maining at Sarawak.--Dyak
visitors.--Council of war.--Why side with the Rajah.--Mode of
constructing forts.--State of enemy's and Rajah's forces.--Conduct
of the war.

Mr. Brooke continued his cruise for some time, and made very
interesting collections of natural history, beside acquiring much
insight into the native history, language, and customs, his detailed
remarks on which it is to be hoped he will at a future day give to
the public. He then returned to Singapore, where he was detained for
several months by ill health; but availed himself of the opportunity
to recopper and refit the Royalist, and set everything else in order
for his next visit to Sarawak, the remarkable results of which are
related in the following pages. Still sick and languid though he was,
the very air of Borneo, and the prospect of activity, seemed to restore
him to life, after the listless rest at Singapore, with "nothing to
observe;" and only cheered by the kindest attentions and hospitalities
of the inhabitants of that interesting and important settlement.

On the second visit of Mr. Brooke to Sarawak, about the end of August,
1840, he found the inhabitants in nearly the same state as at first,
although there was much talk of reinforcements, and decisive measures
for bringing the war to a close. The two parties lay within thirty
miles of each other, the rebels holding the upper part of the river,
and communication with the interior. The sultan, however, had sent down
the Orang Kaya de Gadong to take more active measures, and his arrival
stimulated Muda Hassim to something like exertion. This occurred
on the fourth September, 1840, as appears by Mr. Brooke's journal,
from which I shall give various extracts indicative not only of the
character of my friend, whose ideas were written down at the time the
impressions were made, but also supplying a distinct picture of the
progress of this novel and amusing civil warfare, and demonstrating
the unwarlike character of the Sarawak Borneons.

"An army of mixed Malays and Dyaks was raised to attack the Dyak
tribes in rebellion, and this service was successfully performed;
the rebel Dyaks were defeated, and most of them have since come
over to the rajah. Their forces being weakened by desertion, were
reported not to amount to more than 400 or 500 men, in four or five
forts situated on the river; and it now remained to drive them from
their last stronghold of resistance. It was confiden