chap, vi.] OPINIONS OF SIR JAMES BROOKE. 145 



from their cruel rulers to plunder, enslave, and murder 

 them. Anything like justice or redress for these injuries 

 was utterly unattainable. From the time Sir James ob- 

 tained possession of the country, all this was stopped. 

 Equal justice was awarded to Malay, Chinaman, and Dyak. 

 The remorseless pirates from the livers farther east were 

 punished, and finally shut up within their own territories, 

 and the Dyak, for the first time, could sleep in peace. 

 His wife and children were now safe from slavery ; his 

 house was no longer burnt over his head ; his crops and 

 his fruits were now his own, to sell or consume as he 

 pleased. And the. unknown stranger who had done all 

 this for them, and asked for nothing in return, what could 

 he be ? How was it possible for them to realize his 

 motives ? Was it not natural that they should refuse to 

 believe he was a man ? for of pure benevolence combined 

 with great power, they had had no experience among men. 

 They naturally concluded that he was a superior being, 

 come down upon earth to confer blessings on the afflicted. 

 In many villages where he had not been seen, I was asked 

 strange questions about him. "Was he not as old as the 

 mountains ? Could he not bring the dead to life ? And 

 they firmly believe that he can give them good harvests, 

 and make their fruit-trees bear an abundant crop. 



In forming a proper estimate of Sir James Brooke's 

 government, it must ever be remembered that he held 



VOL. I. L 



