CO882-(1-2) — Page 3606

ere given to take prisoners, and no acts of inhu- manity came under his observation.

Much stress having been laid upon the number of pirates killed upon this occasion, it may be as well to insert the following extract from Sir Chris- topher Rawlinson's certificate, which bears more immediately upon this point.

Sir Christopher says:

And I do further certify that the number of piratical persons killed on the said occasion by the said armed force was 500, and that the aggregate number of the piratical men forming the crews of the said 88 piratical prahus who were alive on board the said 88 piratical prahus at the beginning of the attack thereof, but who were not taken or killed, could not have been less than 2,140. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the said Court to be affixed in Singapore aforesaid, this 8th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1849.

Parliamentary Paper, April 1850.

Page 9.

The expedition subsequently proceeded against Parliamentary Paper, No. 122,

March 8, 1850. Page 8. the town of Karangan Pingau in the Paku, which it destroyed, punished the Serebas and Sakarran people residing in the Kenawit branch of that river, and, preference to more violent measures, fined the Kenawit tribe to the amount of 150%. for being in direct communication with the pirates.

If additional testimony had been required in reference to the depredations of these piratica! hordes it was now supplied from information col- lected from the prisoners; from them it was ascer- tained that the pirates with a force of 100 to 120 prahus had attacked the towns of Palo and Mato, had captured two trading vessels, and were return- ing home, when destroyed by Captain Farquhar's flotilla.

It would be but just to mention that among the Malays and Dyaks a general good feeling prevailed, and a strong disposition was shown 'to do everything in their power to suppress 'the piratical tribes from whose depredations they had so long suffered.

The blow having been thus summarily struck, Sir James Brooke's attention was naturally di- rected to the future, and in this he seems to have acted with prudence, clemency, and conciliation.

In pursuance of an established custom that had always been found to have a beneficial effect, and which was calculated to introduce a humane system of warfare, rewards were paid to the

Parliamentary Paper, August 15, 1860.