a slight
eminence on the right bank of a river; a few swivels and a gun or two
were in it, and around it a breast-work of wood, six or seven feet high.
The remaining defences were even more insignificant; and the enemy's
artillery was reported to consist of three six-pounders, and numerous
swivels. The number of fighting men amounted to about five hundred,
about half of whom were armed with muskets, while the rest carried
swords and spears. _Ranjows_ were stuck in every direction. "These
ranjows are made of bamboo, pointed fine, and stuck in the ground; and
there are, besides, holes of about three feet deep filled with these
spikes, and afterwards lightly covered, which are called patobong." The
army of the rajah was scarcely more formidable than that of the enemy.
It consisted of two hundred Chinese, excellent workmen and bad soldiers,
two hundred and fifty Malays, and some two hundred friendly Dyaks; a few
brass guns composed the artillery; and the boats were furnished with
swivels. Mr Brooke suggested an attack of the detached defences--a
proposition that was treated as that of a madman, the Rajah's army
having no notion of fighting except from behind a wall. A council of war
decided that advances should be made from the hill behind the rajah's
fort to Balidah by a chain of posts, the distance being a short mile, in
which space the enemy would probably erect four or five forts; "and
then," says Mr Brooke, "would come a bombardment, noisy, but harmless."

Insignificant as the account may read, the difficulties of Mr Brooke, as
commander-in-chief, were formidable enough, surrounded as he was by
perils threatening not only from the enemy, but from the rank cowardice
of his supporters, and the envy, spite, hatred, and machinations of his
allies, the Rajah's ministers. The operations are admirably described in
Mr Brooke's journal. Let it suffice to say, that the energy and bravery
of the English leader brought them to a satisfactory issue, and,
finally, the war to a happy close. At his intercession the lives of many
of the offenders were spared, and the rebels suffered to deliver up
their arms, and to return in peace to Sar[=a]wak.

It is now necessary to state, that at the commencement of the war, Muda
Hassim, unsolicited by Mr Brooke, had undertaken to confer upon the
latter the governorship of Sar[=a]wak, in the event of success crowning
the efforts of his "friend from England." Mr Brooke had not demanded
from the unf