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THE EXPEDITION TO BORNEO

OF

H. M. S. DIDO

FOR

THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY:

WITH EXTRACTS FROM

THE JOURNAL OF JAMES BROOKE, ESQ., OF SARAWAK,

(Now Agent for the British Government in Borneo).



BY

CAPTAIN THE HON. HENRY KEPPEL, R. N.





NEW YORK:

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS,

82 CLIFF STREET.

1846.











TO

THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE.


My dear Father,

You could scarcely have anticipated, from my profession, the dedication
of a book in testimony of my gratitude and affection; but, having had
the good fortune to acquire the friendship of Mr. James Brooke, and
to be intrusted by him with a narrative of his extraordinary career
in that part of the world where the services of the ship I commanded
were required, I am not without a hope that the accompanying pages
may be found worthy of your approval, and not altogether uninteresting
to my country.


I am, my dear father,

Your affectionate son,

Henry Keppel.

Droxford, January, 1846.







PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.


The visit of her majesty's ship Dido to Borneo, and her services
against the pirates, occupy comparatively so small a portion of this
volume, that some excuse may be necessary for its leading title.

It was only by undertaking to make the account of them part of the
narrative, that I could prevail upon my friend Mr. Brooke to intrust
me with his Journal for any public object; and when I looked at his
novel and important position as a ruler in Borneo, and was aware how
much of European curiosity was attached to it, I felt it impossible
not to consent to an arrangement which should enable me to trace the
remarkable career through which he had reached that elevation. I hope,
therefore, to be considered as having conquered my own disinclination
to be the relater of events in which I was concerned, in order to
overcome the scruples which he entertained against being the author
of the autobiographical sketch, embracing so singular a portion of
his life, which I have extracted from the rough notes confided to me.

That his diffidence in this respect was groundless will, I trust,
be apparent from these pages, however indifferently I may have
executed my unusual task, during a long homeward sea-voyage; and,
from the growing interest which has arisen throughout the country for
intelligence on the subject of Borneo and the adjacent archipelago,
I venture also to indulge the belief that the general information
will be deemed no unfit adjunct to the story of personal adventure.





ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION.


The text of this edition has been carefully revised, and has undergone
numerous verbal alterations; some portions of it have been transposed,
and a few additions have been made to the work. [In the American
edition, a few pages of matter, of no interest to American readers,
have been omitted from the Appendix.]






CONTENTS.



CHAPTER I.

The Chinese War having terminated, Captain Keppel in H.M.S. Dido
appointed to command of the Straits station.--Meeting with
Mr. Brooke.--Sketch of his life.--Mr. Brooke's outward voyage in the
Royalist.--Touch at Singapore.--Arrival off the coast of Borneo.--Land
at the island of Talang Talang.--Intercourse with the Bandar _Page_ 1

CHAPTER II.

Progress: observations.--Description of the coast of Borneo.--Account,
&c. of a Pangeran.--Arrival at Sarawak.--Meetings with Rajah Muda
Hassim, and conversations.--The Town.--Interchange of visits and
presents.--Excursion to Dyak tribes.--Resources and commercial
products 14

CHAPTER III.

Second Cruise: up the River Lunda.--The Sibnowan Dyaks.--Their
Town of Tungong.--Their Physical Proportions, and Words of their
Language.--Their Customs.--Skull-trophies.--Religious Ceremonies
and Opinions.--Their Ornaments.--Appearance of both Sexes.--Dress
and Morals.--Missionary Prospects of Conversion, and Elevation in
the Social Scale.--Government, Laws, and Punishments.--Dances.--Iron
Manufacturing.--Chinese Settlement.--Excursion continued 32

CHAPTER IV.

Renewed intercourse with the Rajah.--Prospects of
trade.--Ourang-outang, and other animals.--The two sorts of
mias.--Description of the Rajah, his suite, and Panglimas, &c.--The
character of the natives.--Leave Sarawak.--Songi Dyaks.--Visit Seriff
Sahib.--Buyat tongue.--Attack by pirates.--Sail for Singapore 45

CHAPTER V.

Summary of information obtained during this
visit to Borneo.--Geographical and topographical
observations.--Produce.--Various Dyak tribes.--Natural
history.--Language.--Origin of Races.--Sail from
Singapore.--Celebes.--Face of the country.--Waterfall 59

CHAPTER VI.

Dain Matara, the Bugis.--Excursions in Celebes.--Dispute
with the Rajah's son-in-law.--Baboon shot.--Appearance of the
country.--Visit the Resident.--Barometrical observations.--The
Bugis.--Geography.--Coral reefs.--Visit the Rana of
Lamatte.--Population and products of the country 72

CHAPTER VII.

Mr. Brooke's second visit to Sarawak.--The civil war.--Receives a
present of a Dyak boy.--Excursion to the seat of war.--Notices of
rivers, and settlements on their banks.--Deaths and burials.--Reasons
for and against remaining at Sarawak.--Dyak visitors.--Council of
war.--Why side with the Rajah.--Mode of constructing forts.--State
of enemy's and Rajah's forces.--Conduct of the war 87

CHAPTER VIII.

Appearance of the country.--Progress of the rebel war.--Character of
the Sow and Singè Dyaks.--Their belief in augury.--Ruinous effects of
protracted warfare.--Cowardice and boasting of the Malays.--Council
of war.--Refuse to attack the enemy's forts.--Rebels propose to
treat.--The Malays oppose.--Set out to attack the rebels, but
frustrated by our allies.--Assailed by the rebels.--Put them to
flight.--Treat with them.--They surrender.--Intercede with the Rajah
for their lives.--Renewed treachery of the Malays 100

CHAPTER IX.

Retrospect of Mr. Brooke's proceedings and prospects.--Visit of
a pirate fleet.--Intercourse with the chief leaders, and other
characteristic incidents.--War dances.--Use of opium.--Story of
Si Tundo.--Preparations for trading.--Conditions of the cession of
Sarawak 119

CHAPTER X.

Obstacles in the way of coming to a satisfactory conclusion with Muda
Hassim.--The law of force and reprisal considered.--Capabilities of
Sarawak.--Account of Sarebus and Sakarran pirates.--Excursion up the
river.--Visit to the Singè Dyaks.--Description of Mr. Brooke's house at
Sarawak.--Circumstances relating to the wreck off Borneo Proper 135

CHAPTER XI.

Return of the Royalist from Borneo Proper with intelligence of the
sufferers from the wreck of the Sultana.--Effect of the arrival
of the Diana on the negotiations for their release.--Outrage and
oppression of Macota.--Fate of the Sultana and her crew.--Mr. Brooke
made Rajah of Sarawak.--Liberation of rebel prisoners.--State of Dyak
tribes.--Court of justice opened.--Dyak burials, and respect for the
dead.--Malay cunning and treachery 151

CHAPTER XII.

Reflections on the new year.--The plundered village, and other
wrongs.--Means for their suppression.--The new government proceeds
to act.--The constitution.--Preparations for an expedition
against the Sea Dyaks.--Form of a treaty.--Wreck of the Viscount
Melbourne.--Administration of justice.--Difficulties and dangers.--Dyak
troubles.--Views and arrangements of the Chinese.--Judicial
forms.--Wrongs and sufferings of the Lundus 164

CHAPTER XIII.

Ascent of the left-hand river to the Stabad.--Remarkable cave in
the Tubbang.--Diamond works at Suntah.--Return.--Infested by Dyak
pirates.--A meeting of prahus, and fight.--Seriff Sahib's treatment of
the Suntah Dyaks.--Expedition against the Singè.--Their invasion of
the Sigos, and taking heads.--The triumph over these trophies.--Arms
and modes of war.--Hot and cold council-houses.--Ceremonies in the
installation of the Orang Kaya Steer Rajah.--Meeting of various Dyak
tribes.--Hostile plans of Seriff Sahib, and their issue.--Resolves
to proceed to Borneo Proper 183

CHAPTER XIV.

Visit of Captain Elliott.--Mr. Brooke sails for Borneo
Proper.--Arrival.--Visited by leading men.--Condition of
the country.--Reception by the Sultan.--Objects in view.--The
different chiefs, and communications with them.--The Sultan and
his Pangerans.--Objects of the visit accomplished.--Return to
Sarawak.--Ceremonies of the cession.--Sail for Singapore 199

CHAPTER XV.

Captain Keppel's voyage in the Dido with Mr. Brooke to Sarawak.--Chase
of three piratical prahus.--Boat expedition.--Action with the
pirates, and capture of a prahu.--Arrival at Sarawak.--Mr. Brooke's
reception.--Captain Keppel and his officers visit the Rajah.--The
palace and the audience.--Return royal visit to the Dido.--Mr. Brooke's
residence and household.--Dr. Treacher's adventure with one of the
ladies of Macota's harem.--Another boat affair with the pirates,
and death of their chief 213

CHAPTER XVI.

The Rajah's letter to Captain Keppel, and his reply.--Prepares for
an expedition against the Sarebus pirates.--Pleasure excursion up the
river.--The Chinese settlement.--The Singè mountain.--Interior of the
residences.--Dyak festival of Maugut.--Relics.--Sporting.--Return to
Sarawak.--The expedition against Sarebus.--State and number of the
assailing force.--Ascent of the river.--Beauty of the scenery 228

CHAPTER XVII.

Ascent of the river to Paddi.--Town taken and burnt.--Narrow
escape of a reinforcement of friendly Dyaks.--Night-attack by the
pirates.--Conference: they submit.--Proceed against Pakoo.--Dyak
treatment of dead enemies.--Destruction of Pakoo, and submission
of the pirates.--Advance upon Rembas.--The town destroyed: the
inhabitants yield.--Satisfactory effects of the expedition.--Death
of Dr.