WCP3791

[1]

Paninjauh [sic]¹

27^th Jan^y to 7th Feb 1856

My dear Brooke

Our communication is so completely dislocated that we are daily expecting the arrival of two mails by one or other of three vessels each one of which has been gone a month from this. En attendant I am willing to write you a peaceful letter from the Hill where with the two S^t Johns² and Wallace,³ I [2] am passing a few days. I have little to tell you but that little is satisfactory — Imprimis the Serekei people⁴ have been here, promising fair, and not willing to abandon our government for Sheriff Masahor⁵ — I pointed out to them the objects which I have had all along in view and the way they had been thwarted by the deception practiced by the Sheriff and the underhand dealings of the community for the sake of profit with the Dyaks — there will be [3] no difficulty now in creating[?] a Fort at Sakarran Serekei, and the people being no longer able to communicate secretly with the Dyaks or to trade with them Sub rosa, with the understanding that they are to wink at their small peccadillos in the head taking line — the Rajang⁶ will be rendered secure. It will no doubt increase our expenses at least 100 dollars p^r month, but if matters go right at home, this expense will not affect us and if wrong, there will be the [4] option between retrenchments and the repetition of the same measure at Sarebas [Saribas] which by completing our line of posts might place us in a position to bag[?] a revenue sufficient to defray the expenses of government — We will think of this in due time but this fact as stated might be urged as showing the mischief produced by the conduct of the B^sh. [British] Government — Damn them for a base faint hearted crew — There is nothing else to tell you of — Old Tumongong and Tuanku Moksain [5] have had severe illnesses — but both are well as is little Mab⁷ who was attacked with fever which caused her parents to great anxiety. Wallace leaves us soon — he is a pleasing and intellectual companion whom I shall be sorry to lose — St John junior has wonderfully improved on Sarawak air and our Bishops⁸ treatments — I think I told you in my last that the Bishop had been installed into the See of Sarawak under the authority of this government — I shall send Templer⁹ the Letters patent as they would be called in England. — Here we may call it the authorisation as we must not do any thing [6] because others do it or call silly names because it is so at home — Now to mention to you some things which I think you can usefully do during your stay in England which would be advantageous or might be so — Only however that it should not be done as a duty but a pleasure and by making these enquiries personally you would be able in future to order the things you want yourself and from[?] the proper persons —

First then inquire about a paddy cleaner or rice mill — [7] for such a machine as utilised at Sakarran would prove of great advantage to the possessor and to the community generally —

2 — Is to inspect agricultural instruments of the simpler sort such as good spades, rakes, clay diggers (of modern invention), draining tools — particularly spades — d^o. tiles — I have a draining mania — iron fencing &c &c — all these things in prosperity[?] would be needed for the model farm which I have in my minds eye — Then in addition to these are absolute wants of more to be added to your list, but which need not be purchased til [sic] you are leaving — 1^st a saddle & bridle for Baby from Penty[?]¹⁰ [8] or Slatery[?] and 2^nd a good hone and razor strop. You are fond of poking about in odd places and your Father will be delighted to keep you company — There is one other want, buy a chess board from 22 to 24 inches square and chess men of box wood to match — Stauntons¹¹ men — I have been thinking of mentioning these things for a long time and so I have discharged any budget —

1st Feb^y — Sarawak

I have now to acknowledge your letter of November [9] written aboard the Steamer and dated November. I rejoiced to hear you were both well. There is no news from home I need dwell upon — Do all you can to evince our sense of Mons^r Philerete Chasles¹² compliments and strengthen our hands in France without hesitation in any way you think best.

I have written to M^r Booty¹³ apprizing him that the arrangement is complete for the payment into his hands of £1000 per ann[um] — and desiring him to let you have the portion of that sum you may require for your expenses whilst at home — at the same time [10] I have sent him a bill for Smith, Elders,¹⁴ for payment but let him know if you have paid any account from them. I will do what you wish with the letter of approval of your forming a matrimonial connexion — I have more fears of you marrying a rich than a poor woman — and our affairs are far too unsettled and our position too undefined for any graduate[?] parent to seek the alliance — Should the Gov^t concede the question, now at issue, or should we best[?] them upon it, it will close[?] the aspect of things.

[11] What made you say that Charlie Grants¹⁵ father and mother will find him much altered by his two years sojourn in Lundu¹⁶ this last time? From the tone of Grants letters I still hope to have Charlie out again and he would be very useful.

I want to add few new arrangements for our papers and magazines — Instead of the Times let us have the Da Evening Mail via Marseilles to the latest date — and from Lackington [sic]¹⁷send us Times's via Marseilles for the 1^st to the 9^th of each month — Earlier dates [12] are of no use — Then further dis-continue "Fraser" & "Household Words" and substitute the "Press" and the "Chess Chronicle", above all let us have "Home News" sent regularly and over and above I want Staunton's "Chess Players' Hand book" (latest edition) to be sent in the monthly parcel. [1 or 2 words illeg.] may bring me my Chess men & Board or they may come overland as I am chess mad — (N.B. I find I misread your letter about Charlie Grant — it was not "much altered" but "not much the worse["]). I send you the Bishop's reply to your query about Boy[?] &c[?] — Should they think of coming no arrangements could be more agreeable to me [13] as you may apprise them — The Bishop however is right in giving Chambers's¹⁸ claim the precedence — I would say more did I think the projects likely. Young Nicholetts¹⁹ has arrived safe and well — a fine young fellow swelling visibly into a large man at the expense of his clothes. I like much what I have seen of him and he likewise takes to the place — McKintosh²⁰ gets on very well, and is a steady trustworthy hand — he has had charge of Crymble's²¹ office for a week while he was away at Santobong — Crymble is being steady and I believe really improving — The two Channons^{22, 23} are better — both having been ailing — and are gone to the hill for change — Steele²⁴ is here — I shall [14] keep [him?] and Haji Wahit in charge of the two forts turn and turn about. Pangeran Matusen [Pangiran Matusin]²⁵is a quiet, good man [in] spite of his having murdered such[?] a number of persons directly & indirectly in the heat of his fury, and his connexion with the Kayans is drawing them towards ourselves — I am now trying to induce Kam[?] Nipa²⁶ to lay aside his restrictions[?] on[?] trade from the interior. Charley was quite well a few days since.

The L C C^{y 27}new steamer "Labuan" ran into and sank the Bark [Barque] Zarah of 400 tons and is now in the hands of the Sheriff [Sherif] pending the decision of the claim [15] against her for 41,000 dollars — these men poison every thing they touch. The news of the Patingis [Patinggi's]²⁸ death has been reported from Mecca but is not absolutely confirmed — His relations take it very coolly and the general feeling in the country is of satisfaction. S^t. John particularly wishes for a few numbers of the National Review and if Madame Pfifer['s] [sic]²⁹ work is worth reading send it to us.

5th Feb^y 1856 — I have been thinking about the letter you wish me to write and there is no doubt that such a letter would be more definite and carry greater weight when the position was fixed one way or the other — I will not however delay it but write you a second should I think it advisable — You must not forget my old schoolfellow the Archdeacon of Lindisfarne³⁰ and Miss B.³¹ will be a charming wife — that is if you love [16] her — One great recommendation is that she is poor —

The Sarebas [Saribas]³² negotiation will end in a rupture as it is certain that[?] [1 illeg. word] — Saji, Api [Apai] Dendang, &c are supporting Rentap³³ — they are plying us with professors and I have no wish to precipitate affairs as time is more valuable to us than to them — Japper [sic]³⁴went to Sarebas and Rentap stated that Jambu[?] had fired at his house three times pending the negotiation about which he might wished to enquire[?][.] I shall merely repeat my old demand i[.]e. that he returns Gopins[?]³⁵ property and raise the fine from eight to three times eight tajaus.³⁶ By the Bye I am at a loss to know what arrangement you made with M^r [?] Manley[?]³⁷ — there is no record of it and he is not very clear on the subject — In the mean time there is no check whatever to his use of medicine and no returns from him for the expenditure for his private practice — It is a dead failure — he is a needy[?] and grasping man and his medical ability is of the lowest. I have nothing to add but loves [sic] to the dear party[?].

[17] 7^th. Feb^y —

I may just sketch to you the measures I propose on the Sarebas side — News came by Nakodah [Nakoda]³⁸ Ibrahim from Lipat³⁹ that they (the Sarebas) had been mengayan anak⁴⁰ to Sapang[?] — The Kembas Dyaks all wish to leave their country and take up new ground in the Kalaka above Lipat — the Bandar⁴¹ of Sarebas proposes moving there too — this is good and to be encouraged. I shall insist upon the Lyar and Paddy [Padi] Dyaks⁴²declaring whether they are for us or against us — the good and the best[?] to be taxing[?] Rentap or making him pay the fine of eight times eight Tajaus — Those who accede must be further tested by removing them below Paddy or to Kalaka — the rest to be [18] treated as enemies.

Our last moment for the mail has come. May God have you all in his keeping. — Adieu and ever

Your affec[tiona]t^e friend & uncle | J Brooke [signature]

Captain Brooke Brooke