246 POLICY. [1845. 



was almost a hopeless pursuit, and that nothing less than 

 summary punishment on the people and the destruction 

 of their town, hitherto suspected of being little better 

 than a pirate retreat, would follow. I am, however, in- 

 clined to think that our countrymen have been better 

 treated than they would have been upon any other part 

 of uncivilized Borneo. After the burning and abandon- 

 ment of the vessel by the master, I cannot but consider 

 that the property saved from her belonged, by the custom 

 of the country, to the power upon whose territory she 

 became a wreck; at all events, remained in their keeping 

 until formally demanded by competent authority. We 

 found that the powers, into whose hands our people fell, 

 fed them, took care of them, and exacted no harder 

 labour than was requisite to earn their subsistence, and 

 moreover, when demanded, readily giving them up, re- 

 fusing to make any charges, even for their sustenance. 

 To have made these powers feel, even if they deserved 

 punishment, that Great Britain is not too anxious to 

 revenge an act, which however open it might have been 

 to our animadversion, appeared in accordance with their 

 customs, is one great point gained towards their viewing 

 us with respect, as well as kindly feeling, even to wish 

 for, and court, our alliance. I firmly believe that they 

 now entertain a greater dread of the force we could bring 

 against them, than if we had destroyed their towns ; 

 no such power has been exhibited, but I have reason to 

 know that they have magnified it in imagination to such 

 an extent, that any distressed British subjects will in 

 future meet with a home, instead of that revenge which 

 harsher measures would have inevitably entailed. 



