OFF SARAWAK. 



TvMch there k alwap a tide running. Although it lias 

 the appcaranec of being hot aiicl coniiiied, suiToimdcd aa 

 it i& by high land, we did not find tt so m reality : 

 general 1 J there a current of air inside, while the ships 

 m the atiignant and crowded roads are often becalmed. 



On 29 th August we re- embarked Sir James Brooke, 

 who proposed calling at Sarawak on our way to Labuan ; 

 the Lieutenant-Govenior was to follow in tlio Phlcgtihmi 

 steamer, after the arrival of the mail 



Right glad was I again to find myself, aceorapanied by 

 Sir James Brooke, approaching the coast of Borneo. Five 

 years had elapsed mncc wo were last together there, — 

 under circumstances, perhaps^ of greater interest, although 

 at the moment less auspicious. He seemed then to have 

 no other resources, nor means of carrying oufc his truly 

 philanthropic views t!ian his own brave heart, manly 

 bearing, and sincerely good intentions. 



On the 2nd September, heing near Santohong, we sent 

 a boat up to Sarawak^ and that evening we anchored off 

 the Maro tabus entrance?, under Tanjong Poe. 



It was while under this point, in 1839, in the BoTfalisi 

 jacht, that Sir James for the first time ^\itnesscd a 

 native skii-mish : an attack w^as made by some Sakarran 

 maraudei-s on a small boat of Saiwak Malays, who had 

 accompanied him on a short pleasure excursion. 



The news of our approach having reached Kuching* by 

 the boat which we had despatclied tlie previous afteniooii. 



* Xucbkig Is m^Q of ilio c;ipllii,l iowD oF the province of Sjuu^ak. 



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