igent, but apparently little
inclined to business. His disposition I formed the highest estimate
of, not only from his kindness to myself, but from the testimony of
many witnesses, all of whom spoke of him with affection, and gave him
the character of a mild and gentle master. Muda Hassim's own brother,
Muda Mahammed, is a reserved and sulky man, but they spoke well of him;
and the rajah said he was a good man, but given to fits of sulkiness.

"Der Macota, unlike other Malays, neither smokes tobacco nor chews
sirih. He sought our society, and was the first person who spoke to
me on the subject of the trade. His education has been more attended
to than that of others of his rank. He both reads and writes his own
language, and is well acquainted with the government, laws, and customs
of Borneo. From him I derived much information on the subject of the
Dyaks, and the geography of the interior; and if I have failed to put
it down, it is because I have not departed from my general rule of
never giving any native statements unless they go far to verify my
own actual observations. I parted from the rajah with regret, some
six or seven miles down the river. Never was such a blazing as when
we left Sarawak; twenty-one guns I fired to the rajah, and he fired
forty-two to me--at least we counted twenty-four, and they went on
firing afterward, as long as ever we were in sight. The last words
the Rajah Muda Hassim said, as I took my leave, were--'Tuan Brooke,
do not forget me.'

"Among the curiosities in my possession are spears, swords, and
shields, from various tribes; a coat of mail, made to the northward of
Borneo, and worn by the pirates; specimens of Sakarran Dyak manufacture
of cloth, and Sarebus ditto; ornaments and implements of the Sibnowans;
and, last not least, a gold-handled kris, presented me by the rajah,
which formerly belonged to his father, and which he constantly wore
himself. I likewise presented him with a small English dagger, with
a mother-of-pearl handle; and my favor was so high with him, that he
used always to wear my gift, and I, to return the compliment, wore his.

"The climate of Sarawak is good, and is seldom hot: the last eight or
ten days were oppressive, but until then we could sleep with a blanket,
and seldom found it too warm in the day. Rain at this season falls
in great quantities; and from imprudence, our crew suffered on their
first arrival from colds and rheumatism; but getting more careful,