finesse_ and treachery are less prevalent. Dampier and Forrest
both give them an excellent character; and it is a pity that of late
years little is known of them, and so little pains taken to hold a
friendly intercourse either with them or the Sooloos."

The important changes which ensued on the return of Mr. Brooke
to Sarawak, in the spring of 1841, now demand attention; and, as
heretofore, I proceed to describe them from the data intrusted to
my charge.

"In a former part of my journal," says Mr. Brooke, "I have mentioned
briefly the occasions which led to my invitation, and the reasons
which induced me to accept the offer of the Rajah Muda Hassim;
but I will repeat these, in order to bring the narrative at once
more distinctly before the memory. When I returned here for the
second time, in August of last year, it was with the determination
of remaining for a few days only on my way to the northward; and
nothing but my feeling for the miserable situation of Muda Hassim
induced me to alter my intention. The rebellion, which he had come
from Borneo to quell, had defied every effort for nearly four years;
and the attacks he had made on the rebels had failed entirely and
almost disgracefully. His immediate followers were few in number,
and aid from the neighboring countries was either denied, or withheld
on trivial excuses; while the opposition of Pangeran Usop in Borneo
paralyzed the efforts of his supporters in the capital, and, in case
of non-success, threatened his own power. The pride, the petty pride
of the Malay prince bent before these circumstances, and induced him
to state his difficulties to me, and to request my assistance. His
failure was strongly dwelt on, and his resolution to die here rather
than abandon his undertaking--to die disgraced and deserted! Under
these circumstances, could I, he urged upon me, forsake him? could I,
'a gentleman from England,' who had been his friend, and knew the
goodness of his heart, could I leave him surrounded and begirt with
enemies? It was possibly foolish, it was perhaps imprudent, but it
accorded with my best feelings; and I resolved not to abandon him
without at any rate seeing the probabilities of success; and it must
always be remembered that, in doing so, I had no ulterior object, no
prospect of any personal advantage. I joined his miserable army, which,
in numbers, barely exceeded that of the rebels, strongly stockaded. I
joined them at the outset of their campaig