rom Borneo, I had assured them that
a government vessel would be sent to demand the captives; but, taking
this assurance for a mere boast, they paid little attention to it, and
were therefore excessively frightened when, a week after the Swift,
the Diana steamer entered the river. I had the pleasure of calming
their fears, and was too generous to push matters to a settlement
during the two days the steamer remained.

"Muda Hassim now expressed himself desirous of sending some Pangerans
to Borneo, and I wished him likewise to do so on account of the
reflective power of the steamer, which, in that case, would have
shone upon him. With his usual delay, however, he failed to be ready,
and these Pangerans did not quit the river for two days afterward,
when they proceeded in a native prahu. I accompanied the steamer to
the mouth of the river, and wishing them success, pulled back to the
capital of Sarawak.

"_Oct 30th._--The Swift was slowly laden with antimony ore, worked
by the Chinese; and I gradually robbed the Royalist of furniture for
my house on shore. But I had no intention of allowing either vessel
to sail until the time arrived which I had fixed on for the final
adjustment of my affairs. By degrees, however, I learned many of the
difficulties of poor Muda Hassim's situation, and much of the weakness
of his character. The dissensions in Borneo; the intrigues of Macota;
the rapacity of his own people, and their total want of fidelity;
the bribes from the Sultan of Sambas; the false representations of
numerous Borneo Pangerans who asserted the immense profit to be derived
from the country; the dilatory movements of the Chinese; some doubts
of my good faith; and, above all, the natural tenacity of power, all
conspired to involve the rajah in the utmost perplexity, and would,
but for counterbalancing circumstances, have turned the scale against
me. Muda Hassim knew Macota to be false and in league with the Sultan
of Sambas; and he felt that he had no power, and that if he broke with
me, it would be extremely difficult to support himself against the
former rebels. He was fond of me, and trusted me more than he trusted
any one else; and pecuniary considerations had no doubt some weight,
for with all Macota's promises he could not get sufficient ore to
repay one quarter of his debt to me. However, all these conflicting
considerations, instead of inducing Muda Hassim to take one course,
only served to encourage his dilator