INTRODUCTION. XXL 



ask no farther aid or protection than I re- 

 ceived from you." 



Shortly after Captain Keppel's departure, 

 H.M.S. ' Samarang' and ' Phlegethon' visited 

 and inspected the island of Labuh-an, of 

 which final possession has since been taken, 

 and which is now a British settlement. 



In February, 1845, H.M.S. 'Driver 'brought 

 Captain Bethune to Sarawak, bearing a letter 

 from Lord Aberdeen, appointing Mr. Brooke 

 confidential agent in Borneo to Her Majesty. 

 This letter enclosed one to the Sultan and 

 the Rajah Muda Hassim, replying to their 

 request for the assistance of the British 

 Government to extinguish piracy. The cap- 

 tain and Mr. Brooke instantly proceeded to 

 Borneo (Bruni) city, where the letter was 

 received by the Sultan with firing of guns 

 and streaming of banners, and every personal 

 demonstration of respect. The Sultan ex- 

 claimed, " it was good, very good," wanted 

 to know when the English would occupy 

 Labuh-an, and observed that he wanted to 

 have the Europeans near him. 



