CHAPTER XIII

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THE CHINESE INSURRECTION.

Secret Societies--Extensive Intercourse--Smuggling--The Gold Company fined--Punishment of three of its Members--Arrogance of the Kunsi--A Police Case--Real Causes of the Insurrection--An Emissary from the Tien Ti Secret Society--Reported Encouragement given by the Sultan of Sambas--Sambas Nobles speak Chinese--Their Nurses--The Nobles conspiring--An Emissary arrives in Brunei--Proposal--Knowledge of the intended Insurrection--Proposed Attack on the Consulate--The Tumanggong’s Threat--The Emissary before the Court--Letter from the Tien Ti Hué--Rumours of intended Insurrection--Preparations and Inquiries--Commencement of the Revolt--Useless Warnings--Surprise of the Government House--Danger of the Rajah--Cowardice of the Chinese--Escape--Swims the River--Death of Mr. Nicholets--Attacks on the other Houses--On the Stockade--Gallant Conduct of Mr. Crymble and the Malay Fortmen--Warm Reception of the Rebels--Death of a Madman--A Brave Corporal--Escape of Mr. Crymble--His last Blow--Fortmen again behave well--Confusion in the Town--Peaceful Assurances--Attempt to organize a Defence--Panic-stricken--Departure--Conduct of the People--Next Morning--Killed and Wounded--The Chinese in Power--The Court House--A Check to Joy--Oath of Fidelity--Courage shown by Abang Fatah--A Blow struck--Second Descent of the Chinese--A Boat Action--Gallant Attack--Deaths--Anecdote--The Second Retreat--The Town in Flames--The Steamer--The Capital recovered--Pursuit of the Chinese--They retire to the Interior--Attacks of the Land Dayaks--Foray of the Chinese--Their Fort taken by the Datu Bandhar--Pursuit--Disorderly Retreat--Critical Position--Brave Girls--Pass the Frontier--The Men of the Kunsi--A Quarrel--Stripped of Plunder--Results of the Insurrection--Forces at the Disposal of the Sarawak Government--Conduct of the People--Disastrous to the Chinese--New System--Arrival of armed Chinese from Sambas--Dutch and English Assistance--Revisit Sarawak--Change--Conduct of the Rajah--Its Effect on the People--Secret Society at Labuan--Dangers from the Secret Societies and their Defenders--Curious Incident--Thoughtful Care of the Rajah.

I shall endeavour to tell the story of the Chinese insurrection which suddenly broke out in Sarawak in the year 1857, as it appears to me to be fraught with instruction to us, and if carefully studied, may be of infinite service to those who have to govern colonies where the Chinese form a considerable portion of the population.

For many years the Chinese had attempted to form secret societies in Sarawak; but every effort was made to check their spread among the people, and it appeared as if success had attended that policy. To a considerable extent it was the case: but up in the interior, among the gold workers, the kunsi or company stood in the place of a secret society, and its members carried on an extensive intercourse with their fellow-countrymen in Sambas and Pontianak, and with the Tien Ti secret society in Singapore. I have described in the last chapter a tour which Mr. Fox and I made among the settlements of the Chinese in the interior of Sarawak, during which we became convinced that smuggling was carried on to a great extent, for, however numerous might be the new immigrants, the opium revenue did not increase.

At last it was discovered that opium was sent from Singapore to the Natuna islands, and from thence smuggled into Sarawak and the Dutch territories; it was traced to the kunsi, which was thereupon fined 150_l._: a very trifling amount, considering the thousands they had gained by defrauding the revenue, and measures were immediately taken to suppress the traffic, which, together with the punishment of three of its members for a gross assault on another Chinese, were the only grounds of complaint they had against the Sarawak government.

To show their arrogance, I will enter into the details of this case. A Chinese woman ran away from her husband, a member of the kunsi, who followed her to Kuching, and obtained an order from the police magistrate that she should return with him, but on her refusal, she was ordered to remain within the stockade. As the case was peculiar, she was not confined to a cell, but suffered to move about in the inner court; and some of her friends supplying her with men’s clothes, she managed to slip out unperceived by the sentry, and obtained a passage on board a Chinese boat bound for one of the villages on the coast. Her husband hearing of the place to which she had removed, followed her with a strong party of the members of the kunsi, and recovered her. Not satisfied with this, they seized all the boatmen, and flogged them in the most unmerciful manner, and then placed them in irons. When let go, they of course brought their complaint before the police magistrate, and three of the party were punished for taking the law into their own hands.

These trivial cases were not the real cause of the insurrection, as the Chinese before that date were greatly excited by the news that the English had retired from before Canton; and it was of course added, we had been utterly defeated, and their preparations were made before the smuggling was discovered, or the members of their company punished. The secret societies were everywhere in great excitement, and the Tien Ti sent an emissary over from Malacca and Singapore, to excite the gold workers to rebellion, and used the subtle, but false argument, that not only were the English crushed before Canton, but that the British Government were so discontented with Sir James Brooke, that they would not interfere if the kunsi only destroyed him and his officers, and did not meddle with the other Europeans, or obstruct the trade.

It is also currently reported that the Sambas sultan and his nobles offered every encouragement to the undertaking, and the Chinese listened much to their advice, as these nobles can speak to them in their own language, and are imbued greatly with Chinese ideas. To explain this state of things, I may mention that they are always nursed by girls chosen from among the healthiest of the daughters of the gold workers; and I may add, that about that time there was a very

## active intercourse carried on between the Malay nobles of Sambas and

Makota, and that the latter was constantly closeted with an emissary of the Tien Ti Hué, or secret society, to whom I am about to refer. It behoves the Dutch authorities to look well to the proceedings of the native governments within their own territories, as there is very great discontent, and there is not the slightest doubt that the nobles are conspiring.

To show that it is not a mere imagination that the Tien Ti secret society sent emissaries around at that time, I may state that on the 14th of February, four days before the insurrection, a Chinese named Achang, who had arrived in Brunei from Singapore a few days previously, and had the year before been expelled from Sarawak for joining that Hué, came to my house to try and induce my four Chinese servants to enter it; and added as a sufficient reason that the kunsi of Sarawak would by that time have killed all the white men in that country. He also said that he was very successful in enlisting members among the sago washers and other labourers in the capital, and that they had made up their minds to attack my house, and destroy me within a few weeks, and if my servants did not join the society they would share my fate.

I did not believe what was said about Sarawak, and any warning of mine would not have reached there for a month, but I did not altogether neglect this information, which was secretly given me by my butler, a Chinese, who had lived several years in England, and whose death by cholera in 1859 I much regretted; but sent to the sultan and ministers intimation of what I had heard, and the stern remark of the tumanggong, that if such an attack were made, not a Chinese should, by the following night, be left alive in the whole country, effectually curbed them. This Achang, though a very quarrelsome fellow, had soon a case of just complaint against a British subject, which he brought before my court; when it was over, I asked him how he would have obtained a settlement of his claims, if his intention to murder me had been carried out. I never saw a man’s countenance change more, and thinking he was about to fall on the ground, and to clasp my knees, either to beg for pardon, or, what is more probable, to entreat that I would not believe the story, I told my writer to lead him out of the court.

At Bau the letter from the Tien Ti Hué was shown to nakodah Jeludin by the writers of the kunsi, whilst he was detained a prisoner there, and this was not invented by him as a startling incident, but mentioned casually in the course of conversation; this Malay afterwards died fighting bravely in the last charge to break the ranks of the Chinese.

During the month of November, 1856, rumours were abroad that the Chinese gold company intended to surprise the stockades, which constituted the only defences of the town of Kuching, and which, as no enemy was suspected to exist in the country, were seldom guarded by above four men each; but Mr. Crookshank, who was then administering the government, took the precaution to man them with an efficient garrison, as it was said that during one of their periodical religious feasts, several hundred men were to collect quietly, and make a rush for the defences which contained the arsenal. On Sir James Brooke’s return, however, strict inquiries were instituted, but nothing could be discovered to implicate the gold company in a plot, and it appeared unlikely they would attempt it during the absence of the ruler who could have so soon revenged it.

On the 18th of February, the chiefs of the gold company assembled about 600 of their workmen at Bau, and placing all the available weapons in their hands, marched them down to their chief landing-place at Tundong, where a squadron of their large cargo boats was assembled. It is generally reported that, until they actually began to descend the stream, none but the heads of the movement knew the object, the men having been informed that they were to attack a Dayak village in Sambas, where some of their countrymen had lately been killed.

During their slow passage down the river, a Malay who was accustomed to trade with them, overtook them in a canoe, and actually induced them to permit him to pass, under the plea that his wife and children lived at a place called Batu Kawa, eight miles above the town, and would be frightened if they heard so many men passing, and he not there to reassure them; he pulled down as fast as he could till he reached the town of Kuching, and going straight to his relative, a Malay trader of the name of Gapur, who was a trustworthy and brave man, told him the story, but he said, “Don’t go and tell the chiefs or the rajah such a tissue of absurdities;” yet he went himself over to the bandhar and informed him; but the datu’s answer was, “The rajah is unwell, we have heard similar reports for the last twenty years; don’t go and bother him about it; I will tell him what your relative says in the morning.” This great security was caused by the universal belief that the Chinese could not commit so great a folly as to attempt to seize the government of the country, as they did not number above 4,000, while, at that time, the Malays and Dayaks, within the Sarawak territories, amounted to 200,000.

But at midnight the squadron of Chinese boats pulled silently through the town, and dividing into two bodies, the smaller number entered Suñgei Bedil, the little stream above the government house, while the larger continued its course to the landing-place of the fort, to endeavour to surprise the houses of Mr. Crookshank, the police magistrate, and Mr. Middleton, the constable, while a large party was told off to attack the stockades. The government house was situated on a little grassy hill, surrounded by small, but pretty cottages, in which visitors were lodged. The Chinese landing on the banks of the stream just above a house in which I used to reside, marched to the attack in a body of about a hundred, and passing by an upper cottage, made an assault on the front and back of the long government house, the sole inhabitants of which were the rajah and a European servant. They did not surround the house, as their trembling hearts made them fear to separate into small bodies, because the opinion was rife among them that the rajah was a man brave, active, skilled in the use of weapons, and not to be overcome except by means of numbers.

Roused from his slumbers by the unusual sounds of shouts and yells at midnight, the rajah looked out of the venetian windows, and immediately conjectured what had occurred: several times he raised his revolver to fire in among them, but convinced that alone he could not defend the house, he determined to effect his escape. He supposed that men engaged in so desperate an affair would naturally take every precaution to insure its success, and concluded that bodies of the insurgents were silently watching the ends of the house; so summoning his servant, he led the way down to a bath-room, which communicated with the lawn, and telling him to open the door quickly, and then follow closely, the rajah sprang forth with sword drawn, and pistol cocked, but found the coast clear. Had there been twenty Chinese there, he would have passed through them, as his quickness and practical skill in the use of weapons are not, I believe, to be surpassed. Reaching the banks of the stream above his house, he found the Chinese boats there, but diving under the bows of one, he reached the opposite shore unperceived, and as he was then suffering from an attack of fever and ague, fell utterly exhausted, and lay for some time on the muddy bank, till slightly recovering he was enabled to reach the government writer’s house. An amiable and promising young officer, Mr. Nicholets, who had but just arrived from an out-station on a visit, and lodged in the upper cottage, was startled by the sound of the attack, and rushing forth to reach the chief house, was slain by the Chinese; while Mr. Steel, who was there likewise on a visit, and Sir James’s servant, escaped to the jungle.

The other attacks took place nearly simultaneously, Mr. and Mrs. Crookshank rushing forth, on hearing this midnight alarm, were cut down, the latter left for dead, the former severely wounded. The constable’s house was attacked, but he and his wife escaped, while their two children and an English lodger were killed by the insurgents.

The forts, however, were not surprised; the Chinese, waiting for the signal of attack on the houses, were perceived by the sentinel, and he immediately aroused Mr. Crymble, who resided in the stockade, which contained the arsenal and the prison. He endeavoured to make some preparations for defence, although he had but four Malays with him. He had scarcely time, however, to load a six-pounder field-piece, and get his own rifle ready, before the Chinese, with loud shouts, rushed to the assault. They were led by a man bearing in either hand a flaming torch. Mr. Crymble waited till they were within forty yards; he then fired and killed the man, who, by the light he bore, made himself conspicuous, and before the crowd recovered from the confusion in which they were thrown by the fall of their leader, discharged among them the six-pounder loaded with grape, which made the assailants retire behind the neighbouring houses or hide in the outer ditches. But with four men little could be done, and some of the rebels having quietly crossed the inner ditch, commenced removing the planks which constituted the only defence. To add to the difficulty, they threw over into the inner court little iron tripods, with flaming torches attached, which rendered it as light as day, while all around was shrouded in darkness.

To increase the number of defenders, Mr. Crymble released two Malay prisoners, one a madman, who had killed his wife, the other a debtor. The latter quickly disappeared, while the former, regardless of the shot flying around, stood to the post assigned him, opposite a plank which the Chinese were trying to remove; he had orders to fire his carbine at the first person who appeared, and when, the plank giving way, a man attempted to force his body through, he pulled the trigger without lowering the muzzle of his carbine and sent the ball through his own brains. Mr. Crymble now found it useless to prolong the struggle, as one of his four men was killed, and another, a brave Malay corporal, was shot down at his side. The wounded man begged Mr. Crymble to fly and leave him there, but asked him to shake hands with him first, and tell him whether he had not done his duty; but the Englishman seized him by the arm and attempted to drag him up the stairs leading to the dwelling-house over the gate, but the Chinese had already gained the court-yard, and pursuing drove their spears through the wounded man, and Mr. Crymble was forced to let go his hold, and with a brave follower, Duud, swung himself down into the ditch below. Some of the rebels seeing their attempted escape, tried to stop Mr. Crymble, and a man stabbed at him, but only glanced his thick frieze coat, and received in return a cut across the face from the Englishman’s cutlass, which, if he be still alive, will be a remembrance to carry to the grave.

The other stockade, though it had but a corporal’s watch of three Malays, did not surrender, until finding that every other place was in the hands of the Chinese, the brave defenders opened the gates, and charging the crowd of rebels, sword in hand, made their escape, though they were all severely wounded in the attempt.

The confusion which reigned throughout the rest of the town may be imagined, as startled by the shouts and yells of the Chinese the inhabitants rushed to the doors and windows, and beheld night turned into day by the bright flames that rose in three directions, where the extensive European houses were burning at the same time.

It was at first very naturally thought that the Chinese contemplated a general massacre of the Europeans, but messengers were soon despatched to them by the kunsi, to say that nothing was further from their intention than to interfere with those who were unconnected with the Government.

The rajah had as soon as possible proceeded to the datu bandhar’s house, and being quickly joined by his English officers, endeavoured to organize a force to surprise the victorious Chinese, but it was impossible; no sooner did he collect a few men, than their wives and children surrounded them, and refused to be left, and being without proper arms or ammunition, it was but a panic-stricken mob; so he instantly took his determination, with that decision which has been the foundation of his success, and giving up the idea of an immediate attack, advised the removal of the women and children to the left-hand bank of the river, where they would be safe from a land attack of the Chinese, who could now make their way along the right-hand bank by a road at the back of the town.

This removal was accomplished by the morning, when the party of English under the rajah walked over to the little river of Siol, which falls into the Santubong branch of the Sarawak, where obtaining canoes, they started for the Samarahan river, intending to proceed to the Batang Lupar to organize an expedition from the well-supplied forts there. At the mouth of the Siol, the rajah found the war boat of abang Buyong with sixty men waiting for him, which was soon joined by six others, though smaller; as no sooner did the Malays of the neighbouring villages hear that the rajah was at Siol, than they began flocking to him. He now started for the Samarahan, and rested at the little village of Sabang, and to the honour of the Malay character, I must add that during the height of his power and prosperity, never did he receive so much sympathy, tender attention, and delicate generosity, as now when a defeated fugitive. They vied with each other, as to who should supply him and his party with clothes and food, since they had lost all, and if to know that he was enshrined in the hearts of the people was any consolation to him in his misfortunes, he had ample proofs of it then.

When morning broke in Kuching, there was a scene of the wildest confusion; the 600 rebels, joined by the vagabonds of the town, half stupefied with opium, were wandering about discharging their muskets loaded with ball cartridge in every direction; but at eight o’clock the chiefs of the gold company sent a message to the bishop of Labuan, requesting him to come down and attend the wounded. He did so, and found thirty-two stretched out, the principal being from gun-shot wounds; but among them he noticed one with a gash across his face from the last blow Mr. Crymble had struck at the rebels, and before his arrival they had buried five of their companions.

It was evident that in the intoxication of victory the Chinese aimed now, if not before, at the complete government of the country, and summoned the bishop of Labuan, Mr. Helms, Mr. Ruppell, and the datu bandhar to appear at the court-house; the English were obliged to attend the summons, and the last came with great reluctance, and contrary to the advice of his energetic brother, but it was thought expedient to gain time.

The Chinese chiefs even in their most extravagant moments of exultation, were in great fear that on their return the Malays might attack their crowded boats, and destroy them, as on the water they felt their great inferiority to their maritime enemies.

It must have been an offensive sight to the English and the Malays to witness the arrangement of the court-house: in the rajah’s seat sat the chief of the kunsi, supported on either side by the writers or secretaries, while the now apparently subdued sections took their places on the side benches. The Chinese chief issued his orders, which were that Mr. Helms and Mr. Ruppell should undertake to rule the foreign portion of the town, and that the datu bandhar should manage the Malays, while the kunsi as supreme rulers should superintend the whole, and govern the up country.

Everything now appeared to be arranged, when it was suggested that perhaps Mr. Johnson might not quite approve of the conduct of the Chinese in murdering his uncle and his friends; for the rajah at that moment was supposed to be dead, and the head of Mr. Nicholets was shown as the proof. At the mention of Mr. Johnson’s name there was a pause, a blankness came over all their faces, and they looked at each other, as they now remembered apparently for the first time that he, the rajah’s nephew, was the governor of the Sea Dayaks, and could let loose at least 10,000 wild warriors upon them. At last it was suggested, after an animated discussion, that a letter should be sent to him, requesting him to confine himself to his own government, and then they would not attempt to interfere with him.

The Chinese were very anxious to have matters settled, as with all their boasts they did not feel quite comfortable, and were anxious to secure the plunder they had obtained. They now called upon the gentlemen and the Malay chiefs present to swear fidelity to the kunsi, and under the fear of death they were obliged to go through the Chinese formula of taking oaths by killing fowls. Next day the rebels retired up country unmolested by the Malays, and a meeting was at once held at the datu bandhar’s house to discuss future proceedings; at first no one spoke, there was a gloom over the assembly, as the mass of the population was deserting the town, carrying off their women and children to Samarahan as a place of safety, when abang Patah, son to the datu tumanggong, addressed the assembly. He was a sturdy man, with a pleasant, cheerful countenance, and a warm friend to English rule, and his first words were,--“Are we going to submit to be governed by Chinese chiefs, or are we to remain faithful to our rajah? I am a man of few words, and I say I will never be governed by any but him, and to-night I commence war to the knife against his enemies.”

This was the unanimous determination of the assembly, but they were divided as to the course to be pursued. Patah, however, cut the knot of the difficulty by manning a light canoe with a dozen Malays, and proceeding at once up the river, attacked and captured a Chinese boat, killing five of its defenders. In the meantime the women and children were all removed from the town, and some boats were armed and manned, but imperfectly, as the Chinese had taken away the contents of the arsenal, and the principal portion of the crews were engaged in conveying the fugitives to Samarahan.

Patah’s bold act was well-meaning, but perhaps premature, as the Malays, being scattered, could not organize a resistance, and urgent entreaties were made to the rajah by well-meaning but injudicious friends, to return and head this movement. He complied, though he knew its futility, and arrived at Kuching to find the rest of the English flying, the town in the hands of the Chinese, and smoke rising in every direction from the burning Malay houses. It appeared when the news reached the Chinese that the Malays were preparing for resistance, they determined to return immediately and attack them before their preparations were completed. They divided their forces into two portions, as they were now recruited by several hundreds from the other gold workings, and had forced all the agriculturists at Sungei Tañgah to join them; in fact, their great cargo boats would not hold their numbers, so one-half marched down the road leading from the fields I have mentioned, near the little hill of Stapok, while the rest came by river.

As soon as the Malays saw the Chinese boats rounding the point, they boldly dashed at them, forced them to the river’s banks, drove out the crews, and triumphantly captured ten of the largest. The Chinese, better armed, kept up a hot fire from the rising ground, and killed several of the best men among the Malays, among others abang Gapur, whose disbelief in his kinsman’s story enabled the rebels to surprise the town, and who to his last breath bewailed his fatal mistake; and one who was equally to be regretted, our old follower Kasim, whom I have so often mentioned in the earlier chapters. The latter lingered long enough to see the rajah again triumphant, and said he died happy in knowing it. It was he who, though a good Mahomedan, and without knowing he was a plagiarist, used to say,--“I would rather be in hell with the English, than in heaven with you, my own countrymen.” Notwithstanding their losses, the Malays towed away the boats, fortunately laden with some of the most valuable booty, and secured them to a large trading prahu anchored in the centre of the river. Having thus captured also some better arms and ammunition, they kept up a fire on their enemies who lined the banks.

In the meantime the rajah arrived opposite the Chinese quarter, and found a complete panic prevailing, and all those who had preceded him flying in every direction; having vainly endeavoured to restore a little order, he returned to carry out his original intention. He joined the fugitives farther down the river, and having sent off the ladies and the wounded to the secure fort of Lingga, under the care of the bishop and as many Englishmen as he could spare, he prepared on the following day to take the same route, in order to obtain a base of operations, and a secure spot to rally the people and await a fresh supply of arms. It was sad to think of the mischief which might happen during this period of enforced inaction, particularly as the datu bandhar and a chosen band were still in Kuching anchored in the centre of the river, and making attacks whenever they saw a chance. The Chinese were dragging up heavy guns, and it was evident the Malays could not hold for many days, and there was now nothing to defend, as the flames reddened the horizon and the increasing volumes of smoke told the tale too well that the town was being destroyed.

With feelings of the most acute distress these few Englishmen, under their brave leader, put out to sea to bear away eastward; when a cry arose among the men, “Smoke, smoke, it is a steamer!” and sure enough there was a dark column rising in the air from a three-masted vessel; for a moment it was uncertain which course she was steering, but presently they distinguished her flag; it was the _Sir James Brooke_, the Borneo company’s steamer, standing right in for the Muaratabas entrance of the Sarawak River. The crew of the rajah’s boat with shouts gave way, and the prahu was urged along with all the power of their oars, to find the vessel anchored just within the mouth.

Here, indeed, was a base of operations; the rajah felt the country was saved. The native boats were taken in tow, and the reinforcements of Dayaks, who were already arriving, followed up with eager speed. What were the feelings of the Chinese when they saw the smoke, then the steamer, it is not necessary to conjecture; they fired one wild volley from every available gun and musket; but the balls fell harmlessly; and when the English guns opened on them, they fled panic-stricken, pursued by the rejoicing Malays and Dayaks.

Early that morning a large party of Chinese had crossed from the right to the left bank to burn the half of the town which had previously escaped; but though they succeeded in destroying the greater portion, they signed their own death warrant, as the Malays, now resuming the offensive, seized the remainder of their boats, and the relentless Dayaks pursued them through the forests. Not one of that party could have escaped; some wandered long in the forests and died of starvation, others were found hanging to the boughs of trees, preferring death by suicide to the lingering torments of hunger. All these bodies were afterwards found, and the natives said on every one of them were from five to twenty pounds sterling in cash, silver spoons or forks, or other valuables, the plunder of the English houses.

Thus was the capital recovered; the Chinese on the right bank all fled by the road, and thence retired up to the fort of Biledah, opposite the town of Siniawan. The Land Dayaks were all ready assembled under their different chiefs, and these without one exception stood faithful to the government, and now rushed in every direction on the Chinese, driving them from their villages, and compelling them to assemble and defend two spots only, Siniawan and Bau, with the landing places of the latter. The smoke rising in every direction showed them that the loss they had inflicted on others was now retaliated on them. The kunsi had in their blind confidence made no preparations for an evil day, and it was well known that their stock of food was small, as everything had been destroyed except their own stores at Tundong, Bau, and a little at Siniawan, and they were required to supply all those whom they had forced to join them from the town and the whole agricultural population.

The harassing life they led must soon have worn them out without any attacks, as they could no longer pursue their ordinary occupations, or even fetch firewood or water without a strong armed party, as the Dayaks hung about their houses and infested every spot. It soon became a question of food, and they found they must either obtain it, or retire across the border into Sambas. They therefore collected all their boats and made a foray of eight miles down the river to Ledah Tanah, and there threw up a stockade, in which they placed a garrison of 250 of their picked men, under two of their most trusted leaders. They put also four guns in position to sweep the river, and these Chinese had the best of the government carbines and rifles there. They also sacked a few of the Dayak farmhouses, and one party made a bold attempt to reach the rajah’s cottage at Peninjau, to which I have referred in my chapter on the Dayaks of the right-hand branch.

But the villagers of Sirambau, Bombok, and Peninjau assembled in force, threw up stockades across the steep path, and successfully defended it against the assailants, who were driven back and pursued with loss. To check the Chinese and afford assistance to the Land Dayaks, the rajah sent up the datu bandhar and a small but select force to wait his arrival below the Chinese stockade, but the gallant bandhar, on being joined by the datu tumanggong and abang Buyong, and a few Sakarang Dayaks, dashed at the fort, surprised the garrison at dinner, and carried it without the loss of a man; the Chinese threw away their arms and fled into the jungle, to be pursued by the Sakarang Dayaks; stockade, guns, stores, and boats, all were captured, and, what was of equal importance, the two principal instigators of the rebellion were killed.

As soon as a few of the fugitives reached the fort at Beledah a panic seized the Chinese, and they fled to Bau, where they made preparations to retire into Sambas. The rajah, who was hurrying up to the support of the bandhar, hearing of his success, despatched Mr. Johnson with the light division to harass the enemy, and the advance parties of his Sea Dayaks were on them immediately, but the Chinese being well provided with fire-arms were enabled to retire in tolerable order, from a few miles beyond Bau to the foot of the Gombang range, along the good path which, as I have before mentioned, they had constructed; but every now and then the active Dayaks made a rush from the thick brushwood which borders the path, and spread confusion and dismay, but the Chinese had every motive to act a manly part, as they had to defend above a thousand of their women and children who encumbered their disastrous flight.

At the foot of the steep hill of Gombang they made a halt, for the usual path was found to be well stockaded, and a resolute body of Malays and Dayaks were there to dispute the way. It was a fearful position; behind them the pursuers were gathering in increasing strength, and unless they forced this passage within an hour they must all die or surrender. At last some one, it is said a Sambas Malay, suggested that there was an upper path, which, though very steep, was yet practicable; this was undefended, and the fugitives made towards it.

The Sarawak Malays and Dayaks, too late seeing their error in neglecting to fortify this also, rushed up the edge of the hill, and drove back the foremost Chinese; their danger was extreme; at that moment, as if by inspiration, all the young Chinese girls rushed to the front and encouraged the men to advance, which they again did, and cheered by the voices of these brave girls who followed them close, clapping their hands, and calling to them by name to fight bravely, they won the brow of the hill, and cleared the path of their less numerous foes. They were but just in time, as the pursuers were pressing hotly on the rearguard, and the occasional volley of musketry told them that the well-armed Malays were upon them; but they were now comparatively safe, as they soon cleared the Sarawak borders, and, although a few pursued them, the main body of the Malays and Dayaks halted on the Gombang range.

The miserable fugitives, reduced to two thousand, of whom above a half were women and children, sat down among the houses of the village of Sidin, and many of them it is said wept not only for the loss of friends and goods they had suffered from the insensate ambition of the kunsi, but that they must give up all hope of ever returning to their old peaceful homes. The kunsi, which on the night of the surprise had numbered six hundred men, were now reduced to a band of about a hundred, but these kept well together, and were better armed than the others, and formed the principal guard of the Taipekong, or sacred stone, which they had through all their disasters preserved inviolate.

Several times the assailants, who mistook it for the gold chest, had nearly captured it, but on the cry being raised that the Taipekong was in peril, the men gathered round and carried it securely through all danger. But here at Sidin, all immediate apprehension being over, the discontent of those who had been forced to join the rebels burst forth without control, so that from words they soon came to blows, and the small band of the kunsi’s men was again reduced by thirty or forty from the anger of their countrymen. Continuing their disorderly retreat, they were met by the officers of the Dutch government, who very properly took from them all their plunder and arms, and being uncertain which was their own property, erred on the safe side by stripping them of everything. Thus terminated the most absurd and causeless rebellion that ever occurred, which, during its continuance, displayed every phase of Chinese character: arrogance, secrecy, combination, an utter incapability of looking to the consequences of events or actions, and a belief in their own power and courage, which every event belied. The Chinese never have fought even decently, and yet till the very moment of trial comes they act as if they were invincible.

I think this insurrection shows that though the Chinese require watching, they are not in any way formidable as an enemy, and it also proves how firmly the Sarawak government is rooted in the hearts of the people, since in the darkest hour there was no whisper of infidelity. Had the Chinese been five times as numerous, there were forces in the background which would have destroyed them all. Before the Chinese had fled across the border thousands of Seribas and Sakarang Dayaks had arrived, and the people of Sadong were marching overland to attack them in rear, while the distant out stations were mustering strong forces, which arrived only to find all danger past.

I almost believe it was worth all the disaster to show how uniform kindness and generous consideration are appreciated by the Malays and Dayaks, and how firmly they may become attached to a government which, besides having their true interests at heart, encourages and requires all its officers to treat them as equals. The conduct of the Malay fortmen, of Kasim and Gapur, the generous enthusiasm of abang Fatah, and the gallant rush at the Ledah Tanah stockade by the bandhar and his forces, show what the rajah has effected during his tenure of power. He has raised the character of the Malay, and turned a lawless race into some of the best conducted people in the world.

I must add that the results of the Chinese insurrection were very curious in a financial point of view; though above three thousand five hundred men were killed or driven from the country, yet the revenue rose instead of falling, which proves what an extensive system of smuggling had been carried on. The breaking up of the kunsi was felt by all the natives as a great relief; and if the Chinese were to increase to ten times their former numbers, there would not be the slightest danger if ordinary precautions were taken, and if there were stringent rules well carried out to prevent them either forming extensive companies, or proper measures pursued to crush all attempts at banding themselves into secret societies.

The Dutch authorities who formerly suffered so much from that very formidable association, the great gold kunsi of Montrado, are now free from all anxiety, as they no longer permit the Chinese to form companies more numerous than may prove sufficient to develop a single working, and the same system is at present pursued in Sarawak. It is not at all surprising that those Chinese who were forced to join in the insurrection under threats of the vengeance of the kunsi, should look back with regret to the quiet days they spent whilst cultivating the fertile soil around Stapok or Suñgei Tañgah, and should now petition for permission to return to Sarawak, which they do. However, the regulation I have before mentioned as in force in the Sambas territories, prevents their leaving, as they cannot readily gather together the six pounds sterling necessary, and if they remove they like to do so in a body, but small parties of fugitives occasionally arrive. It is worthy of remark, that a few days after the insurrection, boats full of armed Chinese arrived from Sambas to inquire whether Sarawak were not now in the hands of their countrymen, and were proceeding up to join them, but were easily driven back and destroyed by the Malays, who, in a cause which they have at heart, are more than a match for treble their number of Chinese.

The Dutch authorities hearing of the rebellion in Sarawak sent round a steamer with a party of soldiers to the assistance of the authorities, but fortunately by that time all danger was passed, and as soon as possible after the receipt of the news, Sir William Hoste, who has always shown so intelligent an interest in Bornean affairs, sailed for Sarawak in H. M. S. _Spartan_.

The news of the insurrection reached me after a very long delay, as the first intimation I had of it was through a letter from Mr. Ruppell, dated Singapore, as he had left Sarawak after the failure of the Sunday attack, and I was kept in suspense for above a week, when a more rapid sailing-vessel brought me the news that Sir James Brooke had triumphed.

I went down to Sarawak by the first opportunity, and reached it in July, to find everything proceeding apparently as if no insurrection had occurred. Though the Malay town had been burnt down, yet the inhabitants had soon recovered their energy, and had built their houses again, which, though not so substantial as the former ones, still looked very neat. Some things were missed in the landscape, and the handsome government house with its magnificent library, had disappeared; Mr. Crookshank’s and Mr. Middleton’s houses were also gone, and, with the exception of the rajah, they were the principal sufferers, as the Chinese had had no time to destroy either the church or the mission-house, or the Borneo company’s premises, and although they all suffered losses from pilferers, yet they were comparatively trivial, when placed in comparison to that noble library, which was once the pride of Sarawak.

I found, as I had expected, that the loss of worldly goods had had little effect on the ruler of the country, who was as cheerful and contented in his little comfortless cottage, as he had ever been in the government house. His health, which before was not strong, had been wonderfully improved by his great exertions to endeavour to restore the country to its former state, and I never saw him more full of bodily energy and mental vigour than during the two months I spent at Sarawak in 1857. Everybody took their tone from their leader, and there were no useless regrets over losses, and it was amusing to hear the congratulations of the Malay chiefs, “Ah, Mr. St. John, you were born under a fortunate star to leave Sarawak just before the evil days came upon us.” Then they would laughingly recount the personal incidents which had occurred to themselves, and tell with great amusement the shifts they were put to for want of every household necessary. There was a cheerfulness and a hope in the future which promised well for the country.

There is at the present time a branch of the Tien Ti Hué, established in our colony of Labuan, and last August its meeting-house was discovered in the depths of the forest, but none of its members were caught unlawfully assembling, though all its chief officers are well known to the police, and as Labuan is a penal settlement for Chinese convicts, the evil of permitting the secret societies to continue is obvious.

The danger to be apprehended from the secret societies is that all the members are banded together by the most solemn oaths, and under the penalty of death, not to divulge one of its secrets, and to aid and assist its members under every circumstance; to bear no witness against them, whatever may be their crimes, to shield fugitives from the laws of the country, and lastly to carry out the orders of their chiefs, whatever may be the consequences. In Singapore murdered men were formerly often found with the mark of the secret societies upon them, and the ordinary operations of the law are insufficient to meet these cases. In fact, when any of their members are brought to trial, the wealth of these great societies is sufficient to enable them to engage the services of the best advocates, and to bribe most of the witnesses, and the Singapore government has been thwarted in its efforts to put down the secret societies, and to prevent pirate junks arming in the harbours, by the technicalities of judges totally unacquainted with the condition of eastern society, and by the perseverance of some of the lawyers there, who consider it right to defend those curses to the country by every means which are placed within their reach, by laws intended to meet the requirements of a highly civilized people like the English, and not a wild gathering from a hundred different countries, such as is to be found in Singapore.

Not to interrupt the narrative, I have not before noticed that during the height of the insurrection, when the rebels had only been driven from the town a few days, news came that several hundred Chinese fugitives from the Dutch territories had crossed the borders towards the sources of the left-hand branch of the Sarawak, and were seeking the protection of the Sarawak government. Though harassed by incessant work, the rajah did not neglect their appeal, but immediately despatched trustworthy men, who safely piloted them through the excited Dayaks, who thought that every man who “wore a tail” ought now to be put to death. No incident could better illustrate the great influence possessed by the rajah over the Dayaks and Malays, and his thoughtful care of the true interests of the country, during even the most trying circumstances.

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