Si A VISIT TO THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, 



tUey diil not look very inciting. The flat selected for the 

 settlement was below the leyel of the son, from the 

 encroachments of which it was protected bj a self-formed 

 bank. It bad a swampy, mihealthj appearance. How- 

 ever, it is not for Englishmen to foresee ilifEicultics, and 

 the Governor landed in all due form, under a salute from 

 the 3f(vande7\ Sir James Brooke and Mr. Napier were 

 duly sworn in, and thus commenced the government of 

 Labnau> 



All provisions w^cro niinously dear- — but the greatost 

 difficulty witli which the new settlers had to contend was 

 the want of labourers ; those obtained were chiefly slaves, 

 belonging to certain Malay chiefs on the Borneo side, 

 wlio could recal their men at any momont. Tlie few 

 Klings and Cliinese who had come over from Sincaporc, 

 liad been spoiled by high wages and think. 



It is supposed that our old friend, Dor Macota, had 

 been busy in preventing the transmission of either men 

 or supplies of any sort from Borneo. The following is 

 a proof of the vindictive feeling evinced towards us by 

 the Panguerans, A few Chinese carpenters went over 

 to Brune from Labuan ; and, while there, they were visited 

 by some Malay women. Three of these w^onien were sum- 

 moned into the presence of the Sultan and Macota ; one of 

 the women was attended by her two infants, who clung to 

 lier dress on cither side. An oxecntioncr, in attendance 

 behind, with a parang lopped off the Kttlo arras of the 

 children — after wliich the three women were kiissed. 



