agreed that we should
assemble on the morrow. But no sooner was the arrangement made than a
thousand objections were started, and any thing, even attack itself
(though that was out of the question), was held to be preferable. I
need not dwell on this mixture of deceit and fear; in short, as
they would do nothing themselves, they expected us to do nothing:
and without the courage to carry on the war, they had not either
wisdom or sorcery to bring it to a conclusion.

"_3d._--Dispatched an express during last night to the rajah, and
received an answer that he was coming up in person; but my resolve was
taken, and I quitted the grand army, much to their evident surprise
and vexation. Nevertheless, they were still friendly and polite,
and very very lazy about bringing down our guns. This was, however,
done at last, and we were ready for a start.

"_4th._--Reached the ship at two P.M., saw rajah, &c. &c.

"From the 4th to the 10th of November I may condense into the shape of
a narrative. I explained to the rajah how useless it was my remaining,
and intimated to him my intention of departing; but his deep regret
was so visible, that even all the self-command of the native could
not disguise it. He begged, he entreated me to stay, and offered me
the country of Siniawan and Sarawak, and its government and trade, if
I would only stop, and not desert him. I could at once have obtained
this grant, but I preferred interposing a delay; because to accept
such a boon when imposed by necessity, or from a feeling of gratitude
for recent assistance, would have rendered it both suspicious and
useless; and I was by no means eager to enter on the task (the full
difficulties of which I clearly foresaw) without the undoubted and
spontaneous support of the rajah.

"_Jan. 8th, 1841._--The following narrative, extracted from my journal,
includes a period from the 10th of December to the 4th of January,
and it is put into its present shape to avoid the tedium of detailing
each day's proceedings. On the 10th of December we reached the
fleet and disembarked our guns, taking up our residence in a house,
or rather shed, close to the water. The rajah's brother, Pangeran
Budrudeen, was with the army, and I found him ready and willing
to urge upon the other indolent Pangerans the proposals I made for
vigorous hostilities. We found the grand army in a state of torpor,
eating, drinking, and walking up to the forts and back again daily;
but having bui