BORNEO 261 



made without their advice and co-operation, neither their 

 emoluments nor their dignity were seriously interfered 

 with. 



The little opposition ]\Ir. Brooke experienced in 

 making these radical changes was largely due to his 

 extremely conciliating and dignified manner, so accordant 

 with the Malay character ; and to his having acquired 

 the Malay language by intercourse with the higher classes, 

 and being able to speak it with great purity and ease. 

 He was also tolerant of native prejudices, and had studied 

 the native character so completely that he well knew how 

 to influence it. His personal courage, and the sagacity 

 and boldness with which he detected and put down some 

 of the early conspiracies against his rule, won the better 

 class of chiefs to his side ; and the great respect he always 

 paid to the Mohammedan religion, even using the precepts 

 of the Koran as the foundation of many of his amend- 

 ments of the law, disarmed the opposition of the priests, 

 and enabled him subsequently to introduce English 

 missionaries among the Dyaks without exciting the least 

 animosity. 



No less wisdom was shown by the mode in whicli 

 justice was administered. Three courts were established 

 — a police court, a general court, and a native religious 

 court — the latter chiefly for the settlement of cases relat- 

 ing to marriage or divorce. The police court dealt with 

 the simplest cases, the general court with all other cases, 

 civil and criminal. There were no lawyers, and hardly 

 any forms. The parties in dispute appeared with their 

 witnesses. They gave their evidence and were examined 

 by the judge, assisted by the native chiefs, and by any 

 European residents who chose to be present, and they 

 obtained substantial, cheap, and speedy justice. The Eaja 

 had associated with him in the government a small body 



