Ch. XIII.] EEGENEEATION OF SAEAWAK. 205 



wretched than this territory thirty years ago, when pirates 

 and rohhers swept the country with fire and sword ; when 

 murderous head-hunters sought for their bleeding trophies 

 far and near ; when savage tribes sought opportunities of 

 making a raid upon the least protected of their neighbours, 

 murdering all the males, and leading the women into cap- 

 tivity. Such was the reign of terror, and worse than civil 

 war, which Sir James Brooke found existing in this part of 

 Borneo. Far from the seat of even nominal government, 

 the strong hand kept down the weak with the ferocity of the 

 savage, and without appeal ; and as a necessary result, the 

 country was rapidly becoming depopulated ; for those who 

 escaped the kris of the enemy could only look to die of 

 starvation. But the philanthropy of Brooke was not con- 

 tent to pity the unfortunates, in whom his penetration saw 

 traits of character and capabilities of improvement, which 

 events have fully borne out. First, having with a super- 

 human effort given such a blow to piracy that it has never 

 been able to lift up its head since, and having fairly scotched, 

 if not killed, the snake, he thus essentially mitigated the 

 great crying evil of that part of the world, and paved the 

 way for negotiations, which the natives readily appreciated 

 and soon sensibly adopted. Having shown himself fortis in 

 re, he next exhibited his character of suavis in modo, and 

 easily succeeded in -winning the entire confidence of the 

 population, and by his own indomitable will and enthusiastic 

 nature, backed by no state support or military force, he has 

 changed the desolated district into a thriving settlement, 

 well governed and secure, where every man sits under his 

 own vine and under his own fig-tree, none daring to make 

 him afraid. Associatiag with him the hereditary native 

 chiefs, he has banished aU jealousy of foreign rule, and has 



