deeds of the most revolting and sanguinary barbarity. At the foot of the gallows rather a fine-looking young man, a Malay, justified himself on the principles above stated, and died declaring himself an innocent and very ill-used man, since all he had done was in the regular way of his business. It is not to be wondered at then, that, entertaining such doctrines and sentiments, the whole Malay population of the great and numerous islands of the East, have been regarded by the European commercial world and navigators in these seas as a race of treacherous and blood-thirsty miscreants. How admirable, then, in our countryman to have commenced the good work of regeneration amongst many millions of such men, not by the power of the sword, but by demonstrating practically the eternal and immutable rules of equity and truth! the who has used every exertion to extend the planting of trees, by having the seedlings brought in great quantities from Singapore; and by convincing his people that every tree, at the end of a few years, is worth a dollar from the oil it will produce, which meets a ready sale at all times, many thousands have already been planted, and the number is increasing. It is by such small beginnings that the minds of these people must be distracted from thoughts of robbery and plunder; and it is by practically showing them that dollars are to be had without the shedding of blood, that the rajah of Sarawak is endeavoring to sow the seeds of industry and of civilization, and step by step to change their ideas, their habits, their hearts. That an all-wise Providence may prosper his undertaking, must be the prayer of those who may have visited his settlement, and who, like myself, have witnessed his disinterested and unceasing thoughts for the peace, happiness, and comfort of the community of which he may truly be designated the "father." The town of Kutching stands on both sides of the river, here about 200 yards across; the houses are of a very slight construction, with open bamboo floors and mat partitions, best adapted for the climate, although those occupied by the Europeans are of a better description,-still of the same material-all raised some feet from the ground to admit a free circulation of air from underneath. On the arrival of the squadron off the Sarawak, a party accompanied the admiral in the Pluto to the house and establishment of Mr. Brooke at Kutching, about eighteen miles above the mouth of the river. The house, although not large, is airy and commodious for the climate, and stands on the left bank of the river on undulating ground of the richest quality, capable of producing in abundance every article common to the tropics; clearance was progressing on both sides of the river, and will doubtless rapidly increase when the perfect security of property which exists is more generally understood and appreciated. Some years ago a small colony of The night passed by the admiral and industrious Chinese located themselves on party was rendered very agreeable by cool the banks of the river, under the protection refreshing breezes from some high, insulatof the rajah of the day: their little settle-ed, granitic mountains at a distance in the ment became flourishing and prosperous, and was rapidly increasing in wealth and importance, when at one fell swoop the villanous Malays seized, plundered and murdered them; and the more fortunate Chinese who escaped home spread the report of their treatment so widely, that it will take some time to remove the impression. But I feel convinced that emigration from China under British protection might be carried to any extent, and a race truly agricultural and industrious introduced, to the great benefit of this rich but neglected portion of the world. It may be mentioned as a singular fact, that on no part of this coast was the cocoa-nut, that invariable type of a tropical region, found, having been gradually destroyed by pirates, until introduced by Mr. Brooke, interior; and even during the day the heat was not unbearable: thermometer Fahr. about 86o. The canoes on the river are of the slightest construction, and are apparently unsafe; yet the passengers crossing the creeks and the river invariably stand up in them, but wo to the unpractised or unsteady! Accidents, although rare, do sometimes occur, attended with loss of life. Mr. Brooke had been absent some six or seven weeks when the admiral accompanied him on his return to the settlement. He was not expected, but the news of his arrival spread with wonderful velocity, and the various chiefs were speedily assembled to greet him with a cordial and hearty welcome. The reunion of the oldest of his swarthy councillors, as well as of the youngest, who dropped in after dinner had been re moved, and took their places on the benches by the sides of the walls according to their modes, customs, and privileges, together with the naval officers and European civilians, with the rajah in his chair, and two of his most worthy native friends, entitled by birth to the distinction, seated beside him, presented a picture not destitute of interest, certainly of great variety; for some of the Dyaks, with round heads, high cheek bones, and large jaws, remarkably differing from the Malay race, were there to complete the back-ground. All were most attentively listening to the conversation of the rajah with his Malay neighbors, enjoying a cheroot occasionally given to them by the visitors, and quietly making their own observations. Mr. Williamson, the interpreter, a native of Malacca, who speaks the language as a Malay, had another group around him, eagerly putting questions on the various little subjects interesting to themselves; and without the least approach to obtrusive familiarity, the evening was passed, I dare say, very much to the satisfaction of all parties. The principal exports, at this period, consist of antimony ore, of great richness, producing 75 per cent. of pure metal. It is found in great quantities, at a distance of ten miles up, in the river, and by excavations from the base of some hills, in the manner of washing the mines. It is brought down the river by the natives, carried into the wharf, where it is accurately weighed, and then shipped for Singapore, by the rajah, who pays for the whole brought from the mines a stipulated price per picue to the chiefs, who pay the laborers, boatmen, and all other expenses. In former days, his highness the rajah took the lion's share; but the arrangements of Mr. Brooke are on the most liberal scale, his first and only object being to encourage industry, and to show how greatly the comfort and happiness of all are promoted by a rigid and just appreciation of the rights of property, and by a faithful and honorable adherence to every agreement and bargain. The result has been a vast increase in the quantity of ore exported, and an extending desire to be interested in the business. A passing visit does not enable one to speak geologically of a country; and as there is a gentleman of practical science at present making his observations, it would be presumptuous in me to offer a remark on the formations of this great country. But a single glance at the beautifully undulating hills, at the gorgeous verdure, and growth of every branch of the vegetable kingdom, at once points out the inexhaustible capabilities of the soil for the cultivation of sugar, coffee, spices, and every fruit of the tropics, many of which already flourish as specimens in the rajah's garden and grounds, and invite the industrious to avail themselves of such a country and of such a river, and become proprietors on the banks of the Sarawak. British capital and protection and Chinese Coolies, would very soon change the north and north-west coast of Borneo into one of the richest countries in the world. The admiral proceeded in the morning some short distance up the river to return the visit of the chiefs, and was everywhere received with the royal salute of three guns; the whole party, accompanied by the rajah and Mr. Williamson, the interpreter, at eleven, A.M., re-embarked on board the Pluto, which had been in a very hazardous situation during the night, having unfortunately grounded on a ledge of rocks close to the bank, by which she sustained considerable damage; and proceeded down the river to regain the squadron at anchor off Tanjay Po, the western part of the Maratabes branch of the Sarawak; and here it was found that the steamer must be laid on the beach, as it was with difficulty the whole power of the engines applied to the pumps could keep her afloat; she was accordingly placed on the mud flat at the entrance of the river. A frigate and another steamer were left behind to assist in her refit, and the admiral moved onward towards Borneo Proper, where, in the course of a few days, all were re-assembled, but in consequence of the flag-ship, by mistaking the channel, having struck the ground on the Moarno shore in going in, the ships were moved outwards some considerable distance. Mr. Brooke, accompanied by an officer from the Agincourt, visited the sultan at the city of Bruni; and, on the following day, the sultan's nephew, heir-presumptive to the throne, with a suite of some twelve or fifteen Pangèran and chiefs of the blood-royal, under the "yellow canopy," came down to return the compliment, and to communicate with the admiral on affairs of state; they were received with every mark of distinction and kindness by the commander-in-chief, and certainly there never was exhibited a more perfect sample of innate nobility and natural good manners, then was presented by Buddruden, to the observation of those who had the pleasure of witnessing his reception on the quarter deck of a British ship of the line by a crowd of officers, and amidst the noise and smoke of a salute; the whole of this party were the intimate friends of Mr. Brooke and firmly attached to British interests. Buddruden, in reply to some question to him as to his ever having seen so large a ship before, said that, although descended from a very ancient and long line of ancestors, he had the proud satisfaction of being the first who had ever embarked on board a vessel of such wonderful magnitude and power, and so much beyond any idea he had formed of a ship of war. The most marked attention was paid by those who accompanied him to the privileges and etiquette of the country; none below a certain rank presuming to sit down in his highness's presence; indeed, only those indisputably of the blood-royal were admitted to that honor; every part of the ship was visited, and the prahu, with the yellow umbrellashaped canopy, once more received her royal party, who proceeded to render an account of their visit to the sultan in his regal palace at Bruni, accompanied by the Pluto steamer. from the steamers drove him from his bamboo fortress. The marines took possession, and his magazine was emptied of its contents of gunpowder, which was started into the river, and all his brass guns were delivered over to the sultan, with the exception of two, which were retained, to be sold for the benefit of two Manilla Spaniards, who had been piratically seized as slaves, and who were now taken on board the squadron to be restored to their home. His house being thrown open to the tender mercies of his countrymen, was speedily gutted of all his ill-gotten wealth, and left in desolation. There were no killed or wounded. Pangèran Yusuff retreated to the interior, continued in rebellion, raised a force with which he attacked the town and Muda Hassim's party, but was defeated, pursued, and killed by Pangèran Buddruden. The squadron proceeded to Labooan, cut wood with the thermometer at 92°, for the steamers, filled them; and on the morning of the 15th of August, a new order of sailing and battle was given out per "buntin," and the novelty of two frigates towing two steamers, was exhibited to the wondering eyes of those present, called upon to keep their appointed station, work to windward, tack in succession, and perform every evolution with the neatest precision, in spite of light winds, heavy squalls, and most variable weather. On the following morning, the admiral hoisted his flag on board the Vixen, and, The force intended to attack the stockade accompanied by the Pluto and Nemesis, and fortified port of that arch-pirate Scheralso steamers, and taking with him a con- riff Posman on the Malloodoo River, prosiderable force of seamen and marines, and ceeded under the immediate command of an armed boat from each ship, proceeded the admiral, who took the brigs and steamup the river, with the intention of compel-ers with him to the entrance of the river, ling Pangeran Yusuff to return to his obedience and duty to the sultan, and to give an account of himself for being implicated in piratical transactions. On the arrival of the armament opposite the town, the sultan held a grand levee for the reception, and in honor of the admiral's visit, and the Pangèran was summoned to present himself in submission to the mandate of the sultan. This he refused to do, and had even the hardihood to approach the palace, and when at last threatened to have his house blown about his ears, coolly answered, that the ships might begin to fire whenever they pleased, that he was ready for them; and sure enough, on the Vixen firing a sixty-eight pounder over his house to show the fellow how completely he was at the mercy of the squadron, he fired his guns in return. A few rounds and here it was found that the iron steamers, which had caused such trouble, were not of the slightest use, there not being water sufficient even for them over the bar. The whole flotilla was placed under the command of Captain Talbot, of the Vesta, the senior captain present, who, on the morning of the 19th of August, attacked with great gallantry, and carried the very strong position of the pirates, with the loss of eight killed and thirteen wounded. The iron ordnance was broken, the fortification destroyed, and the town burned to the ground. It was reported the day after the action, that the Arab chief had been mortally wounded, but the squadron quitted the bay before this was confirmed. I cannot leave Borneo without giving a brief description of the coast from the mouth of the Sarawak to this splendid bay, more particularly as its features are so widely different from those generally attributed to it. From the Sarawak to Tanjong Sirik, the land is low, and for some miles from the beach covered with mangrove jungle, but from that point to Borneo river, undulating ground, moderate hills, and occasionally red-sand cliffs, mark the nature of the country to be dry and susceptible of cultivation; and, as these hills are clothed in perpetual verdure, there is nothing imaginary in the supposition that the soil is salubrious and productive. From Borneo river, north-eastward, a range of hills, of considerable altitude, run the whole length of the coast, the sea, the greater part of the line, washing their base; and immediately inland, in latitude 6, that most magnificent and striking of all eastern mountains, Keeney Balloo, towers to the heavens to the height of 14,000 feet, cutting the clear grey sky before sunrise with a sharp distinctness never exceeded, and marking the primitive nature of its formation beyond controversy. It may be called an "island mountain," for, with the exception of the range of hills above alluded to, and with which it has no continuity, it rises abruptly from the plain, alone in its glory, and giant of the eastern stars "With meteor standard to the breeze unfurl'd, Looks from his throne of squalls o'er half the world." him, and was a willing witness to his atrocities, or that he had not the power to clear his territory of such a miscreant. I have no doubt of the former being the case, as much of the property acquired by blood and rapine has frequently been sold publicly in Borneo; perhaps some of it is to be found in the palace of the sultan. There ought to be no delicacy in this matter. Great Britain's claim to the country is scarcely disputed. One well fortified post would, with the presence of a brig-of-war or two, secure the obedience of the whole district. As for Balambargan, it is an arid, sandy island, with scanty supply of water, and an unproductive soil. It has two harbors, both small and intricate, and must always depend upon foreign supply for its sustenance. Labooan may be somewhat better, but its geographical position is not eligible as a station for vessels of war intended to suppress piracy, being too far to leeward in the north-east monsoon, and too distant from the Sooloo seas and adjacent straits, now much frequented by the numerous vessels trading to China, to afford them that protection which a settlement at Malloodoo would at once accomplish. Merchant vessels using the Palawan passage from India and the Straits of Malacca, would find in Malloodoo Bay, during the strength of the north-east monsoon, a wide and extensive anchorage in which to take temporary shelter, and make any refit which might become necessary from working against the monsoon, as well as easy access, equally convenient for vessels taking the Balabac Straits, coming from thence and Macassar. The Bay of Malloodoo is extensive, with safe anchorage everywhere; the coastrange of hills terminates on its western shores, and round to the south-east the Stone may be had in abundance in any land is of moderate height, with a range of part of the bay; excellent stone-cutters greater altitude at some distance inland, from Hong Kong in any numbers might be and Keeney Balloo bounds the view at procured, and Coolies in thousands would about thirty-five miles distance in the south- be found to accompany them. A week's west. The land on the eastern side is low, run thence, in the north-cast monsoon, but on the whole a more eligible position to would land a wing of a Madras regiment on plant and protect a settlement is not to be the ground, and a few junks would convey found on the whole coast, and it stands so all the living and dead material necessary pre-eminently superior to Labooan or Ba-to place them in comfort and security in a lambargan, and would so effectually destroy very short time. The climate is good, the piracy in the neighboring seas, that the Brit- land is rich, and water abundant; the countish government ought to have no hesitation less acres would soon attract the industry in taking possession of this bay, with suf- of the Chinese, when once assured of proficient breadth of territory to secure sup-tection to their lives, and undisturbed posplies and support for a colony. It is quite session of their property. evident, from the manner in which this pirate Arab has held possession with impunity, and, from his stronghold, had carried on his depredations for years, either that the Sultan of Borneo acted in collusion with The admiral, accompanied by the Borneo Commissioners, went over on board the Vixen Steamer, to the island Balambargan, on the afternoon of the 21st, and the ships of the squadron followed in the course of the night, taking up their anchorage out- from the hilly part of the island, which side the shoals of the southern, whilst the ranges entirely along the north-western dicommander-in-chief and his party went to vision, and terminates at the north point the northern harbors, where the Pluto had in a very remarkable and beautiful conical preceded them, and at day-dawn on the peak, 2000 feet high, covered to the apex 22nd, they landed to explore the neighbor- with evergreen wood. The south eastern ing jungle, for the site of the settlement division is flat, and probably of the same which had been formed by the East India mangrove jungle through which the boat Company in 1773, from which they had ascended the river, after having with diffibeen driven by the Sooloo people, but culty got over a flat bar at its entrance. which had been occupied a second time in On this expedition not a living animal was . 1803, and evacuated ultimately as a useless seen, not even a bird, but the elevated part and unprofitable settlement. The British of Bangney presented a far more inviting government have always maintained their aspect than anything to be seen in Balamclear right to this island, ceded to them by bargan. True, there is no harbor, and, the King of Sooloo, on his being liberated with the exception of the river alluded to, from prison at Manilla, when that city was it is said to want water. The piratical prataken by Sir William Draper; and Balam- hus sometimes rendezvous here, in readibargan is indisputably a British Island, and ness to pounce on any unwary vessel passpart of the empire. ing through the Balabic Straits. The position which the town had occu- Let me express a hope that the British pied was clearly traced by the rubbish, government will speedily alter the face of and brick, and mortar, scattered over a con- affairs in these seas, by supporting Mr. siderable surface, and the numerous broken Brooke on the Sarawak, and, without loss scraps of crockery and glass gave sufficient of time, planting a similar colony on the evidence that here had been placed the shores of the bay of Malloodoo. houses, buildings, and defences erected by the settlers, but all are now silent and for- LITHOGRAPHY-like many other important discolorn. In this dry season the soil was com-veries, owed its birth to mere chance. We will now pletely covered with sand, and the bush of under which Alois Senefelder turned his attention to proceed to give a brief account of the circumstances a very scanty growth; nor could any indi- the discovery of a ready means of printing what, as cations of water be discovered. A long a writer and aspirant to histrionic fame, he prowalk on the beach, in the direction of the duced. "I had just succeeded," observes Senefelder, "in polishing a stone plate, which I intended to cosouthern harbor, led to no farther discovery ver with etching ground, in order to continue my exthan that some ridges of clay crossed the ertions in writing backwards, when my mother, enisland, terminating at the shore in mode- tering the room, required me to write a washing-bill. rate altitude, and covered with trees of It so happened there was not a morsel of writing paconsiderably larger dimensions than those per or ink at hand, nor had we any one to send for these materials; I therefore resolved to write with near the site of the town. A complete my ink, prepared with wax, soap, and lampblack, detour of the harbor was made by the Plu- upon the stone I had just polished, as the matter to, from the paddle-boxes of which, the would admit of no delay. Some time after, requiring the stone for use, and the writing being as I surrounding country being almost level with had left it, it occurred to me whether I could not bite the sea, could be clearly distinguished as of in the stone with acid." This Senefelder succeeded the same sandy nature, but which, in all in doing, and thus the art was discove, ed. probability, is in the rainy season, a lagoon entirely covered with water. It had a poor and uninviting appearance. Several large baboons came to the beach, and, taking up their seat on some fallen trunk of a tree, gazed with great tranquillity at the Pluto as she passed along. Many tracks of the wild hog were seen on the beach, but on the whole, Balambargan is the last island I should select as my "Barataria." dote is told of the Duke de Chartres, now the King of the French, which can hardly have been published without the warranty of that high personage. Some business having brought him from Dumouriez's army to Paris, soon after the massacres of September, Danton sent for him, and informed him that he had heard that he ventured, in conversation, to speak too freely on that subject. He told him he was too young to judge of such matters, and added, "For the future be silent. Return to the army; do your duty; but do not unnecessarily expose your life. You have many years before you. France is not suited for a Republic; it has the habits, the wants, and the weaknesses of a monarchy. After our storms it will be brought back to that, by its vices or its necessities. You will be King! Adieu, young man. Remember the prediction of Danton." LOUIS PHILIPPE AND DANTON.-A singular anec A short visit was made to the adjacent island of Bangney, and a boat went up a river on the south-west quarter, running for several miles through low, flat, mangrove jungle, but descending in clear cascades -Edinburgh Review. |