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11S
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1920
"On the 27th an old Malay chieftain brought us intelligence that a piratical fleet of 107 prahus, with at least 3,500 men, had left the Serebus the day before our arrival, passing round Tanjong Siri 80 to attack and plunder such villages on the Rejang as were not powerful enough to resist them. The piratical tribes [Dayaks) reside for the most part very far inland, near the sources of the numerous rivers of this coast, in which situations the streams are very contracted and rapid and the banks elevated and heavily timbered. They take advantage of these circumstances and render the advance of an enemy almost impossible by felling huge trees across the river and by cutting others and keeping them suspended by rattans, so that they can be launched in a moment on a passing boat, crushing her to atoms. On any alarm at sea they immediately retreat to some of these strongholds and sink or otherwise conceal their prahus in some of the innumerable creeks with which the rivers abound. All attempts therefore at intercepting a piratical fleet have hitherto failed. Their practice is to make a raid, and pouncing on some unsuspecting village (as the Malays poetically express it) like the rush of the alligator, to burn it, killing all the men and boys and cutting their heads off (which they value beyond price as trophies) and carrying off the women
s slaves. They then, whether successful or unsuccessful, return as speedily and quietly Be they issued forth, having plundered any native trading prahu they fall in with and murdered the crew. Advantage was therefore taken of the unusually favourable opportunity now offered, and a plan was immediately laid by Captain Farquhar of H. M. S. Albatross, who commanded the expedition, and the Rajah (Sir James Brooke) for surprising and cutting them off on their return. The Serebus and Kaluka, the only avenues to the country of the pirates, flow into a deep bay (Datu Bay), round the north-east point of which, called Tanjong Siri, the piratical flotilla must return. The following disposition therefore was made of the force under Captain Farquhar's orders. Very fast spy or scout boats were stationed at Tanjong Siri with instructions to return on the first appearance of the enemy and announce their approach.
"The Rajah with a native force of about forty well-armed prahus, including the Singa Rajah, pulling eighty Oars, commanded by Sir James Brooke in person, and the Rajah Walli, pulling sixty oars, commanded by the Rajah's nephew and acknowledged successor, Captain Brooke of the 88th Regiment (Connaught Rangers) (afterwards. Rajah Sir Charles Johnson Brooke,) as well as the cutters of the Albatross and Royalist, commanded by Lieutenants Wilmshurst and Everest, were stationed in ambush at the mouth of the Kaluka. A large native force of about forty prahus was stationed at the entrance of the Serebus. supportod by the three remaining boats of the Albatross commanded respectively by Captain Farquhar, Lieutenant Brickwell and Mr. Williams, and the two boats of the Nemesis. under Messrs. Goodwin and Baker : as well as the Rance, a very inefficient river steamer, commanded by Mr. Wright.
"Trying as it was to the patience of all parties, we remained in position until the 31st, during which interval every precaution human foresight could suggest was adopted to secure success. About 71 p.m. we were engaged in a rubber of whist on board the Nemesis and had almost abandoned all hope of surprising the enemy, when a spy-boat returned at beat speed. with the long and anxiously looked for intelligence that the piratical fleet had rounded Tanjong Siri and was rapidly approaching our position. As yet it was of course uncertain for which river they would make. This question was however soon set at rest
80 Tanjong (Cape) Sirik, at the mouth of the River Rejang.-ED.
