n; and in a few days (ten
days) witnessed such scenes of cowardice, treachery, intrigue, and
lukewarmness among his followers, such a determination not to take
advice or to pursue any active measures, that I left them and returned
to my vessel. The Chinese I do not include in this representation;
they were true and willing, but wretchedly armed, and very justly
refused to be thrust forward into posts of danger, which the Malays
in their own country would not share. On my return to the vessel, I
frankly stated how useless my presence was among men who would not do
any thing I desired, yet would do nothing for themselves; and, under
the circumstances, I intimated my intention of sailing. Here, again,
I was pressed with the same entreaties; every topic was exhausted
to excite my compassion, every aid was at my disposal; and lastly,
if I would stay, and we were successful, the country was offered to
me. The only inquiry was, whether the rajah had the right and authority
to make over the country to me, and this I was assured he had. The
government, the revenue (with slight deductions for the sultan), and
one of his brothers to reside here in order to insure the obedience
of the Malays, were all comprehended in this cession, freely and
without condition. I might, at this point of the negotiation, have
insured _the title_ to the government as far as a written agreement
could give it; but for two sufficient reasons I declined all treaty
upon the subject until the war was over. The first of these reasons
was, that it would have been highly ungenerous to take advantage of
a man's distress to tie him down to any agreement which, in other
circumstances, he might not be willing to adopt; and by acting thus
ungenerously, it would be tempting the rajah to deceive me when the
treaty came to be ratified. The second reason was equally cogent; for
a mere barren bond, which I had no means to enforce, was worse than
useless, and no man would be nearer possession by merely holding a
written promise. I may add, likewise, that I saw so many difficulties
in the way of the undertaking, that I was by no means over-anxious to
close with it; and, previously to accepting and entering on so bold
a project, I was desirous thoroughly to be assured of the good faith
of the promiser. To the Rajah Muda Hassim's proposal I, therefore,
replied, that I could not accept it while the war was pending, as I
considered it wrong to take any advantage of his present