d round, then swooping
down upon the sand where the receding waves were leaving their supper. I
never saw a prettier sight. The tall storks seemed to act like
sentinels, watching while the others fed. At a note of alarm they all
rose in the air, flew about screaming, and then settled again on the
sands in long lines, the smaller birds together, the larger ones in
ascending rows. At last, alas! a gun fired into their midst caused death
and dismay. A few fell dead, and the rest fled to some happier shore,
where no destroying man could mar their happiness. And there are many
such spots in Borneo where no human foot ever trod, and where trees,
flowers, and insects flourish exceedingly; where the birds sing songs of
praise which are only heard by their Maker, and where the wild animals
of the forest live and die unmolested. There is always something
delightful to me in this idea. We are apt to think that this earth is
made for man, but, after many ages, there are still some parts of his
domain unconquered, some fair lands where the axe, the fire, and the
plough are still unknown.

While we were at Santubong, in 1859, we were distressed to hear that Mr.
Fox and Mr. Steele, two Government officers in charge of a fort at
Kenowit, had been murdered by some Dyaks, whom they were judging in the
court-house. We were very grieved for our friends, especially for Mr.
Fox, who was for two years with us as catechist in the mission, and only
left because he could not make up his mind to be ordained. However, he
was most faithful in the performance of his duties at that lonely fort,
and most blameless in his life; we could only regret the loss of so good
a young man. We did not at that time connect this event with any general
enmity to Englishmen among the natives, but only thought that
particular tribe of Kenowits were not to be trusted.

It was really a much more serious matter. Mr. Charles Johnson went up to
Kenowit directly, taking the Bishop's yacht, the _Sarawak Cross_, as his
floating fortress. He sent a thousand Dyaks to attack the fortified
village of the Kenowits, who were engaged in the murders. These Dyaks
were repulsed, but he led them on again himself with two hundred Sarawak
Malays, good men and true. They took a brass gun overland to the
village, and pounded them for a day; then the Malays and Dyaks attacked
and fired the place, and took it.

There were many killed, but it was their own fault; for, before
attacking, a f