206 A VISIT TO THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



Mr. Brooke's opporfcuiic arrival at KucUin, and Iiia 

 energetic demansfcratiou against tliis Boi-t of entertain men tj 

 sent the invifced empty away. But since that lime," 

 proceeda the journal, " another native eMef lias sent tlte 

 SAKARE^tN Byaks to attack a tnbe called Sunpro. After 

 a night surprise, iliey captured forty Tvomen and children, 

 killing ah out the same numhcr of men, and buniing their 

 village." 



"Heads collected — slaves procured — vessels plundered 

 on moderate tonus," Such then is the calling of the 

 tribes in question, Ko book, no living witness of credit, 

 can be consulted without verifying the long unchallenged 

 teistimony of Mr. Brooke himself^ penned before any 

 circumstsince liad aiisen which malignity could distort 

 into a motive for fjLlse-colouring, Twelve years ago he 

 echoed a truth which was before notorions, but which ha<l 

 never been certified so unsuspiciously , nor with such 

 disinterested views — that "piracy and the slave-tead^ 

 were openly carried on within a short distance of three 

 European settlements on a scale and system revolting 

 to humanity ; tliat, withm a few days' sail of Sineapore, 

 horrors had been for years enacted, wliich might be 

 suppressed in a few months by xigorous measures ; fleets 

 of Lawuks each year witing for the pralms bound for 

 our great Eastem emporium, capturing them, and often 

 inflicting on their crews miseries equal to those of the 

 middle passage ; and fleets of the Dyaks of Serbbas 

 and Sakaheak, sweeping the shores f^en to Cujmm, 



