THE SULTAN TO HER MAJESTY. 53 



the usual manner ; indeed, the water of the Sarawak 

 appeared to have affected everything which suffered im- 

 mersion in a most extraordinary manner. As the river 

 consisted of pure fresh water, the stores saved were sub- 

 sequently washed, and dried under a powerful sun, 

 with the expectation that they had not sustained much 

 damage ; subsequent experience, however, proved that 

 experiment to be unavailing.* Before quitting the Sa- 

 rawak, Mr. Brooke, who kindly consented to accom- 

 pany me with his interpreter, received from the Rajah 

 Muda Hassim a letter addressed to Her Majesty, to 

 which he would receive the Sultan's seal at Borneo Proper, 

 intimating his wish to aid Great Britain in the suppres- 

 sion of piracy, and extension of trade. 



Thus ended our eventful sojourn with this zealous 

 mediator of peace and civilization in the Sarawak ; the 

 alternations of distress, hope, and gratitude that affected 

 me during this exciting period my pen cannot portray; nor 

 can I find language to convey the satisfaction I enjoyed, 

 of being able to resume my duties, and avert the disappoint- 

 ment that would have been otherwise experienced by those 

 who had entrusted me with this important command. 



The house allotted to the Junior Officers of the ' Sa- 

 marang ', by their kind friend Mr. Brooke, is thus de- 

 scribed by Mr. Adams : 



" Our house, which some of us facetiously christened 

 ' Cockpit Hall ', was situated on the banks of a small 

 branch of the Sarawak river, embosomed in a grove of 

 Coco-nuts, Areca Palms, Papiaas and Plantains. A slight 



* Excepting, however, those sails and other stores which had been 

 previously immersed in Sir. W. Burnett's valuable solution. 



