in two
places, and several men killed, in the affair at Acheen Head. It was,
however, all for the best, as the few boats that the Harlequin could
have sent would have stood but a poor chance against upward of 200
war-prahus, all fitted and prepared for fight.

On the 1st of August, with the Dido and Phlegethon at anchor off
Sarawak, the warlike preparations were going on rapidly. I had saluted
and paid my visit to Muda Hassim; he was delighted to see me again,
and we went through the form of holding several conferences of war
in his divan. He appears to be a good well-meaning man, well inclined
toward the English, moderately honest, and, if roused, I daresay not
without animal courage; and altogether, with the assistance of his
clever younger brother, Budrudeen, a very fit person to govern that
part of Borneo of which he is rajah.

During my absence, Sarawak had been visited by H.M.S. Samarang,
Captain Sir Edward Belcher, who had received directions to call on and
communicate with Mr. Brooke. In dropping down the river the Samarang
grounded on a long shelf of rocks, at the top of high water, and with
the ebb-tide rolled over, filling with the succeeding flood. She was
nearly a fortnight in this position, but was ultimately saved by the
skill and almost unparalleled perseverance (aided by such assistance of
men and spars as Mr. Brooke could afford) of her captain, officers,
and crew--a feat that must have given the natives a good idea of
what British seamen are capable of. This accident delayed for a
short time a visit that was afterward made by Sir Edward Belcher,
accompanied by Mr. Brooke, to Borneo Proper. A hurried inspection of
the capabilities of that part of the coast took place; and the fact
of there being coal on the island was ascertained.

I received a second letter from Muda Hassim, of which the following
is a translation:

"This comes from Pangeran Muda Hassim, Rajah of Borneo, to our
friend Captain Keppel, in command of her Britannic Majesty's ship.

(After the usual compliments):

"We beg to let our friend Captain Keppel know, that the pirates
of Sakarran, whom we mentioned last year, still continue their
piracies by sea and land; and that many Malays, under Seriff Sahib,
who have been accustomed to send or to accompany the pirates
and to share in their spoils, have gone to the Sakarran river,
with a resolve of defending themselves rather than accede to our