e of ultimate improvement. The
country may have bad laws; but such laws as it has must be enforced,
gently and mildly as may be toward the superiors, but strictly toward
the guilty; and all crimes coming under my cognizance must meet
with their punishment. These remarks are preliminary to two cases,
in which the rajah's followers have been concerned.

"The first of these was a man stealing sago, which is stored without
the houses at the water's edge; he was convicted. The other occurred
some time since, but has only just been traced. A party at night
gutted a house, getting a booty of upward of 200 reals; the goods
have been discovered; but the three followers of the rajah have
absconded since the affair has been blown; whether to return or not
is uncertain. There can be no doubt, however, that they have been sent
away to keep clear of the consequences, by one of the rajah's brothers
named Abdul Khadir, who, when they were off, accused two accomplices,
people of the country!

"Another most shameful mode of exaction and tyranny is practiced
by these Borneo people, particularly their Nakodas. It consists in
lending small sums of money to the natives (that is, Sarawak people),
and demanding interest at the rate of fifty per cent per month; by this
means a small sum is quickly converted into one which is quite out
of the power of the poor man to pay; and he, his wife, and children,
are taken to the house of the creditor to work for him, while the debt
still accumulates, and the labor is endless. I intend to strike at
this slavery in disguise, but not just yet; the suppression of robbery,
the criminal department of justice, being more immediately important.

"_15th._--I may, in continuation of yesterday, mention another instance
in illustration of this oppressive system. Si Pata (a Siniawan), son
of the Tumangong, lost in gambling to Nakoda Ursat eighteen reals,
which in eighteen months has now arisen to a debt of 170 reals; but
all prospect of payment of such an accumulated sum being impossible
from a poor man, Nakoda Ursat consigns the debt to Pangeran Abdul
Khadir, who can demand it by fair means or by foul; and if Si Pata
cannot pay, make his father pay. Thus a gambling transaction is run
up to ten times its original amount, and a whole family involved in
distress by these iniquitous proceedings. Such things must not be;
and odious as they seem to a European, and indignant as they make
him, yet he must not proceed wit