a" bungalow
aforementioned at our disposal during our stay in the country. We
gladly availed ourselves of his invitation, and were soon ashore and
comfortably installed in our new quarters.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The outline of this mountain, as seen from Kuching, bears
a remarkable likeness to the profile or side face of the late Raja,
Sir J. Brooke.]

[Footnote 2: About L2,000.]

CHAPTER II.

Territory of Sarawak--History of the Country--Raja Brooke
and Muda Hasim--Rebellions in Sarawak--Brooke proclaimed
Raja--Chinese Insurrection--Military and Naval
Establishment--Exports--Progress of Sarawak--Death of Sir
James Brooke.

The territory of Sarawak extends for nearly 300 miles along the
south-west coast of Borneo from its southernmost boundary, Cape Datu,
to Kidorong Point, its northern frontier. It is bounded on the north
by Brunei, or kingdom of Borneo proper, and on its other borders by
the Dutch possessions, which comprise considerably more than half the
island. Sarawak has a mixed population, consisting of Malays,
Milanows, Chinese, Dyaks, and other minor races too numerous to
mention. These number about 220,000.

Sarawak was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei, under whose suzerainty it
originally was, to the late Raja Sir James Brooke; and a short history
of the country from the time in which it first came into possession of
the Brooke family may be of some interest to the reader.

On the 15th of August, 1838, the _Royalist_, a yacht of about 200
tons, anchored off the town of Kuching, with Sir James (then Mr.)
Brooke on board. The capital was then but a small straggling Malay
village, consisting of a few nipa-palm houses. The Raja's palace, so
called, was a dilapidated building constructed of the same material,
although the state and formality observed within its walls were
considerable, and contrasted strangely with the dirt and squalor in
which Muda Hasim, the reigning sovereign, was living.

Sarawak was in a sad state in those days. Her coasts were infested
with pirates, who effectually prevented anything like trade being
carried on, while anarchy, rebellion, and bloodshed reigned inland.
The Raja, Muda Hasim, was, as he assured Mr. Brooke, utterly powerless
to act. The rebellion in the interior was affecting his government
even more seriously than the piratical raids on the coast. He
concluded by begging that Mr. Brooke would remain with his yacht,
which was fully armed, at Ku