ed no
alacrity in paying for it; weeks and months passed without bringing him
apparently any nearer to a pecuniary settlement. So far from repressing
piracy, he encouraged it; and a fleet of one hundred and twenty prahus,
with his tacit consent, actually put to sea. When a crew of English
seamen were enslaved and carried to Bruni, under the most frivolous
pretexts he refused to intercede with the Sultan for these unfortunate
men. And so this strange friendship cooled. It was no slight proof
either of his courage or his humanity to despatch at this very time, as
Mr. Brooke did, his yacht to Bruni, to attempt something in behalf of
his enslaved countrymen, and to remain himself with only three men at
Sarawak. The yacht came back, however, having effected nothing.

By this time the patience of the creditor was exhausted. Despoiled of
his goods, finding that, despite his remonstrances, the Dyaks were
cruelly oppressed, and that piracy was encouraged, he resolved to try
the effect of threats. He repaired on board his yacht, loaded her guns
with grape and canister, and brought her broadside to bear upon the
Rajah's palace. Then taking a small, but well-armed guard, he sought an
interview with Muda Hassim. The terror of that functionary was extreme.
The native tribes openly sided with their English friend. The Chinese
residents remained obstinately neutral. The Malays, between cowardice
and treachery, afforded him no efficient support. To crown all, his
resolute and incensed ally had only to wave his hand to bring down upon
him swift destruction. "After this demonstration, things went cheerily
to a conclusion." Muda Hassim, finding that his creditor was inflexible,
and being unable or unwilling to pay for the goods which he had
fraudulently obtained, offered in payment of all debts to surrender the
government. The offer was accepted, the agreement drawn up, signed,
sealed, guns fired and flags waved, and on September 24, 1841, Mr.
Brooke became Rajah of Sarawak. In August of the following year the
Sultan solemnly confirmed the agreement.

The territory thus strangely passing into the hands of a private English
gentleman was a tract of country bordering upon the sea sixty miles, and
extending inland from seventy to eighty miles. Situated at the
northeastern extremity of Borneo, pierced by two small, but navigable
rivers, its position is most favorable for commerce. Its soil is deep
and rich, yielding under any proper culture l