The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-10-10
CAPTAINS OF
ADVENTURE
BY ROGER POCOCK
IlIIIIiIHI1E
Copyright By BobbsMeu4n Company
By ROGER POCOCK

he explained Makota's villainy, showed
that neither the rajah's life nor his
own was safe, and that the only course
was to proclaim Brooke as governor.
No shot was fired. no blow was
struck. but Makota's party vanished.
the villain fed, the rajah began 10 be
have, the government OF the country
was handed over to the Englishman
amid great rejoieings. MY darling
MOTHER" be wrote. Il am very poor.
but | want soTne things from rome
very much so ! must trust TO your be-
ing rich enough to afford them 10 me.
Imprimis, a circle for taking the lati-
tude secondly, an electrifying machine
Of good power; thirdly, a large magic
lantern fourthly, a rifle which carries
fifty balls and last, q peep-show. The
circle and rifle | want very much and
the others are all for political pur-
poses" Did ever king begin his reign
with such an act as that letter?
But then, look at the government he
replaced: The sultan and his chiefs
rob all classes of Malays to the utmost
OF their power; the Malays rob the
Dyaks. and the Dyaks hide their goods
as much as they dare. consistent with
the safety of their wives and chill
dren." Brooke found his private in
come q very slender fund when he had
to pay the whole expense Of governing
a kingdom until the people recovered
from their ruin.
February the first. 1912. a pirate
chief called to make treaty with the
new king. He inquired, II q tribe pi-
rated on my territory what / intended
TO do. My answer was to enter their
country and lay ii waste But he
asked me again, you will give me-
your friend-leave to steal a few heads
occasionally No. | replied, 7 shall
have a hundred Sakarran beads for
every n you take herel He required
to this request several times-jusf 10
steal one or twot'-as a schoofboy asks
for apples"
Brooke used 20 give the pirates his
laughing permission to 60 TO Singapore
and attack the English.
THE Santah river he wrote. "is IA
nous for its diamonds. The workers
seem jealous and superstitious, dislik-
ing noise, particularly laughter, as it is
highly offensive TO the spirit who pre-
sides over the diamonds. A Chi
nese Mohammedan with the most sol
emn face requested me to give him an
old letter; and he engraved some Chi
nese characters. which. being translat-
ed, signify 'Rajah Muda Hassim. James
Brooke and Hadju Ibrallim present
their compliments to the spirit and re-
quest his permission TO work at the
mine"
There were great doings when the
sultan Of Borneo had Mr. Brooke pro-
claimed king in Sarawak. Then he
vent off TO the Straits Settlements,
where he made friends with Henry
Keppel, captain Of Fl. NJ. S. Dido, a
sportsman who delighted in hunting
pirates. and accepted Brooke's invita-
ton to a few days shooting. Keppel
describes the scene of Br0oke's return
to his kingdom. received by all the
chiefs with u~ndisguised delight, min
gled with gratitude and respect for
their newly elected ruler. THE
was both novel and exciting. present.
ing to us-just anchored in a large
fresh water river, and surrounded by a
densely wooded jungle-the whole sur
face of the water covered with canoes
and boats dressed with colored silken
flags, filed with natives beating their
tom-toms. and playing on wind instru-
ments. with the occasional discharge OF
firearms. To them il must have been
equally striking to witness the Dido
anchored almost in the center of their
town. her mastheads towering above
the highest trees Of tina jungle, the
loud report Of her heavy thirty-two-
furl sails of one ~huBdred-ffty seamen
in their clean white dresses, and with
the band playing. was anxious that
Mr.. Brooke should land with all the
honors due to so important a person
age, which be accordingly did. under
a salute"
II was q little awkward that the
Dido struck a rock and sank, but she
chose a convenient spot just opposite
Mr.. Bro0ke's house, so that BroOke's
officers and those of the ship formed
N mess there. a band OF brothers.
while the damage was being repaired.
Then came the promised sport, a joint
boat expedition up ali sorts Of queer
back channels and rivers fouled by the
pirates with stakes and booms under
tire Of the artillery in their Hill fort
resSes. The sportsmen burst the
booms. charged the hills, stormed the
forts. burned out the pirates and OBJ
tanned their complete submission.
The next adventure was a visit from
the Arctic explorer, Sir Edward Bel
cher. sent by the British government
to inspect Brooke's kingdom, now a
peaceful and happy country.
Later came Admiral Sir Thomas
Cochrane with a squadron TO smash up
a few more pirates, and the smashing
Of pirates continued for many years a
popular sport for the navy. The pirate
states 10 the northward became IN time
the British colonies of Labuan aud
North Borneo, but Sarawak is still a
protected Malay state, the hereditary
kingdom of Sir james Brooke ID his
descendants.