ll flower, and growing to
the height of twenty or thirty feet. The nutmegs lay in plenty under
the trees, and are of considerable size, though elongated in shape,
and tasteless, as usual in the wild sorts. While the East India Company
were sending Captain Forest from their settlement of Balambangan as
far as New Guinea in search of this plant, how little they dreamed
of its flourishing so near them on the island of Borneo! The soil on
which they grow is a yellowish clay, mixed with vegetable mould. I
brought some of the fruit away with me. After breakfast, a breeze
springing up, we sailed to the mouth of the Sarawak river, waited
for the tide, and pushed on for the vessel, getting aboard about
half past three in the morning. Our Malay attendants were left far,
far behind, and there is little chance of their being here to-morrow,
for their boats sail wretchedly."

CHAPTER IV.

Renewed intercourse with the Rajah.--Prospects of
trade.--Ourang-outang, and other animals.--The two sorts of
mias.--Description of the Rajah, his suite, and Panglimas, &c.--The
character of the natives.--Leave Sarawak.--Songi Dyaks.--Visit
Seriff Sahib.--Buyat tongue.--Attack by pirates.--Sail for
Singapore.

Having returned to Sarawak, Mr. Brooke renewed his intercourse with
the rajah; and his Journal proceeds:

"_Sept. 9th._--Visited the rajah; civil and polite--I ought indeed to
say friendly and kind. Der Macota was on board, speaking on the trade,
and very anxious for me to arrange the subject with the rajah. I could
only say, that I would do so if the rajah wished, as I believed it
would be greatly for the benefit of their country and Singapore.

"_10th._--Laid up with my bad legs, and hardly able to crawl. Muda
Hassim presented us with another bullock, which we salted. At Lundu we
bought eight pigs, which arrived to-day in charge of Kalong, the young
Dyak. He is a fine fellow. I gave him a gun, powder-flask, powder,
&c. He was truly delighted. Our Pangerans arrived at the same time.

"_11th._--Very bad; got a novel, and read all day. Went ashore to
see Muda Hassim in the evening. He gave us a private audience: and we
finished our discussion respecting the trade, and I think successfully.

"I began by saying, that I as a private gentleman, unconnected with
commerce, could have no personal interest in what I was about to speak;
that the rajah must clearly understand that I was in no way connected
with t