 
mouths;  fowls  and  ducks  roasted,  and  their 
feathers  stuck  on  again,  placed  in  every  imagin- 
able attitude.  The  Chinese  in  reality  worship 
their  stomachs,  or,  as  a  man  once  said  to  me, 


CHINESE   FESTIVALS.  129 

"  their  God  likes  to  see  them  eat."  One  curious 
notion  they  have,  which  shows  their  consciences 
are  still  awake.  In  every  house  stands  an  altar 
— a  table  gaily  decorated  with  coloured  paper, 
and  tinsel,  and  on  which  perfumed  sticks  are 
burnt  every  day,  and  prayers  offered.  A  god, 
they  say,  on  this  altar  listens  to,  and  records,  all 
that  is  done  in  the  house,  and  just  before  the 
new  year  he  goes  up  to  give  his  account  to  a 
greater  Deity  in  heaven;  he  stays  some  days 
away,  and  if  the  Chinese  think  that  he  has  not 
returned  on  the  right  day,  they  call  him  with 
their  noisy  music,  and,  taking  a  little  image  of 
him  into  the  street,  they  throw  dirt  at  it,  and 
abuse  him  for  neglecting  his  duties. 

The  new  year  is  the  grand  festival  of  the 
Chinese,  it  falls  in  February.  They  are  obliged 
to  pay  up  all  their  debts  on  that  day,  and  so 
great  is  the  disgrace  incurred,  if  they  do  not, 
that  they  sometimes  take  a  strange  way  of  doing 
it,  by  breaking  into  other  people's  hpuses,  and 
committing  most  daring  robberies;  so  as  the 
debts  are  paid,  it  matters  not  where  the  money 
comes  from.  The  English  at  Singapore,  where 
the  Chinese  are  numerous,  are  obliged  to  be  very 
watchful  over  their  property  about  the  time  of 

K 


130  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

the  new  year.  A  lady  there  told  me,  that  as 
she  was  sitting  in  her  drawing-room  one  morn- 
ing, a  Chinaman  walked  in,  took  the  French 
clock  off  the  side  table,  tucked  it  under  his  arm, 
and  walked  out  again.  She  was  so  astonished  at 
his  audacity,  and  the  quickness  with  which  he 
did  it,  that  before  she  could  call  to  the  servants, 
thief  and  clock  had  both  vanished  out  of  the 
compound,  and  she  never  saw  them  again.  They 
are  clever  thieves ;  a  natural  cool  impudence  and 
great  ingenuity  fits  them  for  this  accomplishment. 

The  last  time  I  was  at  Singapore,  the  Chinese 
of  the  place  built  a  new  Joss-house,  and  con- 
secrated it  by  a  wonderful  procession,  which  cost 
them  40,000  dollars,  nearly  £9000.  I  believe 
there  was  not  a  poor  Chinaman,  however  low 
his  wages,  or  wretched  his  condition,  who  did 
not  subscribe  towards  it. 

The  procession  was  at  night,  by  torchlight, 
and  passed  all  through  the  town.  I  sat  outside 
the  shop  of  one  of  the  principal  Chinese  mer- 
chants, with  many  other  ladies,  and  saw  it  to 
advantage,  for,  out  of  respect  to  this  merchant, 
every  curious  or  beautiful  thing  made  a  pause 
before  his  door.  It  took  two  hours  walking  past, 
and  was  a  complete  masquerade;  birds,  beasts, 
fishes,  butterflies,  and  flowers,  were  all  repre- 


-    CHINESE   PROCESSION.  131 

sented ;  some  as  lamps,  most  delicately  made  and 
painted,  some  alive  and  in  motion.  The  most 
striking  was  an  enormous  sea-serpent,  ingeniously 
contrived  by  drapery  thrown  over  cushions ;  un- 
der each  cushion  walked  a  man,  concealed  by  the 
hanging  cloth,  who  managed  to  move  the  cushion, 
so  as  to  resemble  the  spinal  bone  of  an  immense 
serpent  undulating  in  mid-air;  the  head,  with 
huge  open  jaws,  and  a  great  red  tongue  lolling 
out,  was  carried  by  a  man  who  flourished  it  from 
side  to  side  of  the  crowded  street,  as  if  it  would 
devour  the  bystanders,  while  another  man  walk- 
ing backwards,  held  a  long  spear,  with  which  he 
pretended  to  attack  the  monster,  and  deter  him 
in  every  dash  he  made  at  the  populace.  This 
serpent  extended  the  whole  length  [of  two  long 
streets,  and  was  the  most  striking  feature  of  the 
procession.  There  was  also  a  monster  elephant, 
but  not  so  well  made.  Numbers  of  young  chil- 
dren, dressed  in  the  richest  costumes,  and  with 
their  faces  painted,  acted  pantomimes  on  stages 
carried  by  porters,  some  were  on  horseback.  No 
one  could  explain  this  procession  to  me,  but  I 
think  all  the  ranks  and  grades  in  China,  and  every 
profession  and  calling,  down  to  the  humblest 
water-carrier,  was  there  represented  as  taking 
K  2 


132  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

part  in  the  homage  to  the  god  of  the  new  Joss- 
house.  There  were  Mandarins  of  all  sorts  of 
buttons,  designating  their  various  ranks;  military 
and  civil  officers,  trades,  manufacturers,  and  ar- 
tizans,  fine  ladies  and  poor  women,  and  even  mad 
people  and  idiots  imitated  by  the  most  clever 
pantomime.  The  embroidered  banners  were 
beautiful  pieces  of  work;  indeed,  the  procession 
must  have  cost  the  labour  of  months,  as  well  as 
the  outlay  of  a  great  sum  of  money.  When  will 
our  English  people  show  such  an  unanimous  zeal 
for  their  religion?  When  will  all  ranks  and 
classes  of  men,  high  and  low,  join  together  to  do 
homage  to  the  God  who  pours  His  benefits  upon 
them  ?  When  they  all  know  and  feel  that  their 
happiness  and  peace  of  mind  in  this  world  de- 
pends upon  their  consecrating  all  they  have  to 
God's  service.  There  is  no  station  in  life  so 
high  that  it  is  not  ennobled  by  devotion  to  God, 
nor  any  so  mean,  that  He  will  not  accept  its  con- 
secration to  Him.  I  thought  so  when  I  saw  the 
barbers,  the  carpenters,  the  water-carriers,  and 
lamp-lighters,  in  the  procession  of  the  Singapore 
Joss :  yet  it  must  be  a  great  change  for  a  China- 
man to  give  up  this  gaudy,  noisy,  sensual  reli- 
gion, for  the  heart-worship  of  Christianity.  It 
is  delightful  to  see  our  poor  Chinese  coming 


DYAK   CHINESE.  133 

twice  a  day,  after  morning  and  evening  service, 
to  say  their  prayers  in  church.  On  Sunday, 
besides  the  usual  prayers,  they  have  a  lecture  on 
the  gospel  for  the  day,  or  some  portion  of  scrip- 
ture from  Papa,  translated  into  Chinese  by  Sing- 
song, sentence  by  sentence. 

The  population  in  China  is  so  numerous  that 
the  men  are  obliged  to  emigrate  in  large  numbers 
to  other  countries ;  it  is,  however,  contrary  to 
the  law  of  the  land,  that  any  woman  should 
accompany  them ;  so  the  poorest  men  leave  their 
wives,  to  make  their  fortunes  elsewhere,  hoping 
always  to  return  some  day  to  their  families,  and 
meanwhile  sending  all  the  gold  they  acquire  to 
their  mother  country.  But  though  this  is  gene- 
rally the  plan,  there  are  exceptions.  The  Chi- 
nese who  originally  settled  in  the  Dutch  territo- 
ries of  Borneo  married  Dyak  women,  and  their 
children  again  grew  up  and  married  Chinese, 
until  there  is  a  sturdy  race  of  Dyak-Chinese  in 
the  country.  Many  of  these  people  are  now 
settled  at  Sarawak,  and,  as  they  are  very  indus- 
trious, being  the  gardeners,  carpenters,  and 
smiths  of  the  place,  we  are  very  anxious  that 
they  should  become  Christians,  and  carry  the 
good  news  of  the  gospel  with  them,  should  they 
ever  return  to  their  own  country. 


134  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

There  are  now  three  clergymen  besides  Papa 
at  Sarawak,  or  rather  one  resides  there,  and  the 
other  two  are  teaching  the  Dyaks  at  Lundu  and 
Linga ;  so  that  Papa  can  often  leave  the  place 
for  a  time,  and  visit  the  Dyaks  up  different 
rivers,  without  the  church  services  or  duties  at 
Kuching  being  stopped,  during  his  absence,  on 
these  occasions.  Papa  takes  a  medicine  chest 
well  stored,  with  him,  a  box  of  tobacco,  and 
various  presents  for  his  wild  friends ;  a  few  pairs 
of  spectacles^  generally,  among  the  number;  for 
they  think  so  much  of  the  Englishman's  eye 
physic  —  indeed,  the  difficulty  is  to  persuade 
them  that  there  is  any  illness  Papa  cannot  cure 
if  he  tries.  I  have  often  heard  him  say  to  old 
people,  whose  sight  is  gone  from  age,  or  who,  for 
the  same  reason,  are  cramped  with  rheumatism, 
"  Your  ailment  is  age,  I  cannot  cure  it."  "  Very 
true,"  say  they ;  "  but  God  will  let  you  make  us 
better  if  you  try." 

I  am  now  going  to  send  you  in  the  next  few 
letters  extracts  from  Papa's  Journal,  during  a 
month's  excursion  he  took,  with  Captain  Brooke, 
up  the  Sakarran  and  Rejang  rivers.  Papa  was 
ill  and  lame  at  the  time,  but  he  thought  the 
change  of  air  would  do  him  good,  and  that, 
meanwhile,  he  .could  be  doing  good  to  others. 


RESTRAINTS   ON  THE   PIRATES.  135 

He  had  a  large  boat,  paddled  by  thirty  men,  and 
a  little  room  built  in  it,  shaped  like  a  tent,  and 
painted  blue  and  white.  This  room  just  held  a 
little  couch,  for  Papa  to  lie  on,  and  his  clothes 
and  stores.  The  expedition  was  undertaken  to 
make  peace  between  certain  principal  Dyak  tribes 
who  had  long  been  at  war,  and  to  build  a  fort  on 
the  Rejang  river,  similar  to  the  one  at  Sakarran, 
where  an  Englishman,  Mr.  Steel,  and  some  Malays 
were  to  live,  and  prevent  the  neighbouring  tribes 
from  going  past  with  pirate  fleets.  These  rivers 
do  not  belong  to  our  Rajah,  as  do  the  rivers  of 
Sarawak,  Lundu,  and  Samarahan.  But,  by 
means  of  his  great  influence  with  the  natives, 
and  the  wholesome  fear  of  an  English  steamer, 
he  has  hitherto  been  able,  since  the  last  punish- 
ment at  Sarebas,  to  restrain  these  people  from 
piracy,  and  induce  the  well-disposed  amongst 
them  to  assist  him  in  so  doing.  These  expedi- 
tions, the  building  of  forts,  and  storing  them 
with  arms  and  ammunition,  is  a  great  expense  to 
the  Rajah;  but  he  has  always  devoted  himself 
and  all  he  has  to  the  good  of  those  within  his 
influence,  and  would  think  himself  richly  re- 
warded for  all  his  outlay,  if  he  could  see  these 
wild  people  laying  aside  their  fierce,  bad  habits, 


136  LETTEES   FROM   SARAWAK. 

and  becoming  as  happy  and  peaceful  as  his  own 
subjects  at  Sarawak. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1851,  Captain  Brooke, 
the  Rajah's  nephew,  and  representative  in  his 
absence,  accompanied  by  Mr.  St.  John  and  Papa, 
set  off  for  Sakarran,  on  their  way  to  the  Rejang, 
and  two  of  the  Malay  Datus,  in  their  large  war- 
boats,  went  also.  Captain  Brooke  was  in  the 
"  Jolly  Bachelor,"  the  Rajah's  gun  boat.  Papa 
in  the  Layang  (Swallow) ;  there  was  also  a  cook- 
ing-boat, under  the  command  of  Cassim,  a  Malay. 
The  little  fleet  only  got  part  of  the  way  down 
the  river  the  first  day.  They  stopped  at  a  vil- 
lage to  have  the  sides  of  their  boats  raised,  by 
the  addition  of  attaps,  or  mats  made  from  the 
Nepa  Palm,  which  grows  all  along  the  banks  of 
the  rivers,  near  their  mouths,  where  the  salt  tide 
comes  up  from  the  sea.  We  will  leave  them 
there  while  I  tell  you  all  the  uses  this  palm  is  to 
the  natives.  The  leaves  make  the  thatch  of 
their  houses,  and  also  the  walls,  when  they  are 
sewn  together  with  split  rattans.  From  the 
juice  of  the  tree  they  make  a  fermented  drink, 
something  like  sweet  beer,  and  also  good  brown 
sugar.  The  young  shoots  are  eaten  in  curries 
and  salads.  The  fruit  makes  a  good  preserve  and 
pickle.  But  the  most  valuable  production  of  a 


KEPA-SALT.  137 

Nepa  Palm  to  a  Dyak  is  the  salt  they  make  from 
the  ashes  of  the  leaves :  to  obtain  this  they  first 
burn  the  leaves  and  stem  of  the  tree,  and  care- 
fully wash  the  burnt  ashes  in  water;  this  water 
is  then  boiled  until  it  is  evaporated,  and  the  salt 
it  has  washed  out  of  the  Nepa  leaves  remains  at 
the  bottom  of  the  pot.  It  is  nasty  black-looking 
stuff,  and  has  a  bitter  taste,  but  the  Dyaks 
esteem  it  far  superior  to  bright  white  sea-salt, 
and  will  pay  a  great  price  for  it.  If  you  ask 
them  why  they  like  it,  they  say,  "  it  is  a  fat  salt." 
Papa  visited  an  establishment  for  the  making  of 
this  salt,  at  a  village  called  Sibow,  on  the  Rejang 
river. 


LETTER  XIV. 

JOURNAL   OF   A   TRIP  UP   THE    REJANG. 

March,  1852. 

MY  DARLING  BOY, 

Papa's  boat  was  so  deeply  laden,  and  the 
sea  so  high  outside  the  mouth  of  the  Sarawak, 
that  he  determined  to  remove  to  the  Jolly 
Bachelor,  until  they  were  in  still  water  again. 
So  they  ran  out  to  sea,  and  a  fine  wind  carried 
them  into  the  Batang  Lupar,  a  beautiful  river, 
which,  fifteen  miles  from  the  mouth,  is  four 
miles  across,  with  pretty  wooded  islands,  standing 
here  and  there  in  the  deep  stream.  Just  before 
they  anchored,  seven  bold  pigs  swam  by,  crossing 
the  river.  These  pigs  live  in  great  numbers  in 
the  jungle,  and  think  nothing  of  a  swim  of  four 
miles  to  the  places  where  they  know  there  are 
trees  laden  with  ripe  fruit.  Papa  says,  "  About 
sunset  a  sow  and  family  of  wild  pigs  passed  us; 
we  jumped  into  a  boat  and  gave  chase:  hard 
work  we  had  of  it,  with  five  fellows  paddling,  to 
come  up  to  them,  they  swim  so  very  fast.  We 
speared  and  sabred  six,  one  an  enormous  brute. 


SEKVICE  IN   THE   BOATS.  139 

The  Lingas  say,  that  within  these  last  two  months 
they  have  taken  three  hundred  pigs."  They  cer- 
tainly are  a  different  species  from  the  Indian  hog 
or  European  boar:  they  have  enormous  heads, 
and  are  capital  jumpers;  I  have  known  them  at 
Sarawak  leap  a  fence  nearly  six  feet  high :  they 
stand  high  on  their  legs,  and  the  males  are  very 
shaggy  on  the  head  and  neck :  some  are  black, 
and  some  are  white. 

At  Linga  they  anchored  about  sunset,  and 
found  Mr.  Brereton  and  a  party  of  Sakarrans, 
who  were  come  on  purpose  to  agree  with  the 
Lingas  about  their  treaty  of  peace.  The  next 
day  was  Sunday.  Papa  had  service  on  board  the 
"  Jolly,"  and  preached  to  his  little  congregation 
of  five  Englishmen.  The  Sakarran  chief,  Gila 
Brani,  and  many  of  his  followers  sat  on  deck, 
watching  in  respectful  silence  the  progress  of  the 
service ;  they  were  much  struck  with  Papa's  cas- 
sock, and  the  responses  made  by  the  English. 
Papa  adds,  "  I  am  sure  our  daily  prayers  and 
services,  while  on  these  excursions  in  our  boats, 
which  are  necessarily  in  public,  have  a  great  and 
good  effect  upon  ourselves  and  upon  the  native 
mind;  and  I  am  most  thankful  that  all  our  Eng- 
lish, at  Sarawak,  are  always  ready  to  join  and 
assist  in  them. 


140  LETTERS   PROM    SARAWAK. 

"  Last  night  I  had  one  of  those  remarkable 
escapes  which  have  once  and  again,  in  the  course 
of  my  life,  plainly  shewn  the  preserving  hand  of 
my  Heavenly  Father  in  saving  me  from  death. 
I  came  upon  deck  about  one  in  the  morning,  and 
was  sitting  over  the  stern  enjoying  the  moonlight, 
and  watching  the  rushing  of  the  fearfully  rapid 
tide,  when  the  crutch  of  the  boom,  to  which  I 
was  trusting  for  support,  gave  way,  and  over  the 
stern  1  went,  expecting  to  be  carried  under  the 
boats  and  drowned.  Though  a  good  swimmer,  I 
should  have  had  very  little  chance  in  such  a  race 
of  water;  while,  had  I  managed  to  escape  that 
danger,  I  might  have  been  taken  by  Some  shark 
or  alligator,  with  which  the  river  abounds.  I 
had  seen  a  large  shark  swimming  round  us  that 
morning  during  service.  But  God,  in  His  mercy, 
ordered  better  for  me ;  the  swing  of  the  vessel, 
at  the  moment  I  fell,  brought  the  dingy  or 
schooner's  boat,  which,  a  few  minutes  before,  was 
distant  the  whole  length  of  its  painter  or  rope, 
close  under  the  stern,  so  that  I  fell  across  her 
bows,  and  received  no  injury  except  a  bruise  on 
the  arm  from  the  keel  on  which  I  fell,  and  by 
which  I  hauled  myself  into  the  boat.  *  Praise 
the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  His 
benefits;  who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruc- 


JARS    OF   PEACE.  141 

tion ;  and  crowneth  thee  with  mercy  and  loving- 
kindness.'  ' 

The  fleet  had  to  wait  in  the  Linga  river  for 
several  days,  until  the  Balow  Dyaks  could  fetch 
the  jars  they  meant  to  exchange  with  the  Sakar- 
rans  as  a  sign  of  peace.  I  do  not  remember 
having  told  you  anything  about  these  jars.  Every 
Dyak  tribe  possesses  some,  according  to  their 
riches  and  importance.  They  are  large  brown 
coloured  jars,  with  handles  at  the  sides,  and 
sometimes  figures  of  dragons  on  them.  No  one 
would  suppose,  from  their  appearance,  that  they 
were  worth  more  than  the  common  earthen  water- 
pots  we  use  in  our  bath-houses,  but  to  the  Dyaks 
they  have  the  value  of  remote  antiquity.  They 
say  their  ancestors  bequeathed  them  to  them,  as 
the  property  of  the  tribe,  therefore  they  never 
part  with  them,  except  by  exchange  for  similar 
ones,  as  tokens  of  amity  with  other  tribes.  The 
Chinese  have  often  had  jars  made  so  closely  to 
imitate  them,  that  they  have  hoped  to  sell  them 
to  the  Dyaks  for  large  sums;  but  they  have 
never  yet  deceived  them.  They  detect  a  difference 
where  no  European  or  Chinese  eye  can,  and  at 
once  pronounce  them  of  no  value ;  yet  forty  dol- 
lars is  the  price  they  put  upon  their  least  esteemed 
tajoivs,  and  the  more  rare  ones  could  not  be  pur- 


142  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

chased  for  hundreds  of  dollars.  These  jars 
remind  me  of  a  story  of  a  little  Dyak  child,  who 
was  taken  prisoner  in  the  expedition  of  1849, 
against  the  Sarebas  pirates.  His  father  was 
killed,  and  the  boy,  who  was  about  eight  years 
old,  was  brought  to  the  Rajah.  For  several  days 
the  little  fellow  seemed  happy  in  his  captivity; 
but  then  he  begged  to  speak  to  the  "  Tuan  Rajah," 
and  told  him  confidentially  that  he  knew  a  place 
in  the  jungle  where  certain  valuable  tajows,  be- 
longing to  his  tribe,  were  secreted,  and,  if  he 
would  land  him  with  a  party  of  Malays,  he  would 
point  out  the  place.  The  Rajah  believed  the 
child,  the  jars  were  found,  and  taken  on  board 
the  boat ;  then  the  boy  again  went  to  the  Rajah, 
and  bursting  into  tears,  he  said,  "  I  have  given 
you  the  riches  of  my  tribe,  and  now  in  return, 
give  me  my  liberty,  set  me  doAvn  in  a  path  I  will 
shew  you  in  the  jungle,  give  me  some  food,  and 
in  two  days  I  shall  reach  my  home  and  find  my 
mother."  The  Rajah  answered,  "  My  poor  child, 
I  would  willingly  do  as  you  ask  me,  but  I  fear 
you  will  be  lost  in  the  jungle,  and  will  die  before 
you  reach  your  home ;  for  how  can  such  a  child 
as  you  know  the  way  ?  "  However,  the  boy  per- 
sisted, and  the  Rajah  gave  him  whatever  he 
wished  for — a  china  cup,  a  glass  tumbler,  a  gay 


TAILED-MEN.  143 

sarong,  and  some  food,  and  the  little  fellow 
set  off,  on  the  jungle  path,  with  his  bundle 
on  his  back,  joyful  enough;  and,  as  we  after- 
wards heard,  rejoined  his  mother  and  friends  in 
safety. 

Now  some  more  of  Papa's  Journal.  "  While 
at  breakfast  this  morning,  one  of  the  men  told 
me  he  had  seen  the  people  with  tails,  who  are  so 
much  the  objects  of  curiosity  with  us.  They  live 
fifteen  days  up  a  river  in  the  interior  of  Bruni 
(a  Malay  or  Dyak  always  measures  distances  by 
so  many  days'  journey,  as  we  find  distances 
measured  in  the  Old  Testament).  It  is  a  large 
river,  but  in  some  places  runs  through  caverns, 
where  they  can  only  pass  on  small  rafts.  He 
was  sent  there  by  Pangeran  Mumeem  to  get 
goats,  as  these  tailed  gentry  keep  a  great  many 
of  them.  He  says  their  tails  are  as  long  as  the 
two  lower  joints  of  his  middle  finger,  fleshy  and 
stiff.  They  must  be  very  inconvenient,  for  they 
are  obliged  either  to  sit  on  little  logs  of  wood 
made  on  purpose,  or  to  make  a  hole  in  the  earth 
to  accommodate  their  tails,  before  they  can  sit 
down.  These  people  do  not  eat  rice,  like  most 
Dyaks,  but  sago  cakes  baked  in  an  iron  pot.  In 
their  country,  he  says,  is  a  great  stone  fort,  with 
nine  large  iron  guns,  of  which  the  people  can 


144  LETTERS    FKOM    SARAWAK. 

give  no  account,  not  knowing  when  or  by  whom 
it  was  built. 

"  After  dinner,  when  the  men  sit  round  me, 
and  smoke  cigars  which  I  give  them,  they  soon 
enter  into  conversation;  without  this  sign  of 
friendship  and  good  will,  they  would  not  open 
their  mouths,  but  sit  round  like  mutes.  We 
spoke  a  good  deal  to-day  on  the  subject  of  re- 
ligion, the  difference  between  Christianity  and 
Mahometanism,  and  above  all,  the  absurdity  of 
their  repeating  the  Koran  like  so  many  parrots, 
without  understanding  one  word  of  what  they 
say,  and  the  real  irreverence  of  addressing  God 
in  words  they  do  not  understand,  and  in  which 
their  hearts  and  feelings  can  take  no  part.  They 
agreed  with  me,  that  it  would  be  desirable  to 
understand  God's  law  for  themselves,  and  not 
trust  merely  to  the  Hadjis,  who  are  often  as 
ignorant  as  they  are.  A  respectable  old  Bruni 
man,  in  speaking  of  the  separate  races  of  people, 
Avhite,  black,  and  yellow  men,  all  coming  from 
one  parent,  said  that  he  had  visited  a  tribe  of 
white  people,  who  lived  on  a  high  hill,  a  few  days 
in  the  interior  of  Bruni,  and  had  seen  them  many 
times ;  they  are  very  white,  the  women  beautiful, 
with  light  hair,  and  the  blue  veins  shewing  in 
their  skin.  The  men  wear  a  chawat  (waist  cloth) 


DYAK   FABLE.  145 

like  the  Dyaks ;  the  women,  a  long  black  robe, 
tight  at  the  waist  and  puffed  out  at  the  shoulders. 
The  tradition  of  their  origin,  which  he  learnt 
from  them,  is  as  follows : — A  long  time  a^o,  an 

'  O  O      7 

old  man,  who  lived  on  this  mountain,  lost  him- 
self in  the  jungle  at  the  foot  of  it,  and  at  night, 
being  tired  and  afraid  of  snakes  and  the  evil 
spirits  of  the  wood,  he  got  up  into  a  tree  and  fell 
asleep.  He  was  awoke  by  a  noise  of  ravishing 
music,  the  sweetest  gongs  and  chanangs  and 
voices,  over  his  head ;  the  music  came  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  place  where  he  was,  until  he  heard 
the  sound  of  those  sweet  voices  under  the  tree, 
and  looking  down,  he  beheld  a  large  clear  foun- 
tain opened  beneath  it,  and  seven  beautiful  white 
females  bathing.  They  were  all  of  different  sizes, 
like  fingers  on  a  man's  hand,  all  naked,  and  they 
sang  and  sported  in  the  moonlight.  He  watched 
them  a  long  time,  and  thought  how  much  he 
should  like  to  get  one  of  them  as  a  wife  for  his 
only  son ;  but  being  afraid  of  descending  amongst 
them,  he  made  a  noose  with  a  long  rattan,  lowered 
it  gently,  and  slipping  it  over  one  of  them,  drew 
her  up  into  the  tree.  She  cried  out,  and  all  the 
rest  disappeared  with  a  whirring  noise.  The 
girl  he  caught  was  very  young,  and  cried  sadly 

L 


146  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

because  she  had  no  clothes  on.  Nothing  would 
quiet  her,  until  he  rolled  her  in  his  chawat,  she 
was  then  still;  and  he  immediately  heard  the 
gongs  at  his  own  house,  which  he  had  thought 
was  a  long  way  off,  so  he  got  down  and  carried 
his  prize  home.  He  and  his  wife  took  the  greatest 
care  of  the  girl,  and  brought  her  up  as  a  daughter, 
until  she  was  old  enough  to  marry  their  son. 
She  was  very  good  and  sweet-tempered,  and 
everybody  loved  her.  In  course  of  time  she  had 
a  son,  white  like  herself.  One  day  her  husband 
was  in  a  very  violent  temper,  and  beat  her;  she 
besought  him  not  to  make  her  cry,  or  she  should 
be  taken  away  from  him  and  her  child,  but  he 
did  not  heed  her,  and  at  last  pulled  off  her  jacket 
to  beat  her;  immediately  another  jacket  was 
dropped  with  a  great  noise  from  the  sky  upon 
their  house;  she  put  it  on,  and  then  vanished 
upwards,  leaving  her  child,  who  was  the  ancestor 
of  the  present  tribe. — Who  would  have  thought 
of  a  Dyak  Undine  ?  " 

While  the  Malay  was  telling  Papa  this  story 
they  were  waiting  in  a  sheltered  nook  of  the 
Sakarran  river  for  the  bore  to  pass,  before  they 
dare  venture  up  to  the  fort.  They  listened  for 
its  rushing,  with  thrilling  interest,  and  then,  fol- 


CONFERENCE.  147 

\ 

lowing  in  its  wake,  got  up  to  the  fort  about 
eleven  o'clock  at  night.  "  Found,"  Papa  writes, 
"  Brereton  in  council  with  his  Dyaks.  These 
Sakarrans  are  fine  fellows,  and  will,  I  think, 
really  reform  when  peace  is  concluded,  and  if 
we  can  place  a  missionary  in  these  rivers,  good- 
will and  Christianity  may  be  established  among 
them." 

The  next  few  days  were  taken  up  with  hearing 
all  the  Sakarrans  and  Lingas  had  to  say  about 
their  claims  on  one  another.  They  had  long 
been  at  war;  and  six  years  before,  when  the 
Rajah  prevailed  on  them  to  make  peace,  they 
made  and  broke  it  the  same  day,  each  finding 
fault  with  the  other  on  the  occasion.  But  there 
could  be  no  comfort  for  either  tribe,  until  they 
left  off  taking  each  other's  heads;  the  Lingas, 
lying  lower  down  the  river,  could  cut  off  the 
Sakarran  trading  boats,  one  by  one,  and  the 
Lingas  dare  not  venture  up  the  river  for  the 
same  reason.  At  last  matters  were  arranged, . 
and  a  platform  being  made  under  a  spreading 
banyan  tree,  on  a  piece  of  neutral  ground,  Cap- 
tain Brooke  and  the  English  who  were  with  him, 
the  Malay  Datus  and  the  Dyak  chiefs  assembled 
there,  and  Captain  Brooke  made  a  speech  to 

L  2 


148  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

them  and  the  multitude  who  stood  around.     He 
described  the  evils  of  piracy  and  war,  and  said 
he  had  come   from   the  Rajah  to   make   them 
brothers,  and  that,  when  peace  was  made,  who- 
ever broke  it  should  be  accounted  the  enemy  of 
the  Rajah,  as  well  as  of  the  offended  tribe.     He 
then  presented  the  chief  of  each  tribe  with  a  jar 
a  spear,  and  a  Sarawak  flag,  as  a  present  from 
the  Sarawak  Government,  and  a  witness  of  their 
good-will  to  one  another.     Papa  adds :  "  Nothing 
could  be  more  picturesque  than  the  whole  scene, 
the  surface  of  the  river  dotted  all  over  with  the 
formidable,     sea-serpent-like     bangkongs,     gaily 
painted,  and  adorned  with  streamers  and  flags  of 
all  colours,  contrasting  with  the  solemn  jungle 
back-ground.     A  hopeful  sight  it  was  to  behold 
these  wild  children  of  nature,  to  whom  piracy 
and  war  has  been  hitherto  a  glory,  almost  a  vir- 
tue, throwing  aside  revenge  and  mutual  hatred, 
and,  against  all  their  customs  and  all  the  prompt- 
ings of  their  evil  natures,  listening  to  the  few 
words  of  the  Englishman,  and  then  determining 
to  live  henceforth  in  peace.    Gassim  and  Gila,  on 
the  part  of  Sakarran,  and  Tongat  Langit  (Staff 
of  heaven),  the  Linga  chief,  joined  hands,  and 
each  tribe  killed  a  pig  with  great  ceremony,  the 


VISIT   TO    A    CHIEF.  149 

necessary  feat  being  to  strike  the  head  off  at  one 
blow.  Then  they  feasted  and  rejoiced  together." 
"  Thursday,  April  24th.  Started  early  in  the 
morning  to  visit  Gassim,  at  his  farm-house,  where 
we  breakfasted.  Captain  Brooke  dispensed  pre- 
sents of  looking-glasses,  etc.,  to  the  women,  and 
I  physic  to  the  sick.  The  house  had  about 
twenty  doors  (which  means  that  twenty  families 
were  living  in  it),  and  all  the  people  look  well- 
fed  and  contented,  and  more  or  less  good-looking ; 
their  houses  clean  and  comfortable,  furnished 
with  beautiful  mats.  They  all  seem  well-off, 
easy,  independent  people,  frank  and  manly  in 
their  demeanour.  I  saw  no  heads,  but  I  did  not 
ask  for  any.  A  raised  seat  was  made  for  Cap- 
tain Brooke,  and  we  sat  round  it.  Gassim's 
house  must  be  seventy  or  eighty  miles  from  the 
sea.  The  river  here  is  about  as  wide  as  the 
Thames  at  Chertsey.  After  staying  as  long  as 
we  could,  on  account  of  the  tide,  the  people 
followed  us  down  to  the  boat,  expressing  their 
disappointment  at  our  leaving  so  soon.  The 
main  body  of  the  tribe  live  two  days  and  a  half 
higher  up  the  river.  Still  farther  in  the  interior 
are  a  race  of  men  who  build  no  houses,  but  live 
in  trees,  and  subsist  by  the  chase.  I  hope  to 


150  LETTEBS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

visit  them  some  day.  Both  Gassim  and  Gila,  on 
my  leaving,  represented  to  me  their  desire  of 
following  Tuan  Padre's  brother  (the  missionary 
who  was  promised  them) ;  when  he  came,  they 
said,  they  would  build  him  a  house,  and  take 
care  of  him,  and  make  their  children  and  people 
learn  what  he  would  teach  them.  On  our  way 
down  the  river  we  stopped  for  a  time  at  the  fort, 
then  bade  adieu  to  Willie  Brereton,  whom  may 
God  preserve,  and  give  a  right  judgment  in  all 
things  in  his  important  charge."  We  will  leave 
Papa  on  his  way  from  the  Sakarran  river  to  the 
Rejang,  where  we  shall  hope  to  follow  him  in 
our  next  letter. 


LETTER  XV. 

CONTINUATION  OF  THE  JOURNAL  OF  A  TRIP  UP 
THE   REJANG. 

April,  1852. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

Captain  Brooke,  and  his  little  fleet,  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Sakarran  river  into  the  Batang 
Lupar  again,  and  from  thence  to  the  Rejang,  a 
magnificent  river,  thirteen  fathoms  deep  close  to 
the  bank,  and  not  troubled  with  a  bore.  The 
boats'  crews  paddled  at  the  rate  of  from  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  miles  a  day;  and  they  were  four 
days  getting  as  far  as  the  Kenowit  river,  on  the 
banks  of  which,  at  its  junction  with  the  Rejang, 
the  new  fort  was  to  be  built.  Papa  describes 
the  scenery  of  the  Rejang,  during  these  four 
days,  as  follows : — 

"April  28th.  Brought  up  in  a  magnificent 
reach  of  the  river,  which  is  here  eighty  miles 
from  the  sea,  half  a  mile  broad,  and  very  deep 
up  to  the  banks;  wild  nutmegs  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  jungle  fruit-trees  grow  on  either  side,  and 
greatly  excite  my  men  as  we  pass  by.  They  are 
like  boys  in  England  coveting  apples,  and  when 


152  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

I  do  let  them  land,  they  yell  and  screech  for  joy. 
They  scramble  up  the  trees  like  monkeys,  and  in 
an  incredibly  short  time,  every  fruit-bearing 
bough  is  lopped  crff  by  the  parangs  of  the  climbers ; 
while  those  beneath  gather  the  fruit  as  it  comes 
down.  They  are  most  destructive  to  the  trees, 
and  rather  than  lose  an  inaccessible  morsel,  down 
comes  the  whole  tree  in  no  time.  They  brought 
me,  this  afternoon,  a  fruit  in  colour,  size,  and 
shape  like  an  Orleans  plum,  but  tasting  just  like 
a  mango — buahrowa  they  call  it,  and  another 
green  fruit,  with  a  thick  fleshy  skin,  tasting  like 
a  green  almond;  they  eat  both  skin  and  kernel, 
but  say  that  if  given  to  a  dog  or  cat,  it  kills  them. 
We  saw  some  beautiful  orchideous  and  other 
flowers  to-day,  indeed,  these  banks  are  enchant- 
ing. Earth,  water,  and  air  seem  to  have  com- 
bined together  to  bring  forth  the  greatest  variety 
of  the  grand,  elegant,  and  fantastic  in  form, 
fashion,  and  colour,  that  vegetable  nature  can 
produce;  from  the  finest  grasses  to  the  graceful 
waringa,  and  lordly  tapang  trees;  and  the  ear 
and  smell  are  as  much  pleased  as  the  sight,  by 
the  full  joyous  note  of  the  burong  boya,  and  the 
delicious  fragrance  of  the  flowering  trees  and 
plants." 

Again,  on  the  29th,  when  they  were  at  Sibow, 


SUGAR-CANES.  153 

the  Nepa  salt  manufactory — "  The  soil  here  and 
all  along  the  river  is  magnificent.  The  vegetables 
and  fruit  growing  in  the  gardens  at  this  place, 
which  have  no  culture,  but  are  left  entirely  to 
themselves  when  planted,  are  most  luxurious. 
A  man  in  the  next  boat  is  sucking  a  stick  of 
sugar-cane,  which  cannot  be  less  than  two  inches 
and  a  half  in  diameter.  There  could  not  be  a 
finer  country  for  growing  sugar  and  cotton."  Do 
you  know,  Charley,  we  Sarawak  folks  are  as  fond 
of  sucking  sugar-cane,  as  a  little  boy  I  know  is  of 
sugar-candy.  When  my  children  walk  out  of  an 
evening,  some  kind  Chinaman  often  cuts  them  a 
bundle  of  canes  to  take  home ;  then  we  cut  them 
into  short  lengths,  pare  the  skin  off,  and  sit  down 
to  our  feast,  which  I  confess  is  rather  a  mess, 
for  the  juice  runs  down  your  fingers  faster  than 
you  can  swallow  it,  and  all  the  stringy  texture  of 
the  cane  has  to  be  put  out  of  your  mouth  again : 
but  it  is  very  pleasant  and  refreshing  when  you 
are  thirsty. 

To  return  to  Papa.  "  The  whole  of  our  way 
to  day,  the  river  was  like  a  lake,  often  a  mile  or 
more  broad,  with  a  succession  of  beautiful  islands. 
Ships  of  the  largest  burden  might  sail  up  and 
down  this  river  for  more  than  one  hundred  miles, 
without  a  single  danger,  and  small  vessels  very 


154  LETTERS  FROM  SARAWAK. 

much  farther.    To  day  I  shot  a  beautiful  crested 
falcon. 

"  May  1st.  Arrived  at  Kenowit.  A  tribe  of 
Milanows  have  been  induced  to  corne  here  and 
settle  quite  lately  by  the  Rajah.  Within  the  last 
few  weeks  they  have  built  two  long  and  substan- 
tial houses,  raised  thirty  feet  from  the  ground, 
on  trunks  of  trees,  some  two  feet  in  diameter. 
There  are  in  all  sixty  doors  or  houses.  The 
tribe  furnishes  three  hundred  fighting  men,  and 
numbers  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand. 
The  bachelors,  as  with  the  Dyaks,  have  a  separate 
dwelling.  Tanee's  tribe,  who  are  returning  to 
Sibow  on  the  Rajah's  promise  of  a  fort  at  Ke- 
nowit, are  of  the  same  tribe,  and  number  about 
three  hundred  men.  They  speak  the  Milanow 
language,  and  have  the  same  customs  of  burial. 
The  men  and  some  of  the  women  are  tattooed  in 
the  most  complicated  and  grotesque  patterns. 
When  you  look  at  them  closely,  the  invention 
displayed  in  them  is  truly  remarkable ;  but  at  a 
distance,  they  give  a  dusky,  dingy  appearance  to 
the  men,  as  if  they  were  daubed  with  an  inky 
sponge.  Nature  having  denied  them  beards, 
they  try  to  make  up  for  the  deficiency  by  the 
quaintest  serpentine  curly  locks  tattooed  along 
their  faces,  and  always  bordered  by  a  vandyke 


KENOWIT   CHIEF.  155 

fringe,  which  must  task  their  utmost  ingenuity. 
The  common  dress  of  the  men  is  like  the  Dyaks ; 
but  instead  of  a  number  of  small  rings  in  their 
ears,  the  lobe  of  the  ear  is  itself  stretched  into  a 
ring,  so  as  in  many  cases  to  reach  the  shoulders, 
and  to  this  the  women  hang  large  heavy  brass  or 
tin  ornaments.  The  poor  little  infants'  faces  are 
horribly  distorted  by  the  discomfort  and  weight 
of  these  masses  of  metal,  which  they  are  obliged 
to  wear  at  the  earliest  age,  or  their  ears  would 
never  arrive  at  the  desirable  state  of  deformity 
so  much  admired  by  their  parents.  Tanee,  who 
has  followed  us  with  some  of  the  warriors  of  his 
tribe,  is  the  very  exquisite  of  a  Kenowit.  He  is 
made  like  a  Hercules,  and  is  proud  of  shewing 
his  strength  and  agility,  whenever  an  opportunity 
oifers.  He  piques  himself  upon  having  the  best 
sword,  of  fine  Kyan  make  and  native  metal,  and 
the  strongest  arm  in  his  tribe.  He  sits  most  of 
the  day  sharpening  one  or  another  of  these 
swords,  feeling  and  looking  along  its  edge,  to  see 
that  the  weapon  is  in  perfect  order,  then  to  prove 
it  he  seeks  for  a  suitable  block  of  wood,  as  thick 
as  his  arm,  severs  it  with  a  single  blow,  gives  a 
yell,  and  with  a  grin  of  delight  returns  the 
weapon  to  its  sheath.  His  jacket  is  of  scarlet 
satin,  his  long  hair  is  confined  by  a  gold  em- 


156  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

broidered  handkerchief;  his  chawat  is  of  fine 
white  cloth,  very  long,  and  richly  embroidered, 
the  ends  of  which  hang  down  to  his  knees.  He 
wears  behind  an  apron  of  panther's  skin,  trimmed 
with  red  cloth  and  alligator's  teeth,  and  other 
charms ;  this  hangs  from  his  loins  to  his  knees, 
and  always  affords  him  a  dry  seat.  Most  of  the 
Dyaks  here  wear  mat  aprons  of  like  sort ;  they 
say  they  are  a  great  comfort  in  paddling. 

Tanee's  boat  is  a  long  tamooee,  made  out  of 
one  tree,  like  out  river  canoes,  but  much  lighter 
and  faster.  His  cabin  is  a  raised  platform,  in 
the  centre  of  the  boat,  covered  with  a  mat,  which 
is  hung  all  round  with  weapons  and  trophies  of 
war,  Kyan  fighting  coats  of  bear  and  buffalo 
hides,  having  bead  or  shell  head-pieces  attached, 
shields,  and  spears,  all  gaily  decked  with  argus 
feathers,  or  human  hair  dyed  red."  All  the  time 
Papa  was  travelling  in  his  boat  from  one  Dyak  vil- 
lage to  another,  he  was  busily  employed  as  a  doctor. 
"  Had  a  young  man  brought  to  me,  with  a  deep 
cut  about  four  inches  above  his  ancle.  I  strapped 
and  bandaged  him,  and  he  appeared  very  grate- 
ful." Another  day,  "as  usual,  held  my  levee;  for, 
as  soon  as  the  people  see  I  am  up  and  have  bathed, 
without  waiting  for  me  to  dress,  they  come  with 
the  sick  and  ailing,  and  much  impede  the  pro- 


RELIGION.  157 

gress  of  my  toilet.  May  1st.  I  remained  in  my 
boat  most  of  the  day,  and  had  plenty  to  do  in 
administering  to  the  sick,  who  came  to  me  in 
boat- loads.  Finding  myself  so  beset  with  patients 
in  my  boat,  that  I  could  get  no  peace,  I  told  the 
chief  of  the  Kenowit  village,  Sikali,  that  he  might 
come  for  me  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  would  see 
the  sick  at  his  house.  Accordingly  I  went,  took 
my  medicine  chest,  and  had  an  afternoon's  hard 
work  at  dispensing. 

"  Sunday,  4th.  Brooke,  St.  John  and  I,  landed 
from  our  boats,  and  took  up  our  abode  at  Pala- 
bun's  house,  at  one  end  of  the  verandah.  After 
breakfast  I  physicked  the  people,  and  then  we 
had  the  morning  service,  much  to  the  surprise  of 
the  natives,  who,  however,  did  not  disturb  us. 
They  sit  round  us  all  day,  hearing  and  asking  us 
questions.  I  had  a  long  talk  with  Sikali  about 
religion.  It  is  plain  that  neither  he  nor  his 
people  have  any.  They  seem  to  be  a  mixed  race, 
between  the  Kyans  and  Milanows,  speaking  the 
Milanow  language,  and  using  the  dress,  arms, 
tattooing,  and  boats  of  the  Kyans. 

"  The  Kyans  of  the  interior  are  just  now  in 
great  dread  of  the  small  pox.  Cum  Nipa,  a 
great  Kyan  chief,  whom  we  hoped  to  visit  during 
this  excursion,  and  who  has  sent  messages  of 


158  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

friendship  and  presents  to  the  Rajah,  has,  we 
hear,  lost  two  of  his  children  by  this  fatal  disease ; 
and  he  and  his  tribe  have  left  their  houses,  and 
taken  to  the  jungle,  until  it  abates.  It  will  pro- 
bably kill  half  of  them."  Since  this  was  written, 
Papa  has  sent  vaccine  to  Mr.  Steel,  who  has  been 
in  charge  of  the  fort  at  Kenowit,  and  he  has  vac- 
cinated numbers  of  the  natives,  a  blessing  they 
can  well  appreciate,  for  the  terror  with  which  they 
regard  small  pox  makes  them  neglect  everything 
when  it  appears  amongst  them ;  their  crops  are 
unsown  or  unreaped,  their  occupations  discon- 
tinued, even  the  sick  are  neglected,  and  they  live 
on  what  roots  or  fruit  they  find  in  the  jungle, 
until  it  has  passed  away. 

"  Cum  Nipa's  people  live  much  further  up  the 
river;  they  say  it  would  take  us  six  days  to  get 
there  in  a  fast  Kyan  boat,  and  at  least  ten  in  our 
own,  as  there  is  a  heavy  fresh  down  the  river  at 
this  time.  The  river  there,  they  tell  us,  is  as 
large  as  the  Sarawak  at  Kuching.  The  Kyan 
houses  are  planked,  and  roofed  with  balean  attaps, 
and  have  raised  seats  of  polished  wood  round  the 
rooms ;  this  is  a  great  improvement  on  a  common 
Dyak  house,  with  mat  walls  and  open  lath  floors, 
on  which  you  must  sit  cross-legged.  Palabun's 
people  are  larger  than  the  Dyaks,  with  straighter 


RESPECT   TOWARDS   THE   RAJAH.  159 

hoses,  and  look  very  like  wild  Irishmen;  the 
women  have  peculiar  long  oval  eyes,  and  are  tall 
and  well  made,  but,  like  the  men,  dirty  and  dingy 
looking,  and  by  no  means  so  prepossessing  as  the 
sleek,  shiny  skinned,  upright,  agile  Sakarrans. 

"  Our  old  friend  Pa  Jenna,  the  Dyak  Orang 
Kaya  of  Poe,  who  was  kept  a  prisoner  at  Sara- 
wak, to  frighten  him  and  his  tribe  from  piracy, 
came  down  to  see  us;  he  has  evidently  a  great 
liking  for  us,  and  does  not  forget  that,  instead  of 
being  killed  for  a  pirate  when  he  was  taken  pri- 
soner, as  he  expected,  he  was  well  and  kindly 
treated  at  Sarawak.  This  has  had  a  very  good 
effect ;  he  has  now  the  greatest  confidence  in  us, 
and  says  he  will  follow  the  Rajah  in  all  things, 
and  gladly  learn  our  religion,  if  we  will  send 
some  one  to  teach  him,  as  he  and  his  people  know 
nothing  of  God." 

Pa  Jenna  paid  me  a  visit  at  Sarawak,  soon 
after  this.  The  Rajah  was  in  England,  but  Pa 
Jenna  coming  into  my  sitting  room,  immediately 
espied  his  picture  hanging  against  the  wall.  I 
was  much  struck  with  the  expression  of  involun- 
tary respect,  which  both  the  face  and  attitude  of 
this  untutored  savage  assumed  as  he»stood  before 
the  Rajah's  picture:  he  raised  the  handkerchief 
from  his  head,  and  saluting  the  picture  with  a 


160  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

bow,  such  as  a  Roman  Catholic  would  make  to 
his  patron  saint's  altar,  he  whispered  to  himself, 
1  Our  great  Rajah.'  This  is  not  the  only  time, 
Charley,  that  I  have  seen  how  deep,  in  the  hearts 
of  the  natives,  lie  love  and  reverence  for  Sir 
James  Brooke — the  least  occasion  calls  it  out. 

When  our  Rajah  last  left  us  to  spend  a  year 
in  England,  we  established  a  custom  of  invari- 
ably seasoning  our  glass  of  wine  after  dinner, 
with  a  wish  for  his  welfare  and  speedy  return  to 
us.  One  day  the  old  Orang  Kaya  of  Lundu 
came  in  with  his  followers  just  before  our  usual 
toast,  and  we  gave  him  a  glass  of  wine,  saying, 
"  To  the  Rajah  " — he  raised  the  glass  in  both 
hands,  "  Peace  to  our  Rajah,"  said  he — then, 
tossing  off  the  wine,  he  continued,  with  folded 
hands  and  bowed  head,  to  pray  that  "  God 
would  be  with  him  and  bless  him  in  all  his  ways." 
It  was  a  heartfelt  prayer  and  solemn  blessing  on 
one  who  had  indeed  been  his  friend  and  bene- 
factor, but  there  was  not  a  person  in  the  room 
nor  in  Sarawak  who  would  not  heartily  have 
said  "  Ainen." 


LETTER   XVI. 

THE   CONCLUSION   OF,  THE    JOURNAL   OF  A  TRIP   UP 
THE   REJANG. 

May,  1852. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

I  will  now  continue  Papa's  Journal. 
"  At  the  junction  of  Kenowit  with  the  Rejang  is 
a  point  of  land  commanding  both  rivers;  this 
was  the  building  site  for  the  fort  which  is  to 
prevent  the  Dyak  fleets  coming  down  the  Ke- 
nowit, for  piratical  excursions,  and  to  protect 
the  Kenowits  and  all  peaceable  traders.  The 
men  of  our  flotilla  of  twenty  boats,  from  seven 
to  eight  hundred,  have  all  landed  to  pull  down 
the  temporary  fort  already  erected  by  the  Ke- 
nowits, and  to  cut  wood  to  build  it  on  a  larger 
scale.  It  is  to  have  four  guns,  besides  swivels, 
on  the  turrets  or  parapet,  and  iq  to  contain  a 
house  within  for  Abong  Duraup,  the  present 
commandant,  our  Patinghi's  brother  and  his  men, 
and  a  powder  magazine.  It  is  to  be  built  chiefly 
of  balean,  and  roofed  with  balean  attaps.  Seriff 

M 


162  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

Messour  with  five  prahus,  came  from  Serrekei  to 
help  to  build  the  fort:  he  says  he  reads  the 
Malay  Bible  I  gave  him  last  year,  and  likes  it. 

Monday  5th.  Captain  Brooke  called  a  coun- 
cil to-day,  at  which  the  Orang  Kayas  that  had 
come  to  meet  us  were  present — Garingei,  Lang, 
Nawi,  Pa  Jenna,  Palabun  and  Sikali.  They  were 
told  that  the  fort  was  building  for  their  good,  to 
prevent  their  fighting  with  each  other,  or  going 
out  in  fleets  to  pirate,  but  now  they  could  trade  in 
safety,  get  their  salt  and  all  things  cheaper;  and 
if  they  lived  at  peace  and  encouraged  trade, 
they  would  become  rich  and  comfortable,  and 
their  countries  full  of  people.  In  the  afternoon 
there  was  a  great  commotion  in  the  house,  and 
all  the  women  set  up  the  most  dismal  howlings 
imaginable,  news  having  arrived  that  Palabun's 
brother,  who  had  left  two  years  ago  with  a  party 
of  fourteen,  to  visit  a  friendly  tribe  in  the  inte- 
rior, near  the  Pontianak  waters,  had  been  killed, 
with  six  of  his  companions,  in  a  most  treacherous 
way ;  the  people  that  he  and  these  six  men  lived 
with  asked  them  to  go  out  in  the  war  path  to 
take  some  heads,  and  while  they  were  out,  for 
whatever  reason,  they  killed  the  whole  party: 
perhaps  they  could  get  no  heads,  and  rather  than 


MOURNING   FOR   A   CHIEF.  163 

return  without  any,  took  those  of  their  friends ! 
or,  what  is  more  likely,  they  quarrelled  among 
themselves.  Palabun's  brother  is  said  to  have 
been  a  very  high-spirited,  brave  young  man. 
Palabun  himself  is  dreadfully  distressed  at  his 
death,  and  swears  vengeance,  but  we  hope  to 
pacify  him  before  we  leave.  The  whole  tribe 
goes  into  mourning  for  three  months ;  the  women 
cut  their  hair,  lay  aside  all  their  ornaments,  and 
wear  bark  clothes.  They  keep  up  their  howling 
also  during  that  time.  All  the  property  of  the 
deceased  is  collected  and  launched  forth  in  a 
boat,  no  one  of  the  tribe  daring  to  touch  any- 
thing that  belonged  to  a  dead  man. 

Tuesday  6th.  The  women  kept  up  dismal 
weepings  during  the  night.  In  the  morning  I 
went  to  see  the  young  chiefs  things  laid  out 
preparatory  to  their  being  sent  on  their  fruitless 
journey  after  him.  They  were  all  arranged 
under  a  canopy,  made  of  his  sarongs,  two  were 
of  rich  gold  cloth  (value  about  fifty  dollars  each), 
and  the  rest  of  his  wardrobe  was  disposed  under 
it,  so  as  to  represent  a  corpse  on  a  bier ;  the  gold 
ornaments  alone,  consisting  of  large  buttons,  a 
breastplate,  and  a  very  rich  and  handsome  kris 
handle  of  ancient  Javanese,  or  Indian  manufac- 
M  2 


164  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

ture,  representing  a  figure  of  Buddha,  cannot  be 
worth  less  than  two  hundred  dollars:  besides 
this  there  were  gongs  and  two  brass  guns.  Two 
women  were  lying  by  the  bier  on  either  side  the 
effigy,  and  the  father,  a  very  old  man,  sat  beside 
it  watching;  the  women  every  now  and  then 
raising  a  mournful  howl.  In  three  days  these 
things  will  be  launched  down  the  river  in  a  boat 
made  for  the  purpose,  and  if  any  one  were  known 
to  touch  it  he  would  be  slain.  If  the  body  had 
been  recovered,  it  would  have  been  launched 
with  its  former  property  in  the  boat.  This  is 
the  invariable  mode  of  burial  with  the  Milanows. 
The  general  fate  of  these  funeral  barks  is  to  get 
capsized,  when  the  things  all  go  to  the  bottom; 
but  should  a  Malay  happen  to  fall  in  with  such  a 
treasure,  he  would  not  scruple  to  appropriate  it, 
and  of  this  Palabun  was  doubtless  aware,  as  he 
took  care  not  to  send  away  Iris  brother's  property 
until  we  had  left  the  river. 

This  foolish  custom,  of  which  they  can  give  no 
account,  except  that  they  received  it  from  their 
fathers,  prevents  any  valuables  or  heir  looms  re- 
maining in  the  tribe.  For,  when  a  man  dies,  all 
he  possesses  is,  they  say,  sent  after  him,  lest  he 
should  want  it  hereafter;  yet  they  can  give  no 


WAR-DANCE.  165 

account  of  their  ideas  of  a  future  life.  May  they 
soon  know,  and  have  the  hope  of,  a  happy  eternity 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  The  fort  was 
finished  building  to-day,  and,  when  the  guns 
arrive  from  the  gun  boat,  we  shall  return.  Be- 
fore dinner  we  were  entertained  with  a  Kenowit 
pantomime  war-dance.  Two  men  appeared,  fully 
armed,  supposed  to  be  on  the  war  path  looking 
for  heads,  keeping  time  to  the  beat  of  the  torn 
toms.  They  seemed  to  go  through  all  the  mo- 
tions of  looking  out  for  an  enemy,  watching 
behind  a  tree,  palling  out  the  ranjows  from  the 
path  (these  are  sharp  pieces  of  cane,  stuck  into 
the  ground,  with  their  points  upwards,  to  wound 
the  feet  of  their  enemies).  At  length  they  de- 
scry one  another,  dance  defiance,  and,  flourishing 
their  swords  and  shields  in  the  most  agile  man- 
ner, they  commence  the  attack.  It  was  most  re- 
markable to  witness  the  nimbleness  and  skill 
with  which  they  managed  their  shields,  covering 
their  bodies  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  a 
stroke  at  each  other.  They  say  that,  in  a  real 
combat,  to  strike  the  shield  is  certain  death,  for 
the  sword  sticks  in  it,  and  cannot  be  withdrawn, 
before  the  man  whose  sword  is  free  rushes  in. 
After  a  time  one  of  the  combatants  fell  wounded, 
and  covered  his  body  with  his  shield.  The  other 


166  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

danced  round  him  triumphantly,  and.  with  one 
blow,  pretended  to  cut  off  his  head;  then,  with 
the  head  in  his  hand  he  capered  about  with  the 
wildest  gestures,  expressive  of  the  very  ecstasy 
of  savage  delight;  but,  on  looking  at  his  trophy 
closely,  he  recognised  the  head  and  features  of  a 
friend,  and,  smitten  with  remorse,  he  replaced  it 
with  great  solicitude;  then  moving  with  slowly 
measured  tread,  he  wept,  and,  with  many  sighs  of 
grief,  refixed  and  adjusted  the  head  the  greatest 
care;  caught  rain  in  his  shield,  and  poured  it 
over  the  body;  then  he  rubbed  and  shook  the 
limbs,  which,  by  degrees,  resuscitated,  and  be- 
came invigorated  by  his  mesmeric-like  passings 
and  chafings,  from  the  feet  upwards ;  each  limb, 
as  it  revived,  beat  time  to  the  music,  first  faintly, 
then  with  more  and  more  vigour,  till  he  came  to 
the  head,  and,  when  that  nodded  satisfactorily, 
and  the  whole  body  of  his  friend  was  in  motion, 
he  gave  him  a  few  extra  shakes,  lifted  him  on  his 
legs,  and  the  whole  scene  concluded  by  their 
both  dancing  right  merrily.  This  dance  is  quite 
characteristic  of  their  habits  of  attacking  indis- 
criminately the  first  person  they  meet  when  they 
go  out  on  the  war  path  to  take  heads. 

A  few  years  ago  it  would  have  been  very  dan- 
gerous for  us  to  have  been  with  these  people, 


MANNING   THE   FORT.  167 

when  the  news  of  the  young  chief's  death  arrived. 
They  are  in  the  habit,  on  these  occasion  of  be- 
reavement, of  making  a  vow  to  go  forth  and  kill 
the  first  persons  they  meet ;  and  like  Jeptha's, 
their  rash  vow  often  brings  desolation  to  their 
own  household.  Sikali,  the  chief  of  the  next  house, 
a  few  years  ago  lost  a  child  and  brother,  he  went 
out  with  his  followers,  met  a  party  of  his  own 
tribe  returning  home,  and  slew  them  all.  Tanee 
did  the  same  on  a  like  occasion.  Palabun,  per- 
suaded by  Captain  Brooke,  gave  up  his  ideas  of 
retaliation  for  his  brother's  death,  on  condition, 
that  Captain  Brooke,  should  endeavour  to  get 
satisfaction,  through  Cum  Nipa's  influence,  from 
the  Kapuas  people. 

The  guns  arrived  last  night ;  they  were  moun- 
ted at  the  fort  before  breakfast,  and  a  garrison  of 
70  men,  under  Abong  Duraup  and  Galo,  ap- 
pointed to  guard  it.  At  midday  there  was  an- 
other council,  at  which  the  Sakarrans  and  Keno- 
wits  expressed  their  purpose  to  abide  by  the  Ra- 
jah's injunctions,  and  not  to  pirate  again.  After 
this,  the  flag  was  hoisted  at  the  Fort  and  saluted. 
I  dispensed  a  stock  of  medicine  to  my  patients 
with  directions  how  to  use  it ;  one  of  the  head 
men,  Henion,  is,  from  last  week's  treatment, 
almost  restored  to  sight,  and  will  be  quite  so,  if 


168  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

he  perseveres  in  following  my  advice.  After  this, 
I  had  again  a  talk  with  Palabun,  about  becoming 
a  Christian,  and  he  repeated  his  earnest  desire  of 
having  a  Missionary  sent  to  him  and  his  people. 
There  cannot  be  a  more  favourable  position  for 
one. 

Thursday  9th.  At  sunset  we  pulled  after  the 
"Jolly,"  caught  her  at  the  Serrekei  River,  got  on 
board,  and  sent  our  boats  to  make  the  best  of 
their  way  to  Sarawak — we  hope  to  be  there  first. 
After  our  month's  cruize  to  the  River  Sakarran 
and  other  pirate  haunts,  how  wilfully  ignorant 
and  blind  appear  to  us  the  tirades  of  some  people, 
who  pretend  that  these  tribes  are  not  piratical — 
If  they  could  see  the  desolation  of  fertile  tracts  of 
country,  the  insecurity  of  life  and  property,  the 
precautions  against  attack,  and  the  continual  fear 
and  dread  in  which  the  well-disposed  people  live 
within  reach  of  the  pirates — if,  in  these  pirates' 
houses,  they  could  see  the  piles  of  smoked  heads 
of  Malays,  Dyaks,  and  Chinese,  and  the  traces  of 
plunder,  and  hear  them  recount  their  past  prowess 
in  the  fights  they  have  won,  and  the  heads  they 
have  taken,  they  would  certainly  doubt  no  longer. 

One  of  the  Sakarran  chiefs,  Rentab,  has  in  his 
house  two  brass  guns,  taken  from  a  Dutch  armed 
boat,  which  put  out  after  him,  when  he  was 


RETURN   HOME.  169 

making  a  raid  on  the  Sarebas  coast ;  she  got  a- 
head  of  the  others  in  the  chase,  and  kept  firing 
into  the  Dyak  balla,  when  a  ball  killed  a  son  or 
nephew  of  Rentab,  which  so  enraged  the  Dyaks, 
that  they  turned  round  upon  her,  boarded,  and 
killed  every  man  in  the  boat,  forty,  and  took  their 
heads.  Even  old  Gassim's  eye  lights  up,  when 
he  talks  of  his  former  exploits.  He  once  attacked 
Sirhassin,  one  of  the  Natunas  islands,  and  has 
often  ravaged  the  Chinese,  and  other  settlements, 
on  the  Dutch  parts  of  the  island." 

Thus  ends  Papa's  Journal,  and  I  cannot  tell 
you  Charley,  the  joy,  with  which  on  Sunday, 
May  llth,  when  I  was  sitting  reading  after  church, 
the  sound  of  gongs,  arid  boat  music,  fell  on  my 
ear,  and  my  servant  Quangho,  running  in,  infor- 
med me,  that  "  our  Tuan  was  coming,"  we  all  ran 
down  to  the  wharf,  to  welcome,  and  bring  them 
home. 


LETTER    XVII. 

MALACCA. 

June,  1852. 

MY  DEAKEST  BOY, 

On  Feb.  19th,  1852,  I  left  Singapore  in 
the  little  steamer  "  Hooghley,"  to  visit  Malacca 

and  our  kind  friends,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  T ,  who 

live  there.  Twenty-two  hours'  voyage  brought 
us  to  our  destination ;  and  when  I  looked  out  of 
my  cabin  window,  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
20th,  I  saw  that  we  were  at  anchor,  but  a  long 
way  off  the  shore,  for  mud  and  sand-banks  have 
gradually  accumulated  in  the  harbour,  until  it  is 
impossible  for  any  vessel  deeper  than  a  small 
schooner  to  run  near  the  land.  So  we  got  into 
a  boat,  and  enjoyed  the  pretty  view  of  Malacca 
as  we  approached  it.  If  you  look  at  the  map, 
you  will  see  tha.t  the  town  is  situated  on  the 
narrow  tongue  of  land  called  the  Malayan  Pe- 
ninsula. Six  centuries  ago,  a  Malay  Prince, 
called  S'ri  Iscander  Shah,  was  driven  from  Sin- 
gapore by  his  enemies,  the  Javanese.  He  and 
his  followers  wandered  about  in  their  boats  till 


ACCOUNT   OF   MALACCA.  171 

they  carne  to  this  coast,  where  they  landed.  The 
Prince  stood  under  the  shade  of  a  fine  tree,  while 
one  of  his  dogs  roused  a  white  mouse  deer,  or 
Plandok;  but  the  deer  stood  at  bay,  and  drove 
the  dog  into  the  water.  "  This  is  a  fine  place," 
said  the  Rajah,  "  the  very  Plandoks  are  full  of 
courage;  let  us  found  a  city  here."  Accordingly, 
they  did  so,  and  called  it  Malacca,  which  was  the 
name  of  the  tree  under  which  the  Prince  stood 
on  first  landing.  This  is  the  Malay  story ;  and 
they  add,  that  the  city  prospered  and  increased 
so  much  that,  at  the  end  of  a  hundred  years,  the 
colony  contained  190,000  inhabitants. 

In  the  year  1561,  a  fleet  of  Portuguese,  led  by 
the  famous  Alphonso  Albuquerque,  conquered 
Malacca,  and  drove  the  Malay  Rajah  to  Johore, 
a  country  near  the  extreme  point  of  the  Penin- 
sula. So  the  Portuguese  held  Malacca  for  more 
than  a  hundred  years,  and  built  forts  on  the  hills, 
the  ruins  of  which  are  still  standing.  Then  the 
Dutch  made  friends  with  the  Malay  Rajah,  who 
lived  at  Johore,  and  offered  to  help  him  to  recover 
his  former  kingdom ;  but,  when  they  had  beaten 
the  Portuguese,  they  kept  Malacca  for  themselves. 
The  natives,  indeed,  were  but  badly  treated,  by 
either  the  Portuguese  or  Dutch ;  and  it  was  a 
happy  day  for  them  when  an  English  fleet  sailed 


172  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

into  the  harbour,  in  the  year  1795,  and  made  the 
Dutch  surrender  to  the  British  flag.  Since  that 
time  the  Dutch  have  had  the  place  again,  for  a 
few  years ;  but  the  English  at  last  gave  them  the 
fine  island  of  Sumatra,  in  exchange  for  a  few 
little  settlements  on  the  coast  of  India,  of  which 
Malacca  is  the  most  important;  and,  as  before 
this,  the  English  had  destroyed  all  the  forts 
which  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch  had  built  to 
defend  themselves  against  the  natives,  I.  dare  say 
the  Dutch  thought  themselves  well  off  in  the 
bargain. 

The  inhabitants  of  Malacca,  from  the  place 
having  passed  from  the  hands  of  one  European 
nation  to  another,  are  a  curious  mixture  of  races 
— Portuguese,  Malay,  Dutch,  and  English,  are 
so  intermingled,  that  you  may  go  into  a  gentle- 
man's house,  and  see  an  old  Malay  grandmother, 
dressed  in  her  sarong  and  baju ;  and  if  you  know 
her  language,  she  will  introduce  you  to  her  son, 
a  dingy  Portuguese  man  or  thickset  Hollander, 
whose  half-English  wife  will  tell  you  that  her 
daughter,  Rose,  must  go  "  home  to  be  educated." 
While  you  are  wondering  whether  the  "  home  " 
is  Johore,  Lisbon,  or  Amsterdam,  you  hear  that 
it  is  England,  which  place  neither  parents  nor 
grandparents  most  likely  ever  saw. 


HILLS   NEAR   MALACCA.  173 

On  the  hill  of  St.  Paul  are  the  ruins  of  an  old 
convent,  "  Our  Lady  of  the  Mount,"  built  by 
Albuquerque,  and  they  say  visited  by  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  a  Roman  Catholic  missionary  of  great 
fame.  One  of  the  pretty  hills  in  the  neighbour- 
hood is  called  by  his  name,  and  several  Romish 
saints  are  buried  there.  I  have  twice  walked  up 
this  hill  at  sunrise;  the  view  from  it  is  lovely, 
for  the  country  of  Malacca  is  one  vast  garden  of 
fruit  trees  and  cocoa-nuts,  and  waiving  plains  of 
paddy,  which  at  this  season  reminds  one  of  our 
English  harvest.  The  grain  resembles  oats,  and 
is  cultivated  in  immense  fields,  bounded  by 
groves  of  trees,  and  watered  by  small  ditches, 
which  you  cannot  see  when  the  corn  is  high. 
This  beautiful  prospect  is  varied  by  the  blue  sea 
on  one  side,  dotted  with  little  wooded  islands, 
and  the  fine  mountains  of  Ophir  inland.  On  the 
top  of  the  hill  of  St.  Xavier  is  a  clump  of  An- 
senna  trees,  growing  in  the  midst  of  the  old  fort, 
which  you  may  trace  round  the  top  of  the  hill. 
Indeed,  every  hill  seems  to  have  been  crowned 
by  its  fort,  except  St.  Paul's,  on  which  stood  the 
convent.  Now,  the  hills  are  Chinese  burying 
grounds.  There  is  a  large  colony  of  Chinese  in 
Malacca :  and  so'  fond  are  they  of  the  place,  that 
many  Chinese,  who  grow  rich,  and  spend  most  of 


174  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

their  years  at  Singapore,  Penang,  or  other  settle- 
ments, buy  their  places  of  buria],  and  build  their 
tombs  at  Malacca.     This  converts  the  country 
about  the  coast  into  a  great  cemetery,  which,  as 
you  drive  past,  does  not  supply  you  with  many 
cheerful  ideas,  especially  if  you  happen  to  meet 
any  signs  of  their  miserable  devil  worship,  scraps 
of  riband  or  gilt  paper  scattered  over  the  grass, 
to  keep  away  the  antoos.     The  Dutch  made  the 
nave  of  the  convent  church  into  a  churchyard 
for  themselves,  and  the  English  have  converted 
the  chancel  into  a  powder  magazine.     A  flagstaff, 
on  the  summit  of  this  hill,  tells  the  people  of  the 
town  all  about  the  ships  at  sea.     The  flags  of 
different  colours  and  patterns  which  they  hoist, 
shew  whether  it   is   a   steamer,   ship,   brig,   or 
schooner  which  is  passing,  where  she  comes  from, 
and  whither  bound.    All  this  is  very  interesting, 
in  such  a  quiet,  dull  place  as  Malacca,  where  it 
is  not  often  that  a  large  vessel  puts  in,  on  account 
of  the  bad  harbour.     We  have  spent  part  of  our 
time  here,  at  a  Bungalow  fifteen  miles  from  the 
town,  which  is  called  Ayer  Panas  (hot  water), 
from  its  vicinity  to  a  hot  spring  in  the  midst  of 
a  paddy  field,  so  hot,  that  you  cannot  bear  your 
hand  for  a  moment  in  the  spring,  and  it  smells 
of  rotten  eggs,  from  its  having  sulphuretted  hy- 


POLICE    STATION.  175 

drogen  gas  always  bubbling  up  through  the  water. 
Papa,  had  a  little  shed  built  over  the  spring,  and 
a  bath  put  in  it,  where  he  used  to  sit  for  an  hour 
every  morning,  besides  drinking  the  nasty  hot 
water,  to  cure  his  rheumatism,  which  became  so 
much  better  from  this  treatment,  that  at  the  end  of 
a  week  he  could  walk  with  us  of  an  evening  in 
the  fine  jungle,  which  surrounded  the  house.  The 
little  Bungalow,  in  which  we  lived,  was  a  police 
station,  placed  there  to  watch  the  country  round, 
and  especially  the  settlements  of  Chinese  who 
were  employed  in  working  the  tin  mines,  about 
two  miles  further  in  the  jungle,  and  who  were 
sometimes  very  unruly.  While  I  was  at  Malacca 
several  murders  were  committed,  in  the  constant 
quarrels  between  these  Chinese  miners  and  their 
Malay  neighbours.  Fifteen  or  twenty  Peons, 
Malay  policemen,  slept  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
Bungalow,  and  we  lived  in  the  upper  story.  At 
night  these  men  lighted  an  immense  wood  fire 
before  the  door,  to  frighten  away  tigers,  for  the 
jungle  of  that  country  is  infested  by  these  savage 
beasts;  and  the  night  before  we  arrived,  they 
said  there  were  two  prowling  about  the  house. 
The  knowledge  of  this  often  made  us  quicken  our 
steps,  if  the  beauty  of  our  evening  walk  led  us 
so  far  from  home,  that  the  twilight  began  to  close 


176  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

round  us  before  we  reached  it ;  but  I  never  felt 
in  any  danger  except  once,  the  last  evening  before 
we  left  Ayer  Panas. 

Papa  and  I  set  off  as  soon  as  the  heat  of  the 
day  abated,  to  visit  the  tin  mines  in  the  jungle- 
It  was  broad  day -light,  and  I  laughed  at  the  per- 
tinacity of  a  tall  Malay  Peon  who  insisted  on  fol- 
lowing us  close,  with  a  sword  at  his  side,  lest  a 
tiger  should  cross  our  path.  What  a  lovely  walk 
it  was !  the  fine  trees  of  the  deep  woods  were 
peopled  by  birds  and  monkeys,  who  seemed 
calling  to  us  to  know  what  we  wanted  in  their 
domain — the  bright  branches  of  the  orange- 
coloured  Ixora,  and  delicate  blue  Justicia;  the 
pink  Kammunting  (mountain  gooseberry),  and 
the  lilac  Melastoma,  made  the  pathway  gay  as  a 
garden.  We  walked  on,  scarcely  speaking  and 
half- dreaming,  as  one  feels  disposed  to  do  in  such 
a  still  evening  scene,  till  we  heard  the  fall  of  the 
pump  at  the  mines,  and  presently  the  voices  of  the 
Chinese.  Then  Papa  said  "  You  had  better  not 
go  amongst  the  miners,  they  are  a  rude  uncouth 
set ;  sit  down  on  a  bank,  the  Peon  shall  guard  you, 
and  I  will  just  go  and  look  at  the  workings:"  so 
I,  glad  of  a  rest,  sat  still  and  amused  myself  with 
the  antics  of  some  great  monkeys,  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, who  were  getting  their  supper  and  playing 


RUNNING   A   RISK.  177 

games  in  a  high  tree.  I  soon  heard  Papa  and 
the  miners  laughing  very  heartily,  and  felt  sure 
he  was  making  friends  with  them,  as  Papa  knows 
how  to  do  with  most  people.  But  after  a  time 
the  voices  ceased,  the  light  began  to  fade  out  of 
the  sky,  the  monkeys  finished  their  supper — then. 
I  turned  to  the  Peon,  and  said  "  You  must  go  to 
Tuan  and  tell  him  to  return,  it  grows  late  and 
will  be  dark  before  we  reach  home;  I  will  walk 
slowly  along  the  path,  so  that  you  may  overtake 
me."  To  tell  the  truth,  I  was  anxious  at  Papa's 
staying  so  long  amongst  the  Chinese  miners,  for 
whom  I  had  no  great  respect;  but  it  was  not 
until  I  had  proceeded  some  little  distance  along 
the  wood,  that  it  occurred  to  me  how  near  a  tiger 
might  be  in  the  thicket  beside  the  path,  and  how 
utterly  defenceless  I  was,  should  he  spring  out- 
then  the  turn  or  fall  of  every  leaf  in  that  silent 
wood,  made  me  start,  and  it  was  with  no  small 
pleasure  that  I  saw  our  servant  coming  to  meet 
me,  and  heard  Papa's  voice  behind,  and  the  Peon 
with  him,  whose  sword  I  no  longer  despised.  We 
reached  home,  thank  God,  in  safety,  although  it 
was  quite  dark,  and  my  friend,  who  was  putting 
her  baby  to  sleep  in  the  house,  looked  quite 
alarmed  at  the  risk  we  had  run. 

N 


178  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

The  tin  ore  looks  something  like  emery  powder, 
and  is  mixed  with  a  quartzose  sand.  The  Chi- 
nese smelt  it,  until  it  is  a  pure  metal,  and  cast  it 
into  long  blocks,  in  which  state  they  sell  it  for 
nineteen  dollars  a  hundred-weight,  and  it  is  sent 
to  Europe.  There  is  much  gold  found  by  the 
Chinese  at  Mount  Ophir,  in  the  interior  of  the 
country,  but  Papa  was  not  well  enough  to  explore 
where  there  were  no  roads,  or  he  would  have 
ascended  this  fine  hill. 


LETTER  XVIII. 

THE    LIFE    OF    SIR   JAMES   BROOKE. 

November,  1853. 

MY  DEAREST  CHARLEY, 

The  life  of  a  great  man  is  a  spring  of 
good  actions  arid  generous  impulses  to  others, 
and  cannot  be  too  well  known  and  studied ;  for 
in  proportion  to  our  love  and  sympathy  for  what 
is  excellent,  we  become  capable  of  the  virtues 
which  we  admire.  For  this  reason  I  now  pro- 
pose writing  you  a  short  history  of  Sir  James 
Brooke,  our  English  Rajah;  for,  although  you 
are  well  acquainted  with  him  personally,  and  his 
name  is  to  you  a  household  word,  there  are  many 
of  my  young  friends  who  will  read  these  letters 
who  may  be  rather  puzzled  at  the  frequent  men- 
tion of  an  Englishman  possessing  such  a  foreign 
sounding  title,  and  who  may  wish  to  hear  how 
he  became  an  Eastern  sovereign,  and  how  he 
gained  such  influence  over  the  half-civilized 
Malays  and  the  wild  Dyaks.  God  gives  to  every 
one  of  us  the  capability  of  excelling  if  we  add 

N  2 


180  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

our  own  endeavours  to  His  gifts  in  the  path 
which  he  marks  out  for  us  in  this  life.  We  are 
all  fashioned  differently ;  to  some  He  gives  one 
talent  to  others  ten.  Some  are  called  to  public 
life,  where  the  eyes  of  all  men  scan  and  judge 
their  actions ;  some  live  so  obscurely,  that  the 
narrow  circle  of  their  friends  and  relations  seems 
alone  to  notice  or  care  for  them.  But  all  are 
alike  watched  by  God :  it  is  not  a  man's  grandeur 
or  his  talents  which  make  him  approved  by  his 
Maker,  whose  gifts  these  are;  but  whether  he 
steadily  and  perseveringly,  in  the  face  of  all 
difficulties  and  temptations,  follows  the  path  of 
duty,  and  patiently  takes  up  the  crosses  which 
lie  in  his  way.  This  patience  and  perseverance 
are  the  qualities  which  you,  even  child  as  you 
are,  may  imitate  in  the  Kajah's  character.  James 
Brooke  was  the  son  of  a  gentleman  in  the  Indian 
Civil  Service,  and  was  born  in  India  on  the  29th 
of  April,  1803 :  while  still  a  little  boy  he  was 
sent  home  to  England  for  his  education,  and  thus 
had  the  disadvantage  which  belongs  to  all  Indian 
born  children,  of  not  knowing  his  parents  in  his 
early  years.  When  he  was  fourteen  his  father 
and  mother  returned  to  England;  and  it  has 
often  comforted  me  to  hear  the  Rajah  say  that  he 


THE   LIFE    OF    SIR   JAMES   BROOKE.  181 

loved  and  reverenced  his  mother,  as  much  as  if 
he  had  been  brought  up  at  her  side.  She  was  of 
a  most  gentle  and  superior  nature,  wise  enough 
to  gain  the  strongest  influence  over  his  wayward 
youth,  and  to  encourage  him  in  the  love  of  travel 
and  adventure  which  she  saw  was  most  likely  to 
develop  his  character  and  talents.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  went  to  India  as  a  cadet,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  first  Burmese  war,  where  he  so 
distinguished  himself  by  his  gallantry  (he  fell,  as 
was  supposed,  mortally  wounded),  as  to  receive 
the  thanks  of  government.  At  last  he  was 
obliged  to  ask  leave  of  absence  and  return  to 
England  to  recover  from  a  serious  wound  which 
he  had  received  in  his  lungs,  and  which  for  a 
long  time  endangered  his  life.  Little  things 
often  shew  the  strength  of  a  person's  mind,  and 
I  think  it  is  worth  mentioning,  that  the  Rajah 
has  told  me  he  thought  his  constitution  recovered 
its  tone  by  his  daring  to  take  a  cold  bath  every 
morning  through  a  severe  winter;  when  many 
thought  he  was  going  into  a  consumption  he 
jumped  out  of  bed  into  his  ice-cold  bath,  and 
became  strengthened  both  in  frame  and  in  pur- 
pose by  the  exertion. 

But  I  must  hasten   to  the   more   important 
events  of  his  life.     He  did  not  continue  in  the 


182  LETTERS    FROM   SARAWAK. 

Indian  army  after  1820,  but  travelled  in  various 
countries,  and  often  retired  to  some  quiet  country 
place  where  he  could  read  and  study  without 
interruption.     In   1830  he  made   a  voyage  to 
China,  and  then  saw,  for  the  first  time,  the  islands 
of  the  Eastern  Archipelago;  he  was  struck  with 
their  beauty,  the  importance  they  might  be  to 
English  commerce,  and  the  neglect  which  had 
hitherto   prevented    any   settlements    on    their 
shores.     When  he  returned  home  he  could  not 
forget  that  vast  island  of  Borneo,  abandoned  to 
savages,  or  the  solitude  of  nature,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  small  Dutch  factories  on  the 
coast.     He  therefore  determined  to  explore  the 
country   himself.     About  this   time   his   father 
died,  and  Mr.  Brooke,  having  succeeded  to  a  good 
fortune,  he  purchased  a  yacht,  the  Royalist,  140 
tons  burthen,  and  chose  and  trained  her  crew  of 
twenty  men,  with  the  greatest  care,  during  a 
cruise  in  the  Mediterranean;  for  he  said,  "I  felt 
that  it  was  necessary  to  form  men  to  my  purpose, 
and,  by  a  line  of  steady  and  kind  conduct,  to 
raise  up  a  personal  regard  for  myself,  and  attach- 
ment for  the  vessel,  which  could  not  be  expected 
in  ordinary  cases.     In   following   this   object   I 
was  nearly  three  years  in  preparing  a  crew  to  my 
mind,  and  gradually  moulding  them  to  consider 


THE   LIFE   OF    SIR  JAMES   BROOKE.  183 

the  hardest  fate  or  misfortune,  under  ray  com- 
mand, as  better  than  the  ordinary  service  in  a 
merchant  vessel." 

We  cannot  suppose  that  Mr.  Brooke  had  more 
than  a  general  idea  at  the  time  he  was  preparing 
his  vessel  and  her  crew  for  this  long  voyage,  as 
to  his  object  in  making  it.  "  I  go,"  said  he,  "  to 
awake  the  spirit  of  slumbering  philanthropy 
with  regard  to  these  islands."  Circumstances 
were  to  decide  how  this  was  to  be  accomplished. 
On  the  1st  of  June  the  Royalist  anchored  at 
Singapore.  He  there  learnt  that  a  Malay  Rajah 
was  then  resident  at  Sarawak,  who  was  friendly 
to  the  English,  and  had  shewn  kindness  and 
generosity  to  the  crew  of  a  merchant  vessel 
wrecked  at  the  entrance  of  the  river,  and  to  him 
he  resolved  to  pay  his  first  visit.  On  the  15th 
of  August  the  Royalist  anchored  abreast  the 
town  of  Kuching,  which  was  described  as  "a 
collection  of  huts,  erected  on  piles,  and  contain- 
ing about  1500  persons." 

What  was  then  a  miserable  village,  is  now  a 
well  built  town,  containing  as  many  as  20,000 
inhabitants :  such  is  the  effect  of  peace  and  good 
government.  Muda  Hassim,  the  Malay  Rajah, 
received  Mr.  Brooke's  visit  very  graciously. 
There  is  a  great  deal  of  formality  about  the 


184  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

courts  of  Eastern  Princes,  and  a  number  of 
speeches  are  made  at  first,  which  mean  nothing, 
before  they  begin  to  say  anything  to  the  purpose. 
Muda  Hassim  made  all  the  display  he  could,  and 
was  very  polite  and  delighted  to  see  his  English 
friend ;  and  when  Mr.  Brooke  inquired  whether 
the  war,  in  which  he  had  heard  that  he  was  en- 
gaged Avith  his  subjects,  proceeded  favourably, 
he  replied,  that  there  was  no  war,  but  merely 
some  child's  play  among  his  subjects,  and  so  the 
conference  ended.  But  this  "  child's  play " 
proved  a  very  serious  affair  to  Muda  Hassim — 
who  at  last  applied  to  Mr.  Brooke  to  help  him 
with  his  handful  of  Englishmen.  One  vigorous 
charge  from  this  little  band  sufficed;  for  the 
warfare  of  the  rebels  had  hitherto  consisted  in 
,  building  forts,  from  which  they  could  throw 
missive  weapons;  and  Muda  Hassim's  forces,  led 
by  corrupt  and  cowardly  chiefs,  had  never  dared 
to  attack  them. 

Having  conquered  the  rebels,  Mr.  Brooke  pro- 
mised to  save  their  lives,  by  asking  their  pardon 
from  their  Rajah.  It  was  with  great  difficulty, 
however,  that  he  obtained  this  mercy  for  them. 
"  I  only  succeeded,"  says  Mr.  Brooke,  "  when,  at 
the  end  of  a  long  debate,  I  soliciting,  he  deny- 
ing, I  rose  to  bid  him  farewell,  saying,  that  if 


THE   LIFE    OF   SIR   JAMES   BROOKE.  185 

after  all  my  exertions  in  his  cause,  he  would  not 
grant  me  the  lives  of  his  people,  I  could  only 
conceive  that  his  friendship  for  me  was  at  an 
end.  Upon  this  he  yielded."  After  this  im- 
portant event  Muda  Hassim  begged  Mr.  Brooke 
to  live  at  Sarawak,  and  help  him  to  govern  his 
subjects,  at  the  same  time  employing  a  schooner 
to  trade  between  Sarawak  and  Singapore. 

The  government  of  Sarawak  was  as  bad  as 
the  weakness  of  Muda  Hassim  and  the  wicked- 
ness of  his  nobles  could  make  it.  They  were 
surrounded  by  a  number  of  followers  whose  only 
pay  was  their  being  screened  from  punishment 
by  their  masters ;  these  men  oppressed  the  Dyaks 
in  the  most  shameful  manner ;  they  levied  heavy 
taxes  upon  them,  and,  if  they  could  not  pay, 
they  took  their  wives  and  children  as  slaves. 
Sometimes  they  would  take  a  boatload  of  gongs, 
brazen  vessels,  etc.,  to  a  Dyak  tribe,  and  desire 
them  to  give  them  in  exchange  enormous  quan- 
tities of  rice,  birds'  nests,  honey,  etc. ;  it  mattered 
not  whether  the  Dyaks  wished  to  buy  these 
goods,  they  were  obliged  to  do  so,  and  at  the 
price  fixed  by  the  Malays.  If  a  good  harvest 
had  seemed  to  ensure  them  food  for  the  season 
they  found  it  wrested  from  them,  and  all  the 
fruits  of  their  industry  only  served  to  feed  the 


186  LETTERS    FROM    SARAWAK. 

greediness  of  their  oppressors:  nor  was  there 
any  remedy,  for  the  courts  of  justice  at  Sarawak 
could  see  no  faults  in  the  nobles  or  their  follow- 
ers. No  one  who  is  unacquainted  with  the 
double  dealing  of  eastern  courts  can  imagine 
what  a  difficult  part  Mr.  Brooke  had  to  play  to 
protect  the  oppressed,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
maintain  his  influence  over  the  oppressors.  His 
own  life  was  once  and  again  threatened^  and 
Muda  Hassim,  if  he  had  the  will,  had  not  the 
power  to  defend  him.  The  yacht  was  several 
times  fully  armed,  and  prepared  to  make  what 
resistance  she  could,  when  some  act  of  tyranny 
or  treachery  forced  Mr.  Brooke  to  expostulations 
with  Muda  Hassim.  At  one  time  both  the  yacht 
and  the  Swift,  the  merchant  schooner,  were 
absent;  one  on  an  errand  of  mercy,  to  demand 
some  shipwrecked  English  from  the  Sultan  of 
Bruni,  who  was  detaining  them  as  prisoners,  the 
other  at  Singapore.  Mr.  Brooke  with  only  three 
Englishmen  remained  at  Kuching,  steadily  pur- 
suing his  schemes  of  reform  and  protection — he 
knew  no  fear,  and  his  whole  soul  was  bent  upon 
remedying  the  evils  he  saw  around  him.  Mr. 
Brooke  agreeing  to  live  at  Kuching,  Muda  Hassim 
built  him  a  house  in  the  town,  when  just  as  he  had 
taken  possession  of  it,  a  large  force  of  Sakarran 


THE   LIFE    OF    SIR   JAMES   BROOKE.  187 

and  Sarebas  Dyaks  with  one  hundred  war  boats, 
and  not  less  than  two  thousand  five  hundred 
men,  came  up  the  river  and  requested  the  Rajah 
to  allow  them  to  attack  a  hostile  tribe  in  the 
interior.  Muda  Hassim  gave  them  leave,  know- 
ing full  well  that  their  purpose  was  really  to 
destroy  all  the  weak  tribes  in  their  way,  and 
take  the  heads  of  his  own  subjects.  The  Chi- 
nese and  the  Dyaks  were  in  the  greatest  terror, 
but  Mr.  Brooke  instantly  quitted  his  house  and 
returned  on  board  his  yacht,  sending  to  the 
Rajah  to  know  whether  he  had  granted  the 
pirates  such  a  permission.  At  the  same  time 
the  guns  of  the  Royalist  were  prepared  for 
action ;  and  such  was  the  effect  of  this  remon- 
strance, that  the  pirates,  sulky  enough,  were 
obliged  to  take  their  departure.  By  such  acts 
as  these  Mr.  Brooke  won  the  hearts  of  the  people 
of  Sarawak,  and  the  respect  of  its  rulers.  He 
listened  to  the  sad  tales  of  the  poor  Dyaks, 
which  brought  tears  to  his  eyes,  and  awoke 
within  him  the  most  earnest  desires  to  help 
them.  "  Unhappy  people,"  he  says,  "  who  suffer 
for  the  crimes  of  others ;  God  knows  I  will  aid 
you  to  the  utmost  of  my  power;"  and  his  power 
grew  daily :  for  the  constant  exercise  of  firmness 


188  LETTERS   FROM   SARAWAK. 

and  justice,  with  the  greatest  patience,  could  not 
but  influence  all  parties. 

I  could  tell  many  tales  of  this  trying  time, 
when  the  strong  will  of  one  Englishman  stemmed 
the  wickedness  of  this  eastern  court,  and  sheltered 
its  subjects,  but  my  letter  would  be  too  long,  and 
you  must  read  for  yourself  Mr.  Brooke's  Journals 
when  you  are  older.  At  last  Muda  Hassim,  un- 
able to  carry  on  the  government,  resigned  it  into 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Brooke;  and  on  the  1st  of 
August.  1842,  the  Sultan  of  Brtini  signed  and 
sealed  the  compact,  which  gave  the  province  of 
Sarawak  to  Mr.  Brooke  and  his  heirs  for  ever. 
"  I  hope,"  he  says,  "  that  this  day,  so  important 
to  me,  will  be  marked  with  a  white  stone  in  the 
annals  of  Sarawak."  I  wish  the  Dyaks,  whom 
their  English  Rajah  has  rescued  from  slavery  op- 
pression and  poverty,  could  tell  how  well  this  wish 
has  been  fulfilled;  and  that  the  Malays,  who  are 
now  contented  and  happy  under  just  laws,  justly 
administered,  could  add  their  testimony  to  the 
character  of  a  ruler,  who  has  won  them  to  the 
paths  of  virtue  and  industry  by  unwearied  kind- 
ness, firmness  and  patience.  I  have  known  the 
time,  when,  night  after  night,  the  Rajah  has  sat 
surrounded  by  his  native  subjects,  drawing  out 
their  confidence  by  listening  to  their  histories, 


THE   LIFE   OF   SIR  JAMES   BROOKE.  189 

and  in  return  instructing  them,  and  amusing 
them  by  tales  and  facts,  which  to  them  are  more 
wonderful  than  fiction.  At  night,  and  under  the 
influence  of  a  cigar  the  Malay  is  wide  awake;  he 
tells  you  long  stories,  and  lets  you  into  all  his 
secrets,  but  there  are  not  many  Englishmen  who 
have  sufficient  kindness  and  patience  to  be  inter- 
ested, and  give  them  all  the  sympathy  their 
hearts  require. 

I  have,  in  a  former  letter,  told  you  the  efforts 
which  Sir  James  Brooke  has  made  during  his  go- 
vernment of  Sarawak,  to  put  down  piracy,  not  only 
amongst  his  own  subjects,  but  the  neighbouring 
Dyak  tribes ;  so  I  will  not  repeat  the  tale.  It  has 
been  hard  work  to  teach  savages  good  faith,  mercy, 
and  peace ;  but,  though  some  of  the  pirate  tribes 
still  threaten  an  outbreak,  I  believe  the  day  will 
come,  when  even  they  will  bless  his  memory,  as 
their  true  friend,  for  now  opposing  their  evil 
courses,  and  teaching  them  to  be  quiet  and  in- 
dustrious, even  though  an  occasional  chastisement 
be  necessary  to  enforce  the  lesson.  Meanwhile, 
we  may  hope  that  the  Missionaries,  who  are  now 
stationed  near  them,  may  gain  sufficient  influence 
to  win  them,  by  God's  grace,  to  a  true  faith  in 
Him  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Then  they  will 


190  LETTERS   FROM    SARAWAK. 

"  turn  their  swords  into  ploughshares,"  and  build 
churches  instead  of  bangkongs ;  then  instead  of 
the  terrible  war-yell,  we  shall  hear  divine  songs 
and  musical  church  bells  echoing  through  the 
woods,  and  the  beautiful  country  and  rich  soil 
will  yield  a  glad  return  to  the  labour  bestowed 
upon  them.  Let  us  not  only  pray,  but  labour, 
for  this  happy  day,  for  which  our  good  Rajah  has 
toiled  and  waited  these  ten  years,  and  devoted 
his  fortune  and  health  to  accomplish.  Already 
the  dawn  of  it  appears,  for  there  is  a  strong  party 
of  men  of  peace  amongst  the  Sarebas,  and  at  Sa- 
karran  they  are,  I  hope,  being  brought  to  a  better 
mind,  by  the  labours  and  teaching  of  a  young 
Englishman,  Mr.  Brereton ;  who,  by  following  the 
example  of  Sir  James  Brooke,  has  won  the  hearts 
of  many  thousands  of  the  wild  Sakarrans. 

"  Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 

We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  time." 

THE   END. 


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Gerty  and  May. 

By  the  Author  of"  Granny's  Story  Box,"  and  "  Our  White  Violet" 
Illustrated  by  M.  L.  VIMNG.  Price  2s.  6d.  cloth;  3*.  6d.  coloured, 
gilt  edges. 

"  A  charming  book  for  children.  Though  the  story  is  full  of  fun,  the  moral  is  never 
1  ost  sight  of."— Literary  C/iurcfitnan. 

Nursery  Times; 

Or,  Stories  about  the  Little  Ones.  By  an  Old  Nurse.  Illustrated  by 
J.  LAWSON.  Price  3s.  6<l.  cloth;  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Animals  and  Birds; 

Sketches  from  Nature  by  Harrison  Weir,  for  the  use  of  the  Young 
Artist.  Eoyal  4to.,  publishing  in  parts,  price  Is.  each. 
%*  Parts  I.  and  IL  now  ready. 

BY  THE  HON.  MISS  BETHELL. 

Helen  in  Switzerland. 

By  the  Hon.  AUGUSTA  BETHELL.  With  Illustrations  by  E.  WUYMPEB. 
Super-royal  16mo,  price  3s.  6rf.  cloth  extra;  4*.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  A  pleasant  variety  of  local  legend  and  history,  mingled  with  the  incidents  of  travel." 
— The  Spectator. 

Echoes  of  an  Old  Bell ; 

And  other  Talcs  of  Fairy  Lore,  by  the  Honble.  AUGUSTA  BETHELL. 
Illustrations  by  F.  W.  KEYL.  Super  royal  16mo.,  price  3s.  6d.  cloth, 
4s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  A  delightful  book  of  well-conceived  and  elegantly-written  fairy  tales."—  Literary 

Churchman. 

The   Surprising   Adventures  of  the  Clumsy  Boy 

CRUSOE.  By  CHARLES  II.  Ross.  With  Twenty-three  Coloured 
Illustrations.  Imperial  8vo,  price  2s. 

Infant  Amusements; 

Or,  How  to  Make  a  Nursery  Happy.  With  Hints  to  Parents  and 
Nurses  on  the  Moral  and  Physical  Train  ing  of  Children.  By  W.ILG. 
KINGSTON.  Post  8vo,  price  3s.  6rf.  cloth. 

"  We  urge  parents  most  strongly  to  obtain  this  book  forthwith  ;  we  l:now  of  no  book 
that  can  compare  with  it  in  practical  value.  Each  chapter  i*  worth  the  price  of  the 
book." — Our  tireiide. 


10  NEW  AND   INTERESTING  WORKS 

Taking  Tales  for  Cottage  Homes; 

in    Plain    Language    and    Large    Type.      In   Twelve    Parts,  each 
containing  Sixty-four  pages,  and  several  Engravings.     4d.  each. 
Complete  m  Four  Volumes,  cloth,  Is.  6<f.,or  2  vols.  extra  cloth,  3s.  Gd 
each. 

"  The  terse  Saxon  terms  employed  are  level  to  the  capacity  of  the  humblest."— Bagged 
School  Magazine. 
'•  Written  in  a  clear  and  sensible  style."— Guardian. 

Featherlancl ; 

Or,  How  the  Birds  lived  at  Greenlawn.  By  G.  "W.  FEXN.  With 
Illustrations  by  F.  W.  KEYL.  Super-royal  16mo.,  price  2s.  Gd.,  cloth, 
3s.  6d.,  coloured,  gilt  edges, 

"  A  delightful  book  for  children.    There  is  no  story,  but  the  happiest  perception  of 
childish  enjoyment  is  contained  in  fanciful  sketches  of  bird-life." — Examiner. 

The  Australian  Babes  in  the  Wood; 

A  True  Story  told  in  Rhyme  for  the  Young.  Wilh  Illustrations 
by  HUGH  CAMERON,  A.R.S.A. ;  J.  MC\VHIRTIE;  GEO.  HAY;  J. 
LAWSON,  &c.  Imperial  16mo.  Is.  Gd.  Boards.  2s.  Cloth,  gilt  edges. 

Trottie's  Story  Book; 

True  Tales  in  Short  Words  and  Large  Type.  Eight  Illustrations  by 
WEIR.  Price  2s.  Gd.,  cloth,  3s.  Gd.,  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Tiny  Stories  for  Tiny  Readers  in  Tiny  AVords. 

With  Twelve  Illustrations  by  HARRISON  WEIR.  Third  edition. 
Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth,  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"Work  in  the  Colonies ; 

Some  Account  of  the  Missionary  operations  of  the  Church  of  England 
in  connexion  with  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts.  With  Map  and  Sixteen  Illustrations.  Royal  16mo. 
price  5s.,  cloth. 

Early  Days  of  English  Princes ; 

By  Mrs.  RUSSELL  GKAY.  Illustrations  by  JOHN  FRANKLIN.  New 
and  Enlarged  Edition.  Super-royal  16mo.,  price  3s.  Gd.,  cloth,  4s.  f>d., 
coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Pictures  of  Girl  Life. 

By  CATHARINE   AUGUSTA  HOAVELL.      Frontispiece   by    F.   ELTZE. 
Fcap.   3vo.,  price  3s.  cloth,  3s.  Gd.   gilt  edges. 
"  A  really  healthy  and  stimulating  book  for  girls. "—Nonconformist. 

Pages  of  Child  Life; 

By  CATHARINE  AUGUSTA  HOAVELL.  With  Three  Illustrations.  Fcap. 
8vo.,  price  3s.  Gd.  cloth. 


PUBLISHED  BY  GRIFFITH  AND  FARRAIM.  11 

The  Four  Seasons. 

A  Short  Account  of  the  Structure  of  Plants,  being  Four  Lectures 
written  for  the  Working  Men's  Institute,  Paris.  With  Illustrations. 
Imperial  1 6mo.  Price,  3*  6<f.  cloth. 

"  Distinguished  by  extreme  clearness,  and  teeming  with  information  of  a  useful  and 
popular  character."—  Guardian. 

Fun  and  Earnest; 

Or,  Rhymes  with  Reason,  by  D'ARCT  W.  THOMPSON.  Illus- 
trated by  CHARLES  H.  BENNETT.  Imperial  IGmo.,  price  3s.  cloth, 
4s.  6</.  coloured.  Cloth,  Elegant  gilt  edges. 

"  Only  a  clever  man  with  the  touch  of  a  poet's  feeling  in  him.  can  write  good  children's 
nonsense ;  such  a  man  the  author  proves  himself  to  be."— Examiner. 

Nursery  Nonsense; 

Or  Rhymes  without  Reason,  by  D'ARCT  W.  THOMPSON,  with  sixty 
Illustrations,  by  C.  H.  BENNETT.  Second  edition.  Imperial  16mo., 
price  2s.  6d.  cloth;  or  4s.  6rf.  coloured,  cloth  elegant,  gilt  edges. 

"  The  funniest  book  we  have  seen  for  an  age,  and  quite  as  harmless  as  hearty."— Daily 
Review. 
"  Whatever  Mr.  Bennett  does,  has  some  touch  hi  it  of  a  true  genius."— Examiner. 

Spectropia ; 

Or,  Surprising  Spectral  Illusions,  showing  Ghosts  everywhere  and  of 
any  Colour.  By  J.  H.  BROWN.  Fifth  edition.  Quarto.  Coloured 
Plates.  Price  2s.  6</.  fancy  boards. 

"  One  of  the  best  scientific  toy  books  we  have  seen." — Aflieneeum. 
"A  clever  book.  The  illusions  are  founded  on  true  scientific  principles."—  ChrmicaiXeiri. 

WORKS    BY    LADY  LUSHINCTON. 

Almeria's  Castle; 

Or,  My  Early  Life  in  India  and  England.    By  LADT  LUSHINGTON, 
with  Twelve  Illustrations.    Price  4*.  6rf.,  cloth,  5s.,  gilt  edges. 
"  The  Authoress  has  a  very  graphic  pen,  and  brings  before  our  eyes,  with  singular 
vividness,  the  localities  and  modes  of  life  she  aims  to  describe."— London  Renew. 

Hacco  the  Dwarf; 

Or,  The  Tower  on  the  Mountain  ;  and  other  Talcs,  by  LADT  LTTSH- 
INGTON.     Illustrated  by  G.  J.  PINWELL.     Super  royal  1 6mo.,  price 
3s.  6rf.  cloth,  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  Enthusiasm  is  not  our  usual  fashion,  but  the  excellence  of  these  stories  Is  so  greatly 

above  the  average  of  most  clever  tales  for  the  pUy-room,  that  we  are  tempted  to  reward 

the  author  with  admiration. "—Athenteum. 

The  Happy  Home ; 

Or  the  Children  at  the  Red  House,  by  LADT  LUSHINGTOH.    Illustrated 
by  G.  J.  PINWELL.    Price  3s.  Gd.  cloth,  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  A  happy  mixture  of  fact  and  fiction.    Altogether  it  is  one  of  the  best  book*  of  the 
kind  we  have  met  with/'— G'uare/ijn. 


12  NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 

BY  MRS.   HENRY  WOOD. 

William  Allair; 

Or,  Running  away  to  Sea,  by  Mrs.  H.  WOOD,  author  of  "  The  Chan- 
nings,"  etc.  Frontispiece  by  F.  GILBERT.  Second  edition.  Fcap.  8vo., 
price  2s.  Gd.,  cloth,  3s.  gilt  edges. 

"  There  is  a  fascination  about  Mrs.  Wood's  writings,  from  which  neither  old  nor  young 
can  escape." — Sett's  Messenger. 

WORKS    BY    MRS.    DAVENPORT- 

The  Holidays  Abroad; 

Or,  Right  at  Last.    By  EMMA  DAVENPORT.    With  Frontispiece  by 
G.  HAY.    Fcap.  8vo.,  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth  extra;  3s.  gilt  edges. 
"Its  tone  is  healthy  and  natural."' — Churchman. 

The  Happy  Holidays; 

Or,  Brothers  and  Sisters  at  Home,  by  EMMA  DAVENPORT.  Frontispiece 
by  F.  GILBERT.  Fcap.  8vo.,  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth,  3s.  gilt  edges. 

Our  Birth  Days; 

And  how  to  improve  them,  by  Mrs.  E.  DAVENPORT,  Frontispiece  by 
D.  H.  FRISTON.     Fcap.    8vo.,  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth,  3s.  gilt  edges.       • 
"  Most  admirably  suited  as  a  gift  to  young  girls."— British  Mother's  'Magazine. 

Fickle  Flora, 

And  her  Sea  Side  Friends.  By  EMMA  DAVENPORT.  With  Illus- 
trations by  J.  Absolon.  Price  3s.  Gd.  cloth;  4s. Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges 

Live  Toys; 

Or,  Anecdotes  of  our  Four-legged  and  other  Pets.   By  EMMA  DAVEN- 
PORT.   With   Illustrations   by  HARRISON  WEIR.      Second  Edition. 
Super  Royal  16mo.  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  One  of  the  best  kind  of  books  for  yonthful  reading." — Guardian. 


DEDICATED  BY  PERMISSION  TO  ROSSINI. 

Little  by  Little. 

A  series  of  Graduated  Lessons  in  the  Art  of  Reading  Music.  Second 
Edition.  Oblon™  8vo.,  price  3.9.  Gd.  cloth. 

"  One  of  the  best  productions  of  the  kind  which  have  yet  appeared." — Charles  Steggall, 
ttus.  D..  Cantab. 

Memorable  Battles  in  English  History. 

Where  Fought,  why  Fought,  and  their  Results.  With  Lives  of  the 
Commanders.  By  W.  H.  DAVENPORT  ADAMS.  Frontispiece  by 
ROBERT  DUDLEY.  Post  8vo.  price  6s.  extra  cloth. 

"Of  the  care  and  honesty  of  the  author's  labours,  the  book  gives  abundant  proof." — 
Athenceum. 


PUBLISHED  BY  GRIFFITH  AND  FARRAN.  13 


The  Loves  of  Tom  Tucker  and  Little  Bo-Peep. 

Written  and    Illustrated    by  TOM    HOOD.     Quarto,  price    2s.    Gd. 
coloured  plates. 
"  Full  of  fun  and  of  good  innocent  humour.  The  Illustrations  are  excellent."—  Tht  Critic. 

WORKS    BY  M.  BETHAM    EDWARDS- 

The  Primrose  Pilgrimage. 

A  Woodland  Story,  by  M.  BETHAM  EDWARDS,  illustrations  by  T.  R 
MACQUOID.    Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth,  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  One  of  the  best  books  of  children's  Terse  that  has  appeared  since  the  early  davs  cf 
Mary  Howitt."— Xonconjormitt. 
"  The  Poems  are  full  of  interest,  and  the  Illustrations  charming."-- .4r<  Journal. 

Scenes  and  Stories  of  the  Rhine. 

By  M.  BETHAM  EDWARDS.    With  Illustrations  by  F.  W.   KEYL. 
Price  3s.  Gd.  cloth;  4s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  Full  of  amusing  incidents,  good  stories,  and  sprightly  pictures." — Tfte  Dial. 

Holidays  Among  the  Mountains; 

Or,  Scenes  and  Stories  of  Wales.    By  M.  BETHAM  EDWARDS.    Illus- 
trated by  F.  J.  SKILL.  Price  3s.  Gd.  cloth;  4s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 


Nursery  Fun ; 

Or,  the  Little   Folks'  Picture  Book.      The  Illustrations  by  C.   H. 
BEXXETT.     Quarto,  price  2s.  Gd.  coloured  plates. 
"  Will  be  greeted  with  shouts  of  laughter  in  any  nursery."— The  Critic. 

Play-Room  Stories; 

Or,  How  to  make  Peace.  By  GEORGIANA  M.  CRAIK.  With  Illus- 
trations by  C.  GREEN.  Price  3*.  Gd.  cloth;  4*.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"This  Book  will  come  with  'peace'  upon  its  wings  into  many  a  crowded  playroom.*' 
—Art  Journal. 

The  Faithful  Hound. 

A  Story  in  Verse,  founded  on  fact.  By  LADY  TUOMAS.  With  Illus- 
trations by  H.  WEIR.  Imperial  IGmo,  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3*.  Gd. 
coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Jack  Frost  and  Betty  Snow ; 

With  other  Tales  for  Wintry  Nights  and  Rainy  Days.    Illustrated  by 
H.  Weir.     Second  Edition.    2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  The  dedication  of  these  pretty  tales,  prove  by  whom  they  are  written ;  they  are  inde- 
libly stamped  with  that  natural  and  graceful  method  of  amusing  while  instructing,  which 
only  persons  of  genius  possess." — Art  Journal. 


14  NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 

BOOKS    FOR    BOYS. 

With  Illustrations,  Fcap.  8vo.  price  5s.  each  cloth. 

Luke  Ashleigh; 

Or,  School  Life  in  Holland.     By  ALFRED  ELWES. 
"  The  author's  best  book,  by  a  writer  whose  popularity  with  boys  is  great." — Atheneeum. 

Guy  Rivers ; 

Or,  a  Boy's    Struggles  in    the  Great  World.     By  A.  ELWES. 

Ralph  Seabrooke; 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Young  Artist  in  Piedmont  and  Tuscany. 
By  A.  ELWES. 

Frank  and  Andrea; 

Or  Forest  Life  in  the  Island  of  Sardinia.    By  A.  ELWES. 

Paul  Blake ; 

Or,  the  Story  of  a  Boy's  Perils  in  the  Islands  of  Corsica  and  Monte 
Christo.    By  A.  ELWES. 

Ocean  and  her  Rulers ; 

A  Narrative  of  the  Nations  who  have  held  dominion  over  the  Sea; 
and  comprising  a  brief  History  of  Navigation.    By  ALFRED  ELWES. 

Lost  in  Ceylon ; 

The  Story  of  a  Boy  and  Girl's  Adventures  in  the  Woods  and  Wilds 
of  the  Lion  King  of  Kandy.    By  WILLIAM  DALTON. 

The  White  Elephant; 

Or  the  Hunters  of  Ava.     By  WILLIAM  DALTON. 

The  War  Tiger; 

Or,  The  Adventures  and  Wonderful  Fortunes  of  the  Young  Sea-Chief 
and  his  Lad  Chow.    By  W.  DALTON. 

"  A  tale  of  lively  adventure  vigorously  told,  and  embodying  much  curious  information." 
Ilustrated  News. 

Neptune's  Heroes  :  or  The  Sea  Kings  of  England; 

from  Hawkins  to  Franklin.  By  W.  H.  DAVENPORT  ADAMS. 

"We  trust  Old  England  may  ever  have  writers  as  ready  and  able  to  interpret  to  her 
children  the  noble  lives  of  her  greatest  men." — Athenceum. 

Historical  Tales  of  Lancastrian  Times. 

By  the    Rev.   H.   P.  DUNSTER,  M.A. 

"  Conveys  a  good  deal  of  information  about  the  manners  and  customs  of  England  and 
France  in  the  15th  Century."— Gentlemen's  Magazme. 

The  Fairy  Tales  of  Science. 

By  J.  C.  BROUGH.    With  16  Illustrations  by  C.  H.  BENNETT.     New 

Edition,  Revised  throughout. 

"  Science,  perhaps,  was  never  made  more  attractive  and  easy  of  entrance  into  the 
youthful  mind."—  The  Builder. 

"  Altogether  the  volume  is  one  of  the  most  original,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  useful, 
books  of  the  season." — Gentleman's  Magazine. 


PUBLISHED   BY  GRIFFITH   AND  FARRAN.  15 

WORKS   BY    THOMAS   HOOD'S    DAUGHTER. 

Wild  Roses; 

Or,  Simple  Stories  of  Country  Life.  By  FRANCIS  FREELING  BEODEBIP. 
Illustrated  by  ANELAT.     Post  8vo,  3s.  6rf.  cloth  4s.  gilt  edges. 
"  Written  with  tlic  grace  and  truthfulness  which  the  daughter  of  Tom  Hood  knowi  so 
well  how  to  impart." — Art  Journal. 

Mamma's  Morning  Gossips ; 

Or,  Little  Bits  for  Little  Birds.  Containing  Easy  Lessons  in  Words 
of  One  Syllable,  and  Stories  to  read.  With  Fifty  Illustrations  by 
TOM  HOOD.  Foolscap  Quarto,  Us.,  cloth,  4*.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Merry  Songs  for  Little  Voices ; 

The  words  by  Mrs.  BRODERIP;  set  to  music  by  THOMAS  MURBT, 
with  40  illustrations  by  TOM  HOOD.  Fcap.  4to.,  price  5*.  cloth. 

Crosspatch,  the  Cricket,  and  the  Counterpane ; 

A  Patchwork    of   Story    and  Song.      Illustrated    by    TOM  HOOD. 
Superroyal  16mo.  price  3s.  6d.  cl.,  4s.  6<f.  coloured,  gilt  cdi^s. 
"  Hans  Andersen  has  a  formidable  rival  in  this  gentle  Udy."— Art  Journal. 

My  Grandmother's  Budget 

of  Stories  and  Verses.  Illustrated  by  TOM  HOOD.  Price  3s.  Kd.  cloth; 
4s.  6rf.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  Some  of  the  most  charming  little  Inventions  that  ever  adorned  the  department  of 
literature." — Illuttrated  Timu. 

Tiny  Tadpole; 

And  other  Tales.  With  Illustrations  by  TOM  HOOD.  Price  3s.  6<f. 
cloth;  4s.  6<f.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  A  remarkable  book,  by  the  brother  and  sister  of  a  family  in  which  genius  and  fun  are 
inherited."— Saturday  Review. 

Funny  Fables  for  Little  Folks. 

Illustrated  by  TOM  HOOD.  Price  2s.  6d.  cl. ;  3s.  6c7.  col.,  gilt  edges. 

BY  CAPTAIN  MARRYAT'S  DAUGHTER. 

With  Illustrations  by  various   Artists.     Super-royal   16mo,  price  2*.  6d. 
each  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6rf.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

The  Children's  Pic  Me, 

And  what  Came  of  it. 

What  became  of  Tommy ; 

By  EMILIA  MARRYAT  NORRIS. 

A  Week  by  Themselves  ; 

By  EMILIA  MARRTAT  NORRIS. 

"  Our  younger  readers  will  be  charmed  with  a  story  of  iotne  youthful  Crusoes.  written 
by  the  daughter  of  Captain  Mjirryat."--Gittwrfiun. 

Harry  at  School ; 

By  EMILIA  MARRTAT. 

Long  Evenings; 

Or,  Stories  for  My  Little  Friends.    Second  Edition. 


16  NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 

LANDELL'S  INSTRUCTIVE  AND  AMUSING  WORKS. 

The  Boy's  own  Toy  Maker. 

A  Practical  Illustrated  Guide  to  the  useful  employment  of  Leisure 
Hoars.    By  E.  LAXDEIJA.    With  Two  Hundred  Cats.    Severn "- 
tion.     Royal  16 mo,  price  8*.  6d~.  cloth. 
-  A  new  «nd  Tahable  torn  cf 


The  Girl's  Own  Toy  Maker, 

And  Book  of  Recreation.    By  E.  and  A.  LAXDELIA.   Fourth  Edition. 
With  200  Illustrations.    Royal  16mo.  price  2*.  6<f.  cloth. 
"  A  perfect  magMine  «f  i 


Home  Pastime  ; 

Or,  The  Child's  Own  TOT  Maker.    With  practical  instructions.    By 
E.  LASDELLS.    New  and  Cheaper  Edition,  price  3*.  6dL  complete,  with 


%*  By  this  norel  and  ingenious  "Pastime,"  Twelve  beautiful  Models  can 
be  made'  by  Children  from  the  Cards, 


The  Illustrated  Paper  Model  Maker; 

Containing  Twelve  Pictorial  Subjects,  with  Descriptive  Letter-press 
and  Diagrams  for  the  construction  of  the  Models.  By  E.  LASDELLS. 
Price  2*.  in  a  neat  Envelope. 


THE  LATE  THOMAS  HOOD. 

Fairy  Land; 

Or,  Recreation  for  the  Rising  Generation,  in  Prose  and  Verse.  By 
THOMAS  and  JAXE  HOOD.  Illustrated  by  T.  HOOD,  Jnn.  Second 
Edition.  Super-royal  16mo;  price  3*.  6U.  cloth;  4t.  <k£  coloured 
gilt  edges. 

r^:'  •»  ;:  "IH  :"'  ti^  Xir;cr7.  ~5  r?cc~~e"il  3,'..  JT:~~ 


The  Headlong  Career  and  "Woful  Ending  of  Preco- 
cious PIGGY.  Written  for  his  Children,  by  the  late  THOMAS  HOOD. 
With  a  Preface  by  his  Daughter;  and  Illustrated  by  his  Son.    Fourth 
Edition.    Post  4 to,  fancy  boards,  price  2s.  6</.,  coloured. 
"  TW  Dhatratioig  are  mtfBMlr  hmuuuium.m—TI>c  Critic. 


PUBLISHED   BY   GRIFFITH   AND   FARRAIM.  17 

BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF  "  TRIUMPHS  OF  STEAM,"  ETC. 

Meadow  Lea; 

Or,    the  Gipsy  Children;  a  Story  founded  on  fact.     With  Illustra- 
tions by  JOHN  GILBERT.  Fcap.  8vo.  price  4t.  6d,  cloth;  5*.  gilt  edge*. 

The  Triumphs  of  Steam; 

Or,  Stories  from  the  Lives  of  Watt,  Arkwright,  and  Stephenson.  With 
Illustrations  "by  J.  GILBERT.      Dedicated  by  permission  to  Robert 
Stephenson,  Esq.,  M.P.    Second  edition.    Royal  I6mo,  price  3*.  6dL 
cloth ;  4s.  6</.,  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  A  most  delicious  volume  of  examples."— Art  Journal. 

Our  Eastern  Empire; 

Or,  Stories  from  the  History  of  British  India.  Second  Edition,  with 
Continuation  to  the  Proclamation  of  Queen  Victoria.    With  FOOT 
Illustrations.    Royal  16mo.  cloth  3*.  6d.;  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  These  stories  are  charming,  and  convey  a  general  view  of  the  progress  of  oar  Empire  in 
the  East.    The  tales  are  told  with  admirable  clearness."— Atkeiutum. 

Might  not  Right; 

Or,  Stories  of  the  Discovery  and  Conquest  of  America.      Illustrated 
by  J.  Gilbert.   Royal  16mo.    3*.  6tL  cloth;  4s.  6<f.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  With  the  fortunes  of  Columbus,  Cortes,  and  Pizarro,  for  the  Maple  of  these  stories,  the 
writer  has  succeeded  in  producing  a  very  interesting  volume."— lUuitrated  Xcvt. 

Tuppy; 

Or  the  Autobiography  of  a  Donkey.   Illustrated  by  WEIB,     Price 
2s.  6d.  cloth;  3*.  6 J.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  A  very  intelligent  donkey,  worthy  of  the  distinction  conferred  upon  him  by  the  artist.*' 
— Art  Journal. 

Rhymes  and  Pictures. 

By  WILLIAM    NEWMAN.      12  Illustrations.     Price  <x£  plain,  It. 
coloured.  2s.  6</.  on  linen,  and  bound  in  cloth. 

1.  The  History  of  a  Quartern  Loaf. 

2.  The  History  of  a  Cup  of  Tea. 

3.  The  History  of  a  Scuttle  of  Coals. 

4.  The  History  of  a  Lump  of  Sugar. 

5.  The  History  of  a  Bale  of  Cotton. 

6.  The  History  of  a  Golden  Sovereign. 

%*  N  os.  1  to  3  and  4  to  6,  may  be  had  bound  in  Two  Volumes.    Cloth 
price  2s.  each,  plain;  3s.  Cd.  coloured. 

Hand  Shadows, 

To  be  thrown  upon  the  WalL  By  HEXRT  BCRSILL.     1st  &  2nd  Series 
each  containing  Eighteen  Original  Designs.  4:<>.2<  each  plain ;  '2s.6d.  coL 
"  Uncommonly  clever— some  wonderful  effects  are  produced."— TV  Preu. 

Old  Xurse's  Book  of  Rhymes,  Jingles,  and  Ditties. 

Illustrated  by   C.  H.  BEJTXETT.     With    Ninety    Engravings.      New 
Edition.    Fcap.  4 to.,  price  3*.  6dL  cloth,  plain,  or  6*.  coloured. 
"The  illustrations  are  all  so  replete  with  fun  and  imagination,  that  we  scarcely  know 
who  will  be  most  pleased  with  the  book,  the  good-natured  grandfather  who  gives  it,  or  the 
chubby  grandchild  who  gets  it,  for  a  Christmas-Box."— A'oto  a*d  Qveriet. 


18  NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 

Home  Amusements. 

A  Choice  Collection  of  Riddles,  Charades,  Conundrums,  Parlour 
Games,  and  Forfeits.  By  PETER  PCZZLEWELL,  Esq.,  of  Rebus  Hall. 
New  Edition,  with  Frontispiece  by  PHIZ.  16mo,  2s.  Grf.  cloth. 

Clara  Hope; 

Or,  the  Blade  and  the  Ear.  By  Miss  MJLNER.  With  Frontispiece 
by  Birket  Foster.  Fcap.  8vo.  price  3s.  6 d.  cloth;  4s.  Qd.  cloth  elegant, 
gilt  edges. 

"A  beautiful  narrative,  showing  how  bad  habits  may  be  eradicated,  and  evil  tempers 
subdued."— British  Mother's  Journal. 

BY    W.    H.    C.    KINGSTON, 

Our  Soldiers; 

Or,  Anecdotes  of  the  Campaigns  and  Gallant  Deeds  of  the  British 
Army  during  the  reign  of  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria.  By  W.  H.  G. 
KINGSTON.  With  Frontispiece  from  a  Painting  in  the  Victoria  Cross 
Gallery.  Second  Edition.  Fcp.  8vo.  price  3s.  cloth;  3s.  f>d.  gilt  edges. 

Our  Sailors; 

Or,  Anecdotes  of  the  Engagements  and  Gallant  Deeds  of  the  British 
Navy  during  the  reign  of  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria.    With  Frontis- 
piece.       Second   Edition.       Price  3s.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  gilt  edges. 
"  These  volumes  abundantly  prove  that  both  our  officers  and  men  in  the  Army  and  Navy, 
have  been  found  as  ready  as  ever  to  dare,  and  to  do  as  was  dared  and  done  of  yore." 


W.  H.  C.  KINGSTON'S  BOOKS  FOR  BOYS- 
With  Illustrations.    Fcap.  8vo.  price  5s.  each,  cloth. 

True  Blue; 

Or,  the  Life  and  Adventures  of  a  British  Seaman  of  the  Old  School. 

"  There  is  about  all  Mr.  Kingston's  tales  a  spirit  of  hopefulness,  honesty,  and  cheery 
pood  principle,  which  makes  them  most  wholesome,  as  well  as  most  interesting  reading." — 
Era. 

"With  the  exception  of  Capt.  Marryat,  we  know  of  no  English  author  who  will  compare 
with  Mr.  Kingston  as  a  writer  of  books  of  nautical  adventure." — Illustrated  News. 

Will  Weatherhelm ; 

Or,  the  Yarn  of  an  Old  Sailor  about  his  Early  Life  and  Adventures. 

Fred  Markham  in  Russia; 

Or,  the  Boy  Travellers  in  the  Land  of  the  Czar. 

Salt  Water ; 

Or  Neil  D'Arcy's  Sea  Life  and  Adventures. 

Mark  Seaworth; 

A  Tale  of  the  Indian  Ocean.     Second  Edition. 

Peter  the  Whaler ; 

His  early  Life  and  Adventures  in  the  Arctic  Regions.     Third  Edition. 


PUBLISHED   BY  GRIFFITH  AND  FARRAN.  19 


Distant  Homes; 


Or,  the  Graham  Family  in  New  Zealand.     By  Mrs.  I.  E.  AYLMER. 

With  Illustrations.     Price  3s.  Gd.  cloth ;  4s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  English  children  will  be  delighted  with  the  history  of  tlie  Graham  Family,  and  be 
enabled  to  form  pleasant  and  truthful  conceptions  of  the  '  Distant  Humes'  inhabited  by 
their  kindred."— Athenaeum. 

The  Adventures  and  Experiences  of  Biddy  Dork- 

ING  and  of  the  FAT  FROG.   Edited  by  MRS.  S.  C.  HALL.   Illustrated 
by  H.  Weir.    2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  Most  amusingly  and  wittily  told."— Morning  Herald, 

Historical  Acting  Charades ; 

Or,  Amusements  for  Winter  Evenings,  by  the  author  of  "  Cat  and 
Dog,"  etc.  New  Edition.    Fcap.  8vo.,  price  3s.  Gd.  cloth  gilt  edges. 
"A  rare  book  for  Christmas  parties,  and  of  practical  value."— lUuttratedNewt. 

The  Story  of  Jack  and  the  Giants : 

With  thirty-five  Illustrations  by  RICHARD  DOYLE.   Beautifully  printed. 

New  and  Cheaper  Edition.       Fcap.  4to.  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s. Gd. 

coloured,  extra  cloth,  gilt  edges. 

"  In  Doyle's  drawings  we  have  wonderful  conceptions,  which  will  secure  the  book  • 
place  amongst  the  treasures  of  collectors,  as  well  as  excite  the  imaginations  of  children." 
—Illustrated  Tii/tet. 


Granny's  Wonderful  Chair; 

And  its  Tales  of  Fairy  Times.    By  FRANCES  BROWNE.    Illustrations 
by  KENNY  MEADOWS.    3s.  Gd.  cloth,  4s.  Gd.  coloured. 

"  One  of  the  happiest  blendings  of  marvel  and  moral  we  have  ever  seen." — Literary 
Gazette. 

The  Early  Dawn; 

Or,  Stories    to    Think    about    Illustrated  by  H.  WEIR.      Second 
Edition.     Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;    3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Angelo ; 

Or,  the  Pine  Forest  among  the  Alps.    By  GERALDINE  E.  JEWSBPRY, 
author  of  "  The  Adopted  Child,"  etc.      Illustrations  by  J.  AUSOLON. 
Second  Edition.    Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  As  pretty  a  child's  story  as  one  might  look  for  on  a  winter's  day."— Examiner. 

Tales  of  Magic  and  Meaning. 

Written  and  Illustrated  by  ALFRED  CROWQUILL.    4to. ;  price  3s.  Gd, 

cloth;    4s.  Gd.  coloured. 

"  Cleverly  written,  abounding  In  frolic  and  pathos,  and  Inculcates  to  pure  a  moral,  that 
we  must  pronounce  him  a  very  fortunate  little  fellow,  who  catchea  these  '  Tales  of  Magic,' 
as  a  windfall  from '  The  Christmas  Tree'."— Athenaeum. 


20  NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS. 

Peter  Parley's  Fagots  for  the  Fire  Side; 

Or,  Tales  of  Fact  and  Fancy.    Twelve  Illustrations.    New  Edition. 

Fcap.  8vo.;  3s.  (id.,  cloth;  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"  A  new  book  by  Peter  Parley  is  a  pleasant  greeting  for  all  boys  and  girls,  wherever  the 
English  language  is  spoken  and  read.    He  has  a  happy  method  of  conveying  information, 
while  seeming  to  address  himself  to  the  imagination." — The  Critic, 

Letters  from  Sarawak, 

Addressed  to  a  Child ;   embracing  an  Account  of  the  Manners,  Cus- 
toms, and  Religion  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Borneo,  with  Incidents  of 
Missionary  Life  among  the  Natives.    By  Mrs.  M'DOUGALL.    Fourth 
Thousand,  with  Illustrations.     3*.  Gd.  cloth. 
"  All  is  new,  interesting,  and  admirably  told."—  Church  and  State  Gazette. 

Kate  and  Kosalind ; 

Or,  Early  Experiences.  By  the  author  of  "  Quicksands  on  Foreign 
Shores,"  etc.  Fcap.  8vo,  3s.  Gd.  cloth ;  4s.  gilt  edges. 

"  A  book  of  unusual  merit.  The  story  is  exceedingly  well  told,  and  the  characters  are 
drawn  with  a  freedom  and  boldness  seldom  met  with." — Church  of  England  Quarterly. 

"  The  Irish  scenes  are  of  an  excellence  that  has  not  been  surpassed  since  the  best  days 
of  Miss  Edgeworth." — Fraser's  Magazine. 

Clarissa  Donnelly; 

Or,  The  History  of  an  Adopted  Child.  By  GERALDINE  E. 
JETVSBURY.  With  an  Illustration  by  JOHN  ABSOLON.  Fcap.  8vo, 
3s.  6rf.  cloth;  4s.  gilt  edges. 

"With  wonderful  power,  only  to  be  matched  by  as  admirable  a  simplicity, Miss  Jewsbury 
has  narrated  the  history  of  a  child.  For  nobility  of  purpose,  for  simple,  nervous  writing, 
and  for  artistic  construction,  it  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  works  of  the  day." — Lady's 
Companion. 

The  Discontented  Children ; 

And  How  they  were  Cured.  By  M.  and  E.  KIRBY.  Illustrated 
by  H.  K.  BROWNE  (Phiz.).  Third  edition,  price  2s.  Gd.  cloth; 
3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  We  know  no  better  method  of  banishing  'discontent '  from  school-room  and  nursery 
than  by  introducing  this  wise  and  clever  story  to  their  inmates." — Art  Journal. 

The  Talking  Bird; 

Or,  the  Little  Girl  who  knew  what  was  going  to  happen.  By  M.  and 
E.  KIRBY.  With  Illustrations  by  H.  K.  BROWNE.  Second  Edition. 
Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Julia  Maitland; 

Or,  Pride  goes  before  a  Fall.  By  M.  and  E.  KIRBY.  Illustrated  by 
ABSOLON.  Price  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  It  is  nearly  such  a  story  as  Hiss  Edgeworth  might  liave  written  on  the  same  theme." — 
The  Press. 


PUBLISHED  BY  GRIFFITH  AND  FARRAN.  21 

COMICAL   PICTURE  BOOKS. 

Each  with  Sixteen  large  Coloured  Plates,  price  2s.  Qd.,  in  fancy  boards, 
or  mounted  on  cloth,  Is.  extra. 

Picture  Fables. 

Written  and  Illustrated  by  ALFRED  CROWQUILL. 

The  Careless  Chicken; 

By  the  BARON  KRAKEMSIDES.    By  ALFRED  CROWQUILL. 

Funny  Leaves  for  the  Younger  Branches. 

By  the  BARON  KRAKEMSIDES,  of  Burstenoudelafen  Castle.    Illustrated 
by  ALFRED  CROWQCILL. 

Laugh  and  Grow  Wise; 

By  the  Senior   Owl   of  Ivy  Hall.     With   Sixteen   large  coloured 
Plates.    Price  2s.  6<f.  fancy  boards;  or  3s.  6rf.  mounted  on  cloth. 


The  Remarkable  History  of  the  House  that  Jack 

Built.    Splendidly  Illustrated  and  magnificently  Illuminated  by  THE 
SON  OF  A  GENIUS.    Price  2s.  infancy  cover. 
"  Magnificent  in  suggestion,  and  most  comical  in  expression  !  "—Athenaum. 

A  Peep  at  the  Pixies ; 

Or,  Legends  of  the  West.  By  Mrs.  BRAY.  Author  of  "  Life  of 
Stothard,"  "Trelawny,"  etc.  With  Illustrations  by  Phiz.  Super- 
royal  16mo,  price  3s.  6d cloth;  4s.  6d.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 


iur  imLuie,  iinu  iivr  retu  ueiigm  in  iiury  lore,  nave  given  a  iresimess  10  me  lime  volume 
we  did  not  expect.  The  notes  at  the  end  contain  matter  of  interest  for  all  who  feel  a 
desire  to  know  the  origin  of  such  tales  and  legends." — Art  Journal. 

A  BOOK  FOR  EVERY  CHILD. 

The  Favourite  Picture  Book; 

A  Gallery  of  Delights,  designed  for  the  Amusement  and  Instruction  of 
the  Young.  With  several  Hundred  Illustrations  from  Drawings  by 
J.  ABSOLON,  H.  K.  BROWNE  (Phiz),  J.  GILBERT,  T.  LANDSEEU, 
J.  LEECH,  J.  S.  PHODT,  H.  WEIR,  etc.  New  I^dition.  Royal  4to., 
bound  in  a  new  and  Elegant  Cover, price  3s.  6 d.  plain ;  7s.  6t/.  coloured; 
10s.  Gd.  mounted  on  cloth  and  coloured. 

Sunday  Evenings  with  Sophia ; 

Or,  Little  Talks  on  Great  Subjects.  A  Book  for  Girls.  By  LEONORA 
G.  BELL.  Frontispiece  by  J.  ABSOLON.  Fcap.  8vo,  price  2«.  6</.  doth. 


22  NEW  AND    INTERESTING  WORKS 

Blind  Man's  Holiday ; 

Or  Short  Tales  for  the  Nursery.  By  the  Author  of  "  Mia  and  Charlie." 
Illustrated  by  ABSOLON.  3s.  Gd.  cloth;  4s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

NEW  AND  BEAUTIFUL  LIBRARY  EDITION. 

The  Vicar  of  Wakefield; 

A  Tale.  By  OLIVER  GOLDSMITH.  Printed  by  Whittingham.  With 
Eight  Illustrations  by  J.  ABSOLON.  Square  fcap.  8vo,  price  5s.,  cloth; 
7s.  half-bound  morocco,  Roxburghe  style;  10s.  Gd.  antique  morocco. 

Mr.  Absolon's  graphic  sketches  add  greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  volume :  altogether, 
it  is  as  pretty  an  edition  of  the  '  Vicar '  as  we  have  seen.  Mrs.  Primrose  herself  would 
•  consider  it '  well  dressed.' " — Art  Journal. 

"  A  delightful  edition  of  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  works :  the  fine  old  type  and  thick 
paper  make  this  volume  attractive  to  any  lover  of  books." — Edinburgh  Guardian. 

The  Wonders  of  Home,  in  Eleven  Stories. 

By  GRANDFATHER  GREY.  With  Illustrations.  Third  and  Cheaper 
Edition.  Eoyal  16mo.,  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  The  idea  is  excellent,  and  its  execution  equally  commendable.  The  subjects  are  well 
selected,  and  are  very  happily  told  in  a  light  yet  sensible  manner." — Weekly  News. 

Cat  and  Dog; 

Or,  Memoirs  of  Puss  and  the  Captain.  Illustrated  by  WEIR.  Eighth 
Edition.  Super-royal  16mo,  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  The  author  of  this  amusing  little  tale  is,  evidently,  a  keen  observer  of  nature.  The 
illustrations  are  well  executed ;  and  the  moral,  which  points  the  tale,  is  conveyed  in  the 
most  attractive  form." — Britannia. 

The  Doll  and  Her  Friends ; 

Or,  Memoirs  of  the  Lady  Seraphina.  By  the  Author  of  "  Cat  and 
Dog."  Third  Edition.  With  Four  Illustrations  by  H.  K.  BROWNE 
(Phiz).  2s.  Gd.,  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Tales  from  Catland; 

Dedicated  to  the  Young  Kittens  of  England.  By  an  OLD  TABBY. 
Illustrated  by  H.  WEIR.  Fourth  Edition.  Small  4to,  2s.  6<f.  plain; 
3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

"  The  combination  of  quiet  humour  and  sound  sense  has  made  this  one  of  thepleasantest 
little  books  of  the  season." — Lady's  Newspaper. 

Scenes  of-  Animal  Life  and  Character. 

From  Nature  and  Eecollection.  In  Twenty  Plates.  By  J.  B.  4to, 
price  2s.,  plain;  2s.  Gd.,  coloured,  fancy  boards. 

"  Truer,  heartier,  more  playful,  or  more  enjoyable  sketches  of  animal  life  could 
scarcely  be  found  anywhere." — Spectator. 


PUBLISHED    BY  GRIFFITH  AND   FARRAN.  23 

WORKS  BY  THE  LATE  MRS-  R-  LEE- 

Anecdotes  of  the  Habits  and  Instincts  of  Animals. 

Third  Edition.    With  Illustrations  by  HARBISON  WEIR.    Fcap.  8ro, 
3*.  &d.  cloth  ;  4s.  gilt  edges. 

Anecdotes  of  the  Habits  and  Instincts  of  Birds, 

REPTILES,  and  FISHES.     With  Illustrations  by  HARRISON  WEIR. 

Second  Edition.    Fcap.  8vo,  3s.  6d.  cloth  ;  4s.  gilt  edges. 
"  Amusing,  Instructive,  and  ably  written."  —  Literary  Gazette. 

"Mrs.  Lee's  authorities—  to  uanie  only  one,  Professor  Owen—  are,  for  the  most  part 
fi  r»  t-rate  .'  —  A'Jiencnun. 


Twelve    Stories    of   the    Sayings   and   Doings   of 

ANIMALS.  With  Illustrations  by  J.  W.  ARCHER.  Third  Edition. 
Super-  royal  IGmo,  2s.  6d.  cloth;  3s.  6<f.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Familiar  Natural  History. 

With  Forty-two  Illustrations  from  Original  Drawings  by  HARRISON 
WEIR.     Super-royal  16mo,  3s.  6d.  cloth;  5*.  coloured  gilt  edges. 
%*  May  be  had  in  Two  Volumes,  2s.  each   plain  ;  2s.  6d.     Coloured, 
Entitled  "  British  Animals  and  Birds."    "  Foreign  Animals  and  Birds." 

Playing  at  Settlers; 

Or,  the  Fagot  House.  Illustrated  by  GILBERT.  Second  Edition. 
Price  2s.  6rf.  cloth;  3s.  6<i  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

Adventures  in  Australia; 

Or,  the  Wanderings  of  Captain  Spencer  in  the  Bush  and  the  Wilds. 
Second  Edition.  Illustrated  by  PROUT.  Fcap.  8vo.,  3s.  Gd  cloth;  4s. 

gilt  edges. 

The  African  Wanderers; 

Or,  the  Adventures  of  Carlos  and  Antonio;  embracing  interesting 
Descriptions  of  the  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Western  Tribes,  and 
the  Natural  Productions  of  the  Country.  Fourth  Edition.  With  Eight 
Engravings.  Fcap.  8vo,  3s.  6rf.  cloth;  4s.  gilt  edges. 

"  For  fascinating  adventure,  and  rapid  succession  of  incident,  the  volume  u  equal  to  any 
relation  of  travel  we  ever  read."  —  Britannia. 

ELEGANT   GIFT    FOR   A    LADY. 

Trees,  Plants,  and  Flowers; 

Their  Beauties,  Uses  and  Influences.  By  Mrs.  R.  LEE.  With  beau- 
tiful coloured  Illustrations  by  J.  ANDREWS.  8vo,  price  10*.  6t/.,  cloth 
elegant,  gilt  edges. 

"  The  volume  is  at  once  useful  as  a  botanical  work,  and  exquisite  as  the  ornament  of  a 
boudoir  table."—  Britannia.    "  As  full  of  interest  aa  of  beauty."—  Art  Journal. 


NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 


WORKS  BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF  MAMMA'S  BIBLE  STORIES. 

Fanny  and  her  Mamma  ; 

Or,  Easy  Lessons  for  Children.  In  which  it  is  attempted  to  bring  Scrip- 
tural Principles  into  daily  practice.   Illustrated  by  J.  GILBERT.    Third 
Edition.    16mo,  2s.  Gd.  cloth;  3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 
"A  little  book  in  beautiful  large  clear  type,  to  suit  the  capacity  of  infant  readers,  which 
we  can  with  pleasure  recommend."  —  Christian  Ladies'  Magazine. 

Short  and  Simple  Prayers, 

For  the   Use  of  Young   Children.      With  Hymns.    Sixth  Edition. 
Square  1  6mo,  Is.  cloth. 


Mamma's  Bible  Stories, 

For  her  Little  Boys  and  Girls,  adapted  to  the  capacities  of  very  young 
Children.  Twelfth  Edition,  with  Twelve  Engravings.  2s.  Gd.  cloth; 
3s.  Gd.  coloured,  gilt  edges. 

A  Sequel  to  Mamma's  Bible  Stories. 

Sixth  Edition.     Twelve  Illustrations.    2s.  Gd.  cloth,  3s.  Gd.  coloured. 


ure  Histories  for  Little  Children. 


Script 

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Or,  The  Early  History  of  Gilbert  Harland.     By  MRS.  BARWELL, 

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2  Cinderella.  9  Mother  Hubbard. 

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4  Courtship  of  Jenny  Wren.  1 1  Old  Woman  and  her  Pig. 

5  Dame  Trot  and  her  Cat.  12  Puss  in  Boots. 

6  History  of  an  Apple  Pie.  13  Tommy  Trip's  Museum  of 

7  House  that  Jack  built.  Birds. 


BY  THOMAS  DARNELL. 

PARSING  SIMPLIFIED:  An  Introduction  and  Companion  to  all 
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of  Speech  to  a  thorough  comprehension  of  the  grammatical  con- 
struction of  the  most  complex  sentences  of  our  ordinary  Authors, 
either  in  Prose  or  Poetry,  by  THOMAS  DAKXELL.  Price  Is.  cloth. 

'  "  Sound  in  principle,  singularly  felicitous  in  example  and  illustration,  and  though  brief, 
thoroughly  exhaustive  of  the  subject.  The  boy  who  will  not  learn  to  parse  on  Mr. 
Darnell's  plan  is  not  likely  to  do  so  on  any  other  __  Morning  Post. 


GEORGE  DARNELL'S   EDUCATIONAL  WORKS. 

The  attention  of  all  interested  in  the  subject  of  Education  is  invited  to 
these  Works,  now  in  extensive  use  throughout  the  Kingdom,  prepared  by 
Mr.  George  Darnell,  a  Schoolmaster  of  many  years'  experience. 

1.  COPY  BOOKS.  —  A  SHORT  AND  CERTAIN  ROAD  TO  A  GOOD  HAND- 

WRITING, gradually  advancing  from  the  Simple  Stroke  to  a  superior 
Small-hand. 

LARGE  POST,  Sixteen  Numbers,  6d.  each. 

FOOLSCAP,  Twenty  Numbers,  to  which  are  added  Three  Supplementary 
Numbers  of  Angular  Writing  for  Ladies,  and  One  of  Ornamental  Hands. 
Price  3d.  each. 

»**  This  series  may  also  be  had  on  very  superior  paper,  marble  covers,  4d.  each. 
"  For  teaching  writing  I  would  recommend  the  use  of  Darnell's  Copy  Books.    I  have 
noticed  a  marked  improvement  wherever  they  have  been  used."  —  Report  of  Mr.  Maye 
(National  Society's  Organizer  of  Schools)  to  tke  Worcester  Dioctsan  Board  of  Education. 

2.  GRAMMAR,  made  intelligible  to  Children,  price  Is.  cloth. 

3.  ARITHMETIC,  made  intelligible  to  Children,  price  Is.  6d.  cloth. 

*tt*  Key  to  Parts  2  and  3,  price  Is.  cloth. 

4.  READING,  a  Short  and  Certain  Road  to,  price  6d.  cloth.  /  , 

WERTHEIMEK,  LEA  AND   CO.,    CIRCUS   PLACE,  FINSBURY   CHtCUS. 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


SRLF 

QL 


OCTO? 


1991 


A     000  091  533     0