CO882-(1-2) — Page 360

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Captain Keppel himself described these pirates as daily committing horrors disgraceful to humanity," Parliamentary Paper, 1851.

Page 5. and represented that two of their chiefs (Sheriff Satube and Mulak) had "fortified a strong position, in which they were prepared to resist any European force that should endeavour to control their actions, and from which they had incessantly harassed the entire coast."

Page 10.

Not less strong was the evidence borne by Colonel Butterworth, the Governor of Prince of Wales' Island, who, in his letters to Captain Keppel and Commander Scott, of 11th and 13th September, 1844, stated that "the cruelties of these pirates Parliamentary Paper, 1851. formed the subject of complaint from every native trader, and were prominently set forth in all notices of the Malayan Archipelago; that they were universally allowed to be the enemies of all nations ;" and "that they had been the scourge of the seas for years past, and their courage and cruelties pro- verbial." And, further, in his despatch to the Secretary to the Government of India, Colonel But- terworth remarked (in reference to Captain Keppel's operations), that there was no lack of means or inclination to offer opposition on their part;" that they were "the most desperate set of pirates in the Malayan Archipelago, and were commanded by their chieftains at the very threshold of their homes."

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Successful as Captain Keppel's operations were, the impression they made lasted for no long period. In 1846 the depredations of the pirates at sea became more frequent; and in the following year, upon the departure of Sir James Brooke for England,

Parliamentary Paper, 1851.

Page 11.

Page 4.

they "once more threw off all restraint, devastated Parliamentary Paper, April 1830.

Page 1. the coast, and incessantly harassed the trade, with great loss of life."

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Sir James Brooke, upon his return to Borneo in 1848, thus describes to Lord Palmerston the then existing state of piracy in the immediate vicinity of Sarawak :-

"The Serebas and Sakarran pirates, emboldened by the length of time which has elapsed since the attack made upon them by Captain the Honourable Henry Keppel, have once more left their rivers in formidable force, and have for two months past devastated the coast for upwards of 100 miles: numerous prahus have been captured at sea, several the boats plundered and the crews murdered, villages have been attacked and taken, and the lowest

Parliamentary Paper, No. 122; March 8, 1850. Page 6.

Parliamentary Paper, No. 122, March 8, 1850. Page 10.

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computation, from 300 to 400 persons have been massacred by these ferocious marauders, within this short period. It may

afford your Lordship some idea of the formidable nature of their force, when I state that only five days ago, they were at sea with from 100 to 130 prahus, most cer- tainly average 35 men to each prahu,

This fleet captured four prahus, dashed up the peaceful river of Sadong, and after slaughtering 70 of the inhabit-

ants, returned to their own river of Serebas, and we have not yet learned the mischief they have done on their way

back."

Experience had now shown, that all hope of obtaining an object due to humanity, by peaceful instead of warlike means, was at an end. Sir James Brooke therefore determined (previously warning the several chiefs residing in the vicinity against any connivance with the pirates) to proceed at once to the Serebas River, where, for the moment, and until assisted by a larger naval force, his efforts were directed to keep in check their lawless pur- Buits.

Her Majesty's ships “Albatross" and "Royalist," and the East India Company's steamer "Nemesis," under the command of Captain Farquhar, joined Sir James Brooke on the 27th July, 1849, and with this reinforcement steps were devised to inter- cept upon its return, and to destroy a piratical fleet that had left the Serebas River on that day.

The attack came off on the evening of the 31st July, when, out of an estimated number of not less than 110 prahus, manned by 3,500 men (the Parliamentary Paper, April 1850. numbers are given by Sir James Brooke, who saw

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the piratical fleet passing the mouth of the Kaluka River, which it took them half an hour to cross), between 80 and 90 prahus were captured, and at the lowest computation, from 300 to 400 pi- rates killed. Captain Farquhar estimated the loss to the pirates upon this occasion at 500 men, independent of probably an equal number that would have perished in the jungle. might indeed have been far more considerable, had Sir James Brooke deemed it advisable to cut off the fugitives the morning after the action; but his object being "to effect the suppression of piracy at the smallest possible sacrifice of human life," the Parliamentary Paper, April 1850. pursuit was stopped as soon as possible, directions

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Ditto, page 7.