Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1851-03-08


Englishman-sO greatly is our country hon
ored among barbarians How solicitous
should we be to preserve that character In
Sarawak at least, up to the date Of the last
news, the love of England was rising and
I spreading among the peaceful population
/ They have been taught the value of industry
few examples have been made Of murder
ers; the apostles sofcivilization have preached
to them; but, above all they have been pro-
tected from pirates, without which protection
nothing could avail for their benefit An
English gun-boat, and twenty native war
phasus defend the coast In July, 1919,
they were temporarily Withdrawn. AN i'm
mediate attack Of buccaneers, the capture
oi trading vessel, and the massacre of
! twenty peaceful men, were the Immediate re
suits. So much for these innocent lambs,
the Sarebas and Sakarrom freebooters
/ The manner of Mr Brooks life in Sara
wax was this. He rose early, crossed the
river TO his public residence, held his au-
dIence, received deputations, gave Judgment
In cases OF dispute or criminal trials, and sat
patiently engaged in this avocation until
mld-day; then retiring to his private house,
he sat for some hours in his library; then
dined with the few Europeans who were the
companions of his voluntary exile, and spent
the evening in their society As midnight
drew near, he again sought his study, and
sat there for an hour or two; but at all other
times was accessible TO every one, so that,
even during meals, the doors were thronged
with natives, who love him and bless his
name. The Dyak knows, they say, ''the
whole world knows. that the white man is the
friend of the Dyak''
CHAPTER III.-MR. BROOKE RECOGNISED
The PIRATEs.-FIsITs ENGLAND.-EN-
THUsIAsTic observation-disclosures To THE
| ARCHiPELAGo.--VIsIT TO BRUNE-LATEsT
PROCEEDINGS.
But at length Great Britain recognised MIR.
Brooke, and granted him the protection of
her feet-that mighty arm, which she can
stretch out for the defence of her empire,
even in the remotest limits ! He now COM
menced his crusade against piracy, that fear
ful bane of commerce and civilization, which
has involved the Indian islanders in so many
miseries and so many Gegradations There
were royal buccaneers in the Archipelago
The Sultan of Bruno was one, but he endea-
vored to conceal his practices, and, like
many other persons, plundered through Sc
cret agents. When Muda Hassim was made
his Wuzeer, he hated him, because he " as
favorable to the English, who were the enc
mics Of piracy. At the instigation of vii
famous intriguing chief, called Makota, the
declared foe of Brooke, he mui dered the un-
happy chief, with his family and friends
This led to the assault and destruction Of
Bruno by British force for the Sultar, not
content with the murder of Muda Hassim
actually fired on the English flag and defied,
with taunting insolence, the whole power Of
this country He was taught better, and de-
livered up to us, IN token Of amity, the ISL
and of Labuan; which was merely restoring
an old possession of ours, since it was ceded
to US some fifty or sixty years ago. A ne
gotia,ion was now opened with the home
government Mr. Brooke was instructed to
pursue his career; and the ships of war plac-
ed at his disposal assisted him well in his at
tack on the ferocious buccaneers of the Ar
chipelago.
These pirates are the most dangerous and
ruthless in the world. They capture all ma
rine and merchant crafts, from square rugged
English vessels down TO light fishers skifis,
seizing slaves and boats, robbing. slaughter
possible They 90 out in immense fleets,
and sweep the waters of the Archipelago,
laying waste the coast, visiting rivers and
spreading rum along the fertile borders
burning and sacking the towns and villages,
slaughtering the men with the old and the
crippled of both sexes, and dragging women
and children into helpless servitude. They
have been known in one night to carry off or
destroy the whole population of these small
islands that stud the sunny waters of the Ar
chipelago.
Numerous conflicts with them took place
Il some cases they fought desperately with
our war steamers but the skill and courage
of our countrymen, aided by the experienced
Mr.. Brooke eventually, in most cases, won
the victory.
AT length the Rajah resolved once more TO
visit England, where he was received with
that general and tumultuOus admiration
which free and generous people always Ia
wish on those who support among barbarian
races the love and honor of their national
name That did as much honor TO the En-
glish as nation, as to Ralah Brooke as an
individual 1t was loud, prolonged. ard al
most universal; while il deafened the ears of
gtutIOuS W ti1O>C iCN dittS oiiu ~ Nt'N0
of disapprobaton, which jealousy always ut
tiers on the triumph of great man, and the
applause of j great people.
After short residence in England dur
ing which he was visited by many of the
most distinguished men in this country, he
was nominated Governor of Labuan, and
Consul to Borneo-posts for which none
were so well fitted by knowledge and expe-
rience as he. While here, people had an
opportunity of examining his personal aP-
pearance He is of middle height-rather
tall, indeed with figure formed for har-
dy career, and countensnce bronZed by
exposure to time and tempest. He has
frank open face clear, benevolent, though
somewhat stern eye, and gentlemanIy and
most engaging manners He was Just the
person to be sho.n to savage races as the
type of an Enslishman. The studies of his
vouth the yicissitudes of his career, and the