Indian Antiquary Vol 49

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 121

JULY, 1980)
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN BEAS
117
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS, 1519 TO 1851.
BY 8. CHARLES HILL. (Continued from p. 101.)
XXVIII. WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF BORNEO PIRATES, 1849. The piratical inhabitants of Borneo were of two classes, the Dayaks, whose object was chiefly to secure human heads as trophies, and the Malays, whose object was plunder and also to take as many prisoners as they could to sell as slaves. In 1839-41 the celebrated Rajah Brooke established himself at Sardwak in Borneo, and set about suppressing piracy not only amongst his own subjects, but also amongst his neighbours. After some mistaken opposition, he received the support of the British Government, and the following lotter to the Illustrated London News narrates the destruction of a large fleet of piratical prahua on their return from one of their raids. The affair was characteristically desoribed in Parliament as a massacre of practically unarmed men, against whom there was no proof of piracy-much as if one were to call it murder to shoot a tiger when, after having gorged itself on its prey, it was seen slinking back to its lair.
To the Editor of the Illustrated London News. I send you the following account of an expedition against the pirates of the northwestern coast of Borneo.
"Arrangements were made that H. M. S. Maeander,guns, Albatross, 12 guns, and Royalist, 10 guns, together with the H. E. I. C. war-steamers Nemesis (Captain T. Wallace] and Semiramis, should rendezvous at Sarawak, and furnish boats and an European force of 300 men.
"The Maeander and Semiramis however did pot arrive, and the effective force of the Royalist and Nemesis were so reduced by illness, that we could only muster 7 boats, manned by 108 men, including officers.
"All arrangeinents being completed, it was considered better to proceed, even with this reduoed force, than (by waiting longer) to run the risk of being overtaktoni by the rainy HOMSON. Accordingly wo startod on the 24th July to attack the strongholds of the nirate on the River Rojang," who had been very daring of late. I may mention here that, shortly before we left Sarawak, the pirates of the River Serobus 18 sent an insulting menago to the Rajah, Sir James Brooke, asking if he were an old woman and afraid, that he did not attack them who had throatened.' It will be seen in the sequel that this morago is not likely to be repeated. The Nemen's towed the Royalist up the Batang Lapar, noble stream, and moored her at the mouth of the Linga, which falls into the Batang Lapar, "' to proteot.friendly tribe rosidont there, during the abeence of the warriors, who accompanied won the expedition.
"Wo lett Batang Laper on the 20th Jaly 1849 and towed the European bosta to Banting Marron, a low mady point nopeating the Rivera Serebus and Kaluka, [all in Data Bay) and which had been appointed by the Rajah us the place of rendezvous for the entire force, Earopean and native, previous to starting for the River Rejang.
+ Bar Riwie, to the mouth of Refung Bires, tonto Datu Bay En. + The Boteng Lupar sad Iles, tub e ,
DowBay-ED.