this advice I took the liberty to dispense; and sent to Pangerans
Mumin and Usop to intimate my wish to visit them. The former pleaded
that his house was unfit to receive me; but the latter immediately
sent a most polite message, that any time, either by day or night,
he should be happy to see me; and accordingly I went. The house _and
style_ are the best in Borneo. I was politely and kindly greeted;
and I soon found that I was with a man of sense and quickness. There
was a little diplomacy at first on his part; but as I proceeded direct
to my object, he at once laid it aside. In fact, candor is the basis
of our right influence with the natives; and as I desired to make
Pangeran Usop my friend, I went candidly to work, and immediately
told him all that I had already told the sultan. The amount of my
conversation was as follows: The first topic being the anticipated
visit of the English, 'Were the English coming?' 'Was Mr. Bonham
coming?' were the first questions; and 'With what intent?' I replied,
that the English were certainly coming, but with no evil intentions;
that it was true they were offended by the ill usage the captain and
people of the Sultana had met with; yet that I had endeavored to put
it in the best light, and had urged that a friendly communication
for the future was better than a retrospect which might give rise to
unpleasant feelings: I was sure that the English desired a friendly
intercourse; and I hoped, though I could not say, that they would
look to the future, and not to the past. I had, I added, no authority;
but my friendship for the sultan induced me to inform him what I had
heard abroad. When Mr. Bonham came, he would be able to tell them
all; but I could say now that I thought he would demand a treaty
between Singapore and Borneo for the mutual protection of trade,
and the care of individuals of each nation who were shipwrecked or
otherwise sought protection at either place.

"On the whole, it is certain that the feelings of Borneo are decidedly
friendly, and equally certain that the persons of influence will
receive us in their warmest manner, and grant us every thing, if we
resort only to measures of conciliation. It never can be too often
repeated, that conciliation is the only policy with Malays, and
particularly the Borneons, who have very vague and confused ideas
of our power. A harsh truth, a peremptory demand, they have never
heard in their lives, and they will not hear it for the f