rong tide running, he was
a good while in the water, though a native went after him. He had,
for some time past, been in bad health; but the cold he then caught
brought on inflammation in the lungs, under the effects of which he
sank soon after our return to Singapore. Poor Simpson! he was not
only clever in his profession, but endeared to us all by his kind
and gentle manner, so grateful to the sick. There were few of us,
while in China, who had not come under his hands, and experienced
his tender, soothing, and unremitting attention.

We now gave our native followers permission to depart to their
respective homes, which they did loaded with _plunder_, usually, in
India, called _loot_; ourselves getting under weigh to rejoin the Dido
off the Island of Burong, and from thence we proceeded to the mouth
of the Morotaba, where, leaving the ship, Mr. Brooke and I went in
my boat, with two others in attendance, to take leave of the rajah,
prior to my return to Singapore and China. Although the greater part
of the native boats attached to the expedition had already arrived at
Sarawak, the rajah had sent them back, some miles down the river, with
as many others as he could collect, gorgeously dressed out with flags,
to meet Mr. Brooke and myself, the heroes of the grandest expedition
that had ever been known in the annals of Malayan history. Our
approach to the grand city was, to them, most triumphant, although
to us a nuisance. From the moment we entered the last reach, the
saluting from every gun in the capital that could be fired without
bursting was incessant; and as we neared the royal residence, the
yells, meant for cheers, and the beating of gongs, intended to be a
sort of "See, the conquering hero comes!" were quite deafening. The
most minute particulars of our deeds, of course greatly exaggerated,
had been detailed, long before our arrival, by the native chiefs, who
were eye-witnesses; and when we were seated in the rajah's presence,
the royal countenance relaxed into a smile of real pleasure as he
turned his wondering eyes from Mr. Brooke to myself and back again. I
suppose he thought a great deal of us, as he said little or nothing;
and, as we were rather hungry after our pull, we were very glad to
get away once more to Mr. Brooke's hospitable board, to which we did
ample justice.

My stay at Sarawak was but of short duration, as, before I had time to
carry out the arrangements I had made to put down this horrid t