Fin st Brunei conquests.—by a. e. Lawrence, li 
the ruler of it, Tugau, lived in the Rutus, a large tri¬ 
butary of the Igan. To this day many stories and 
legends about Tugau and his relations are told by the 
Mi la nos from M'atu to Bintulu, especially in those 
families which are descended from him or any of the 
other chiefs famous in his day—of his miraculous birth, 
his size and strength,—(his sago was baked into balls as 
big as a hen’s egg)—of his death at the hands of his own 
people, etc., etc. t Remains of the biilian posts of 
Tugau’s house are still to be seen on the banks of the 
Rutus, and below them, if any man is brave enough to 
dig there, is hidden an enormous treasure of gold, be¬ 
sides the bones of the slaves sacrificed according to 
custom when the posts of a new house are erected. 
Besiong, a near connection of Tugau, was also a 
famous person, and had many adventures, miraculous 
and otherwise. 
Besides ruling over his own people at Rutus, Tugau 
had great influence in many other districts along the 
coast. Kedahat, chief of Ova, was related to him and 
acknowledged his supremacy. The Mukah chief, Busui, 
whose burial post is still to be seen in the TiIlian river, 
although the urn at the top containing his bones has 
long since been lost, was married to a near relation of 
Tugau. who could count on the Mukah people follow¬ 
ing him to war if he required them. 
Tutong, under its chief Buniban, and Belait, then ruled 
by a man named Jam, were also friendly to Tugau, so 
that he really had quite a large and powerful, if some¬ 
what scattered, following. 
Thinking that he was strong enough to overcome 
the rising Brunei power, Tugau sent a message to Alak 
Betatar demanding tribute and submission from him. 
This was refused, and Alak Betatar in return made the 
same demands from Tugau, with the alternative of 
Avar if he did not yield to them. The answer was 
prompt enough, as, AAUthout Avaiting for Brunei to take 
the aggressive, Tugau’s brother-in-lasv, Besiong, raised 
Tutong and Belait, and made a raid into their territory. 
Here they met a Brunei force under Fateh Bcrbi and 
Semaun, also said to be a brother of Alak Betatar, and 
f One of these stories will he found in the Sarawak Gazette for Alay 1907- 
p. 99. 
