1844.] PURSUIT OP SERIFF SAHIB. 153 



distance up this intricate creek, at times affording space 

 for the oars, but generally compelling the heavy boats to 

 pole, and the gigs to use their paddles ; until at length 

 further advance, even in the canoe, which was ahead of 

 my gig, and which had been almost carried by the natives 

 for some distance, was impracticable. Here, however, 

 we found the last bivouac of the fugitives, consisting of 

 rapidly formed huts, over which they had doubtless 

 spread their kedjangs, and the embers of their fires still 

 alive. Keppel's bugle informed us that further pursuit 

 was abandoned, and that fighting was to be superseded 

 by feasting, a measure, under present fatigue, not likely to 

 find many dissentients. 



Keppel observes : " But this pursuit had the desired 

 effect, proving to the natives what determination could 

 achieve, in accomplishing our object even beyond the 

 hopes of our sanguine Balow Dyak guides. The conse- 

 quence was, that Seriff Sahib made a final and precipitate 

 retreat across the mountains, in the direction of the 

 Pontianak River ; so close were we on his rear, harassed 

 as he was by the Balow Dyaks, who had refused him even 

 the common means of subsistence, that he threw away 

 his sword, and left behind him a child, whom he had 

 hitherto carried in the jungle ; and this once dreaded 

 chief was now driven, single and unattended, out of the 

 reach of doing any further mischief." 



On our return to Bunting in the evening, the boats 

 drew up in fighting order before that town, and a dis- 

 play of guns and rockets at night was arranged, in order 

 to exhibit to these people, who could now calmly view 

 it, the force which, at a very short warning, could be 

 brought to punish their misdeeds. 



