38 BRITISH BORNEO. 
three Ministers, and a duplicate had been prepared for them 
to keep in their custody for future reference. It was seen, too, 
that there were a number of Muhammadans in the crowd who 
appeared adverse to the acceptance of the terms offered, and, 
doubtless, many of them were acting at the instigation of the 
Tumonggong’s party, who by no means relished so peaceful a 
solution of the difficulties their chief's action had brought 
about. 
Whilst the conference was still going on and the various 
clauses of the frman were being debated, news arrived that the 
Rajas had, in the basest manner, let loose the Trusan Muruts 
on the district the day we had sailed for the Limbang, and that 
these wretches had murdered and carried off the heads of four 
women, two of whom were pregnant, and two young unmarried 
girls and of two men who were at work in their gardens. 
This treacherous action was successful in breaking up the 
meeting, and was not far from causing the massacre of at any 
rate the Brunai portion of our party, and the Pangeran and 
the Datu quickly betook themselves to their boats and scuttled 
off to Brunai not waiting for the steam-launch. 
But we determined not to be beaten by the Rajas’ ma- 
nceuvres, and so, though a letter reached me from the Sultan 
warning me of what had occurred and urging me to return to 
Brunai, we stuck to our posts, and ultimately were rewarded 
by the Bisayas returning and the majority of their principal 
chiefs signing, or rather marking the document embodying 
their new constitution, as it might be termed, in token of their 
acquiescence—a result which should be placed to the cre- 
dit of the indefatigable Inche MAHOMET, whose services I 
am happy to say were specially recognised in a despatch from 
the Foreign Office. Returning to Brunai, I demanded the 
release of Datu KLASSIE, as had been agreed upon, but it was 
only after | had made use of very plain language to his mes- 
sengers that the Tumonggong gave orders for his release 
and that of his wife, whom I had the pleasure of taking up 
the river and restoring to their friends. 
H. M. S. Pegasus calling at Labuan soon afterwards, I 
seized the opportunity to request Captain BICKFORD to make 
a little demonstration in Brunai, which was not often visited 
