2G0 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



chronic iiisurrection, helped its ruler the Eaja ]\Iuda 

 Hassim to suppress it, partly by an exhibition of force 

 and partly by conciliation. Eventually, on the 24th 

 September, 1841, JIassim abdicated in favour of Mr. 

 Brooke, who thus became Eaja of Sarawak, with a terri- 

 tory about 60 miles long by 50 wide. After some 

 trouble and delay, the title was confirmed by the Malay 

 Sultan of Borneo, on the 1st August, 1842, and Mr. 

 Brooke, intensely interested in his strange acquisition, at 

 once set himself to work to consolidate his power, to 

 introduce just reforms, to estaljlish a code of laws, to 

 develop commerce, and to suppress piracy. The con- 

 dition of the country was such that the work might have 

 appeared hopeless to a less wise and energetic ruler. 

 Complete anarchy prevailed. Malays • were fighting 

 against Malays, and Dyaks against Dyaks. The con- 

 dition of the latter was miserable in the extreme ; they 

 were exposed to every exaction, their children were taken 

 from them for slaves, their villages were attacked and 

 often destroyed by piratical tribes from the adjacent 

 rivers, and the destruction of their crops often exposed 

 them to the extremity of famine. To the Malays the 

 Dyaks were people to be plundered in every way, and 

 when it could not be done openly, it was effected by 

 means of tax-collecting and forced trade, against which 

 the poor Dyaks were at first afraid to complain. In a 

 very few years this system was wholly changed ; the 

 Dyaks were protected from plunder and imposition so 

 long as they paid the moderate tax levied upon them, 

 and the IMalay chiefs obtained their dues with more 

 regularity, and without the need of supporting a crowd 

 of followers who lived on plunder. The Malays who 

 had formerly administered the internal affairs of the 

 district were kept in office, and as no new laws were 



