HISTORY OF SANTUBONG OF SARAWAK. 15 
sonumerous andso voracious that the people were afraid to leave 
their homes. At last the men decided to wage continual war 
on the crocodiles until they were entirely driven away, and this 
though causing the death of many men, they actually accom- 
plished. One large creature nine fathoms in length they be- 
headed, and his head they took to a place on the island now 
ealled Santubong where it may be seen to the present day as 
the Batu boiak. From that time the village of Santubong was 
known to Malays as Negri batu boiak. Here Datu Permaisuri 
gives birth to a dragon with golden scales: this prodigy swims 
out to sea. Also here she presents Datu Merapati with a son, 
Chipang Merapati and a daughter Dayong Sri bulan. One day 
Merapati and Chipang set out from their home on a trip into the 
interior with the object of collecting tribute. Whilst they are 
away the village is attacked by a crew of savage people who 
came from Pegu, and fearing for their lives, all the villagers of 
the Batu boiak seek refuge in the jungle. Permaisuri and Sri 
bulan are taken as prisoners to the vessel of the victors and in 
their shame they seriously consider suicide. But the elder lady 
recovering her spirits resorts to a stratagem and at last succeeds 
in killing the Pegu captain, at the same time thoroughly ter- 
rifying the rest of the crew. 
It is told that Permaisuri after killing the captain gouged 
out his eyes and that these having been preserved are still in the 
possession of one of the Malays of rank, in Sarawak: be this as 
it may the words ‘Matu Pegu’ (Pegu’s eyes) are still in use 
amongst the people of Santubong. After this, the vessel is 
carried by wind and tide up the Samarahan river and on reaching 
land the crew immediately run off into the jungle. To this 
_ day the descendants of the Burmese invaders are still to be 
found up the Samarahan: for such are the bearded Land Dy- 
aks of Bukar who, be it noted, have amongst them no men of 
rank, no tumunggongs, no mentri and no datus. The two la- 
dies did not however disembark and they were taken after many 
days to Brunei where they lived in the house of a low born but 
kind-hearted fisherman for some months. 
In the meantime Merapati had gone far up the Sadong 
river, and had even married a Dayak lady. As a result of 
R. A. Soc., No. 51, 1908. 
