mATlCAL CONSFUiACY. 



the prospcnty of Kuching, In this province Sir James 

 detected a conypH'acy, which hnd for its real object the 

 rc-cstablishmeiit of slavery and piracy. 



To nip tliis in the bud, he at once prepared a force to 

 send to Sadong ; and aii excellent oj>portutiity thus 

 presenting itself for introducing our boats to the Borncau 

 river service, four of them, under cliargc of Lieutenant 

 Bowycar^ accompanied the expedition. They returned 

 in a few days, liaviiig succeeded in all the objects for 

 which they wont. The principal agents in the con- 

 spiracy were brought to account for their conduct 

 before the " Tuan Besar" (Great Sir), and from one of 

 them the origin of the conspiracy was worked out. It 

 appeared tliat, immediately aftei* Mr. Brooke's dejjarture 

 for England^ joung Scriif Ahmed, the son of mj old 

 acqtiaintaiice Scriff Jafter (since dead), entered ittto a 

 correspondence with Seriff Mullah. Ever since the 

 destruction of bis village and property up the Undop by 

 the Didih boats in 1844, the said Seriff Midlali had been 

 hviug in the Sakarran couutry, for the purpose, it was 

 said) of collecting the disaffected, who had made their 

 escape on the dostniction of their piratical strongholds at 

 the diifereEt towns and fortilications, vis?,, lit Padi, Pakoo^ 

 Rembas, Patu^eii, Undop, kc. Their object now was to 

 establish liead^quartcra, and to fortify themselves, in SerilT 

 Saliibe'is old place, tip the Sadong ; and from thence to 

 afford every cncoiu-agoment and protection to the Sarebas 

 pu-atcBj sharing with thuin the phmdcr, of whit:h they 



