nected chains of islands extending from the shoals of Malacca far out into the stormy China

seas.

Much has been already done towards attaining the desired end, but no exertion can be regarded as too great, in order to extirpate this scourge from around those beautiful and fertile islands, which promise to yield in abundance every variety of rich and valuable produce diamonds, gold dust, antimony ore, rock crystal, pearls, tin, copper, ebony, timber, rattans, sandal wood, edible bird's-nests, trepang, atar atar damner, gambier, gutta percha, bees'-wax, indigo, camphor, spices, odoriferous gums, pepper, clovebark, coffee, cotton, rice, sago, grain of every description, and sugar of the finest kind. From an enumeration of these articles it is impossible to conjecture the valuable nature of this vast group of islands, some of which are now developing their riches for the first time before the eyes of Europeans. Nature is prodigal of her attractions throughout this extraordinary portion of the globe, but more especially so in Borneo. Mountains of Alpine loftiness rise towering to the sky; broad plains, covered with long, fine grass; slopes wooded with valuable timber; while deep, broad valleys, clothed with the richest verdure, slope down to the banks of noble rivers, fringed with dark foliage of every hue and kind. Now the massive branches of a broad spreading tree overshadow the waves, reflecting the gnarled and knotted branches in its surface; and now the willow, with its slender boughs and trembling leaves, stoops forward and kisses the waves as they ripple by, awakened to swifter motion by the stroke of the paddle, as the light canoe glides in the mellowed light from spot to spot, while the rich sun sinks behind the blue mountains of the west, and leaves its golden shadows still lingering upon the twilight. We seem transported, while we read, to the scene of oriental romance. The Bornean twilight closes in upon every variety of scenery. The broad, still lake receives the beams of the declining sun; the slope of rugged hills, the summits of cloud-capped mountains, the broad prairie, all reflect its rays, while tall and spreading trees, and flowery shrubs, are gilded with its beams. In such scenes as this, enlivened by the excitement of midnight attacks, and brilliant encounters with the pirates, Mr. Brooke may be imagined to pass his life. And who would not feel inclined to share with him his perils and his dangers, in order to share some portion of the fame with which succeeding generations will encompass his name?

Shortly after Mr. Brooke's return from one of his excursions up the interior, a Dyak fleet of pirates assembled at the mouths of the Morata

them. In the Buntal river they received intelligence of a party having passed two days before, and Mr. Brooke suspected that they belonged to the notorious pirate Budrudeen and Sheriff Abu Bakar. In the dark a few guns were fired upon them, as a warning that they had better desist from the pursuit. The next day they heard that Budrudeen was at Siru, and his accomplice at Talang-Talang, so that the party divided into two divisions, Mr. Brooke proceeding with the portion of the fleet to the latter place, and Tumangong and Orang Kaya Tumangong went to Siru. In the evening, a messenger from this place to Mr. Brooke reported that the notorious pirate was assuredly there with eight followers, his band ashore, and he living in a house in the village. Abu Bakar was at Talang-Talang with a crew of fifteen men, a small boat, and a huge long six-pounder in her. The Tumangong showed a disinclination to proceed further in the enterprise in which be was engaged, as he dreaded the consequences. Mr. Brooke was therefore compelled to send the Patingis against Budrudeen, to catch him if possible, and if not, to kill him; while he himself informed Abu Bakar that he had no discussion to hold with him, but that death inevitably awaited his accomplice and followers, among whom was an Illanun Panglima. This brother Illanun, on hearing this announcement, wept, and declared that if Mr. Brooke singled him out, without also putting to death the Pangeran and his brother-in-law, it would be unjust. For comfort, the rajah informed them that he would assuredly attend to their wishes in this respect, and then set sail for Siru. The account of the deaths of the Illanun and Budrudeen we subjoin. An example was required to convince the pirates that Mr. Brooke's authority was not to be set at defiance; but nevertheless, when we contemplate the courageous manner in which these desperate men met their death, we cannot wholly stifle a sentiment of commiseration.

“Arrived at Siru, I found the patingis waiting till the pangerans and the Illanun panglima came to the beach; and to prevent suspicion, my party kept close in the boat, where I could observe what was passing without. The pangerans and Illanun walked down, both well armed, and the latter dressed out with a variety of charms. Once on the beach, retreat was impossible, for our people surrounded them, though without committing any hostile act. The suspicion of their different demeanours. The Borneo pangethe two was raised, and it was curious to observe ran remained quiet, silent, motionless; a child might have taken him in. The Magandanao Illanun lashed himself to desperation : flourishing his spear in one hand, and the other on the handle

So. Ardent, enterprising, with a power of command over himself, he throws himself with en

Up to the point at which we are now arrived, we have been occupied solely by the personal narrative of Mr. Brooke, and have endeavoured to convey to our readers-imperfectly, it is truesome idea of the achievements of our countrymen in Borneo. There is much yet to be told many a brilliant undertaking to be related; but before quitting this portion of the narrative, we must make a few remarks upon the style in which the whole is written. Bold and enterprising men often accomplish many brilliant feats, and undergo peril and danger of various kinds; they display a recklessness, a hardihood, a courage, and a perseverance, which carries them triumphantly through the greatest perils; but it is seldom that we find united in the same individual all the attributes to which we have above alluded, blended with that excess of polish and refinement, that high intellectual capacity, that generous sympathy with the natives, which we discover in the Rajah of Sarawak. All the elegance which the most classical education, the most familiar acquaintance with ancient and modern literature, could give, he possesses in an eminent degree. Poetry sometimes claims his attention, and then the ambitious and ardent yearnings of his soul burst forth freely. The poetry of his soul speaks, indeed, in all his writings. It is betrayed in his intense admiration of the beauties of landscape, in his delicate choice of expression when delineating nature, and the rich enjoyment which scenery affords him, when, forgetful awhile of the cares of state, he falls back upon it, or indulges in a reverie upon the strange scenes in which he finds himself so distinguished an actor. The journals before us, both of Mr. Brooke and Captain Mundy, are clear, manly, and bold in their style, which adapts itself easily to the emergency of the hour. They relate, without pretension, their adventures, and leave the reader to draw his own conclusions from the facts before him.

We must now take leave of Mr. Brooke, and come to the, in their peculiar way, no less brilliant achievements of Captain Mundy. He was the companion of Mr. Brooke in many a hostile encounter, and was well fitted by nature to be

observe the buoyancy of his spirit in every portion of his narrative. He awards to all their due, is never known to exaggerate or to deteriorate the merit of his companions, and displays much of the same indomitable energy which has helped to earn for Mr. Brooke so well-merited a renown. As long as these events shall continue to be spoken of at all, Captain Mundy's name cannot fail to be remembered with them. He has associated himself with Borneo, with the suppression of piracy, and the diffusion of civilization. He is fully capable of estimating the vast benefits which must inevitably accrue to the whole civilized community from the further establishment of British influence in the Indian Archipelago, as all his remarks prove. events which he describes are possessed of a deep interest; and though they in part relate to the same period of time as Mr. Brooke's own journal, we have chosen to draw from them information of various kinds. Captain Mundy writes in a clear and vigorous style, and possesses great powers of description. His estimate of native character displays great shrewdness and power of observation. The second volume of the work before us relates to the most important events which have occurred at all during Mr. Brooke's residence in Borneo - events as important as they were disastrous; but whose effects may illustrate the truth of the old saying, that out of evil good sometimes springs.

The

On the New Year's Day of the year 1846, we find Mr. Brooke in the enjoyment of the best possible spirits, and looking forward with hopeful delight to the establishment of his power. In the midst of the general prosperity and increasing happiness of the tribes in the country of Sarawak, Mr. Brooke suddenly received information that a large force of Sakarran Dyaks had put to sea with seventy prahus, and not less than twelve hundred men, and were perpetrating the greatest atrocities in all the countries and rivers through which they passed, devastating villages, and carrying off men, women, and children into captivity. Captain Mundy's arrival with the Iris was accordingly awaited with some impatience, that he might assist Mr. Brooke to punish these desperate offenders. In the meantime, however, the news of a terrible catastrophe reached his ears, which caused him the deepest regret, and inspired him with the resolution of visiting upon the insolent sultan of Borneo the punishment he merited for the cowardly acts of which he had been guilty. The atrocity must doubtless have been long contemplated by the crafty native. He had evidently been long

jealous of the influence which the English were obtaining in Borneo, and cherished the deepest feelings of revenge against Muda Hassim, who had been the first to consent to their establishment there. Veiling his feelings under the guise of favor, Omar Ali elevated him to power, and bestowed upon him many marks of favor, and affecting to appoint him his successor, he resolved to mature the designs he had so long contemplated of cutting off the whole family. By this massacre the attached friend of Mr. Brooke, Budrudeen, was lost to him, a man who might have beer. of infinite service in carrying out the great designs he had in view. Brooke felt deeply on this subject, and could scarcely find words to express his horror and rage. The narrative must be introduced here, and the way in which the crime was punished will be afterwards described:

"The four brothers were at this time living in security in various parts of the city, quite unsuspicious of any conspiracy against them, when suddenly, in the dead of the night, the homes of each of the princes, and other men of rank known to be favorable to the English policy and to the suppression of piracy, were attacked by orders from the sultan, given under the royal signet, and thirteen members of his own family, uncles, nephews, and cousins, were barbarously assassinated by this unnatural monster. Jaffer, at the moment of the attack, was in attendance on his lord, the pangeran Budrudeen, and with a few of his immediate followers, who happened to be in the house, made every exertion to repel the assailants. For some time Budrudeen fought bravely at their head; but taken completely by surprise, overpowered by numbers, and desperately wounded, he at last gave way, and retiring by the women's apartments, escaped to a distant part of the building, accompanied by his sister and by another young lady, all of whom were by this time aware, from the shouts and exclamations of the multitude, that Budrudeen was attacked by the authority of his own uncle and sovereign, whom he had so long and faithfully served. On joining his lord, Jaffer was directed to open a cask or barrel of gunpowder which was found standing in the room. This order he immediately obeyed, and waited his lord's further commands. Pangeran Budrudeen then took a ring from his finger, and calling Jaffer to his presence, placed it in his hands, with a last injunction to flee in haste to the sea, to endeavour to reach Sarawak, and to convey the ring to his friend, Mr. Brooke, as a dying memento of his esteem, and to bid Mr. Brooke not to forget him, and to lay his case and the cause of his country before the queen of England."

Mudi Hassim's fate was not so accurately described. His house was surrounded by a body of forty or fifty men, and set on fire by the ruffians. In the first confusion of the onset he effected his escape to the opposite side of the

river, with several of his brothers, his wife, and children, and protected by his attendants, was enabled to defend himself for some time against his enemies. Overwhelmed at last by the number of his assailants, he was obliged to give way, and having lost all his guns, ammunition, and property, he found himself at the mercy of his enemies. Some of his brothers had been shot, others wounded, and no hope remained of safety except in the mercy of his sovereign. He sent messages to beg that his life might be spared. This boon was refused in the most peremptory manner, and death being thus inevitable, he retreated to a boat which chanced to be at the river side, and placing a quarter cask of gunpowder in the cabin, he called to his surviving brothers and sons to enter, and immediately firing the train, the whole party were blown up. Muda Hassim, however, was not killed by the explosion, but it is supposed, determined not to be taken alive, he terminated his existence by blowing out his brains with a pistol. Jaffer, the servant of Budrudeen, with much difficulty effected his retreat, and contrived to hide himself for several days in the city. At length he was discovered and brought before the sultan, who perceiving the ring on his finger, immediately took it from him, and ordered him from his presence. Jaffer then found an asylum with Muda Mohamed, the brother of Muda Hassim, who, after being desperately wounded in several places, had saved his life by flight, and been ultimately protected by the sultan, his uncle. The sultan had openly proclaimed that he had killed the rajah Muda Hassim, and the other members of the royal family, because they were the friends of the English, and were anxious to act up to the treaties, and to suppress piracy. He had also built forts, and made no secret of his determination to oppose by force any attempt to approach, the capital. On the arrival of the Hazard, he had sent two pangerans down the river, under the disguise of friends, bearing Muda Hassim's flag, for the express purpose of inducing the captain to accompany them on shore, where they intended to kill him; and the people in the streets of Bruné, and in the bazaars of that city, talked loudly of cutting out any merchant vessel which might appear upon the coast. The sultan had also engaged a man to convey an order under the royal hand to Pangeran Makota, the English rajah's bitterest enemy, to remove him either by treachery or poison; or if not able to accomplish this object, to excite the people of Sarawak to drive him out of the country.

In the course of the expedition against Bruné, many attacks were made upon the pirates, but Captain Munday's, as well as Mr. Brooke's chief object was to visit punishment upon the sultan.