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BRO in December, 1838. Arriving at Singapore six months afterwards, he rested there some time in order to procure minute information before proceeding to Borneo. Previous to his leaving England he had written out a statement of his views of the present condition of the Malayan archipelago, and its probable future value; an abstract of this appeared in the journal of the Geological Society, but it was first published as a whole among his "Private Letters" in 1853. He speaks of the degrading effects of Dutch rule in Java and Sumatra; deplores the timidity and ignorance of government in refusing to support Sir Stamford Raffles in his energetic and successful sway, and urges his countrymen not to reject a fresh opportunity of restoring civilization and peace. "Java," he says, "exhausted and rebellious, submits, but remembers the period of British possession. The wild Battas of Sumatra successfully repel the efforts of the Dutch to reduce them. The Chinese of the southern part of Borneo are eager to cast off the yoke of masters who debar them every advantage. The Dutch are strong enough to defy any native power directed against them; but their doubtful tenure would render the downfall of their rule in the archipelago certain and easy before the establishment of a liberal government and conciliatory policy." Mr. Brooke did not advocate conquest, or any imperfect mere missionary scheme. He wished that Britain should use and extend her possessions by influencing—not subduing the natives—by leading them gradually to order and freedom, and teaching the benefits of industry and education, by making them sharers in them. Remaining but a short time at Singapore he proceeded to Borneo, and anchored in the Sarawak river. The Rajah Muda Hassim, uncle to the sultan of Borneo, and governor of Sarawak, received the strangers kindly, and granted them permission to go into the interior of the island. A rebellion among the natives prevented Mr. Brooke from penetrating far, and he found the country distracted by internal warfare, carried on by the Sarebas and Sakarran dyaks, piratical and fierce tribes, speaking a different dialect, and having no resemblance to those peaceful dyaks whom they treated as slaves. The report of his expedition preceded his return to Singapore; the merchants presented him with congratulatory addresses, but the governor received him coldly. "He," says Brooke, in writing to his friend Templar, "would fain have me lay aside all politics; but whilst I see such treachery and baseness on one part, and such weakness, imbecility, and indifference on the other, I will continue to upraise my voice at fitting seasons—I will not leave my native friends to be betrayed by either white nation, and I will speak bold truths to native ears, convinced that it is the best means of preserving the independence of the Malay states. Don't think, however, that I would intrude, or force opinion or advice. Until asked, I am silent." He had not long to wait this invitation. At his next visit Muda Hassim was still struggling to repress the rebellion; he urged Mr. Brooke to remain and assist him in quelling it. He consented, and in three months accomplished what the rajah had failed to do in four years. He also succeeded in gaining the lives of the rebels who surrendered—a task rendered difficult by Muda Hassim's conviction that they had forfeited all title to mercy. Feeling that without this opportune assistance his country had been lost, and, despairing of governing it alone, he besought Mr. Brooke to accept it under him, on payment of a stipulated sum to be given yearly to the sultan. Mr. Brooke consented, on condition that the rajah should give him "his sincere support and assistance in saving the lower classes from oppression and pillage." From the spring of this year, 1841, we may therefore date the commencement of Mr. Brooke's beneficent rule; but he had much to contend with before coming to a final and satisfactory arrangement with the rajah. There were debates about the taxes, abolition of forced labour, and warfare against piracy. Muda Hassim promised fairly, but acted treacherously, allowing pirates to invade his own country, and withholding the promised right of working the antimony ore.

During Muda Hassim's absence from Borneo proper, Pangeran Usop—another uncle of the sultan's—a clever and designing man, had striven to undermine his authority. The sultan, a weak prince, too readily gave ear to Usop's crafty designs; and but for Mr. Brooke's exertions, Muda Hassim's power would have been limited to the province of Sarawak. Some time after, Mr. Brooke accompanied him to Borneo, re-established his influence there, and, by so doing, gained both his goodwill and that of the people. Muda's friendship with the English remained henceforth unbroken; and fidelity to his promise of assisting in the destruction of pirates, was too surely the cause of his violent death.—In a paper written during this winter, the new rajah's plan of government is clearly unfolded. "I wish it therefore to be understood," he says, "that it is on public grounds I request the support of government, or the assistance of the commercial community; that my objects are to call into existence the resources of one of the richest and most extensive islands of the globe; to relieve an industrious people from oppression, and to check—if possible to suppress—piracy and the slave trade, which are openly carried on within a short distance of three European settlements, on a scale and system revolting to humanity." Acting on these principles, he began his reign, unaided and alone, devoting his whole energy to the elevation of his people. A small duty on rice was the only one imposed; but, as he could not carry on government without means, having already expended £10,000 of his private fortune, and received no encouragement from home, he was forced to retain a monopoly of the antimony ore. The pirates continued most formidable enemies; but in a few years he was so far successful in repelling their attacks, that the labouring dyaks began to come down from the interior, and settle near Sarawak, happy and industrious under the protection of their "Tuan Besar," or "Great Man." In 1843 he wrote:—"You must not fancy that I say little about the country, for the truth is I have nothing to say, as we are living in a state of profound quiet. When the stores of the Samarang lay exposed in every direction—and they were tempting—there was not a case of complaint against a native. The dyaks, the poor oppressed dyaks, are really quite fat and happy-looking, and yearly improving." A short extract from a letter of Mrs. Dougal's, the missionary's wife, shows the love and admiration Brooke's devotion inspired:—"The rajah was in England in 1848, but Pa Jenna, a reclaimed pirate, coming into my room, spied his picture hanging against the wall. I was much struck with the expression of involuntary respect which both the face and attitude of this untutored savage assumed. He raised the handkerchief from his head, and saluting the picture with a bow, such as a Roman catholic would make at his patron saint's altar, he whispered to himself—"Our great rajah." During the seven years between his settlement at Sarawak, and his visit to England in 1847, several of her majesty's ships had from time to time visited the island; the Samarang, with the especial purpose of investigating the island of Labuan, where Mr. Brooke was desirous of an English station being established. Meanwhile—for want of a single war-ship—he had been forced to allow poor Muda Hassim to fall a victim to the jealousy of his own kindred. His adherence to his compact against piracy excited their hatred to such a pitch, that he and all his family, except one son, were cruelly murdered by their nearest relatives. Captain Keppel, who had assisted Mr. Brooke in fighting the pirates in 1844, returned to England, and published a diary of Brooke's, by means of which the public were made acquainted with the principal events of his career. When he came to London, he found himself famous; he had really become a hero and was feted and lionized. The knighthood of the bath was conferred on him; he was created governor of Labuan, and commissioner and consul to the native states of Borneo. After a short stay, he set sail for the scene of his new government in February, 1848.—With no slight humiliation and surprise, we turn from this brief survey of his actual accomplishments, to the history of the persecution which followed. It is a history which places the name of Sir James Brooke in illustrious, though unfortunate similitudes; but never were calumny and injustice more bravely met, false charges more clearly exposed, and truth and equity more faithfully maintained. Mr. Hume had the unenviable distinction of leading the persecution; but the inquiry seems to have arisen at the instigation of Mr. Henry Wise, Sir James' agent, and long his confidant and friend. A complete detail of the charges brought against him, along with their able refutation, may be found in three interesting volumes of the "Rajah's Private Correspondence," edited by Templar, and which were published in 1853. In a letter addressed to Henry Drummond, M.P., Sir James thus recapitulated his presumed offences:—"The first grave charge which Mr. Hume advanced was to the effect that I had massacred innocent people, falsely asserting them to be pirates. Next he endeavoured to prove that I was a merchant whilst engaged in the public service. He asserted that an unnecessary loss of life had been inflicted in