hon steamer, for this
city. At Singapore I had several interviews with Sir Thomas Cochrane.

"_22d._--On the authority of Sulerman, an intelligent Meri man, I am
told that the tree below the town is the real upas, called by the
Meri men _tajim_--the Borneons call it _upas_. _Bina_ (the name we
formerly got from a Borneon for upas) is, by Sulerman's statement,
a thin creeper, the root or stem of which, being steeped in water,
is added to the upas, to increase the poisonous quality; it is not,
however, poisonous in itself. There is another creeper, likewise called
bina, the leaves of which are steeped and mixed with the upas, instead
of the stem of the first sort. This information may be relied on (in
the absence of personal knowledge), as the man is of a tribe which uses
the sumpitan, and is constantly in the habit of preparing the poison.

"_August 8th._--Off Ujong Sapo, at the entrance of Borneo river. The
time since I last added to my most desultory journal is easily
accounted for. I have been at Singapore and Malacca, and am now
anchored off Borneo Proper, with seven vessels, and an eighth is
hourly expected. It is difficult, with such a force, to be moderate;
and, with Sir Thomas Cochrane's other duties and engagements, it is
probably impossible to devote any length of time on this coast; yet
moderation and time are the key-stones of our policy. I have settled
all the ceremonial for a meeting between the sultan and the admiral.

"The Pangeran Budrudeen came on board H.M.S. Agincourt, with every
circumstance of state and ceremony, and met the admiral, I acting
as interpreter. It was pleasing to witness his demeanor and bearing,
which proved that, in minds of a certain quality, the power of command,
though over savages, gives ease and freedom. The ship, the band,
the marines, the guns, all excited Budrudeen's attention. On the 9th,
it is arranged that the admiral shall meet the sultan and the rajah.

"_9th._--In the course of the day, after the audience had terminated,
the admiral made his demand of reparation on the sultan and Muda
Hassim for the detention and confinement of two British subjects
subsequent to their agreement with the British government. Of course,
the sultan and the rajah replied that they were not in fault; that
the act was Pangeran Usop's, and that he was too powerful for them
to control by force. If Sir Thomas Cochrane would punish him, they
should be much obliged, as they desired to keep the t