the effect of threats. He repaired on board his yacht, loaded her guns
with grape and canister, and brought her broadside to bear upon the
Rajah's palace. Then taking a small, but well-armed guard, he sought an
interview with Muda Hassim. The terror of that functionary was extreme.
The native tribes openly sided with their English friend. The Chinese
residents remained obstinately neutral. The Malays, between cowardice
and treachery, afforded him no efficient support. To crown all, his
resolute and incensed ally had only to wave his hand to bring down upon
him swift destruction. "After this demonstration, things went cheerily
to a conclusion." Muda Hassim, finding that his creditor was inflexible,
and being unable or unwilling to pay for the goods which he had
fraudulently obtained, offered in payment of all debts to surrender the
government. The offer was accepted, the agreement drawn up, signed,
sealed, guns fired and flags waved, and on September 24, 1841, Mr.
Brooke became Rajah of Sarawak. In August of the following year the
Sultan solemnly confirmed the agreement.

The territory thus strangely passing into the hands of a private English
gentleman was a tract of country bordering upon the sea sixty miles, and
extending inland from seventy to eighty miles. Situated at the
northeastern extremity of Borneo, pierced by two small, but navigable
rivers, its position is most favorable for commerce. Its soil is deep
and rich, yielding under any proper culture large crops of all tropical
products. Its forests are filled with trees fit for shipbuilding, and
abound in that variety from which is obtained the gutta percha of
commerce. The hills are rich in iron and tin of the best quality. The
mountain streams wash down gold. In the beds of smaller rivers are found
diamonds, in such profusion that most of the Malays wear them set in
rings and other ornaments. From this single province comes nearly the
whole supply of antimony in the world. "I do not believe," says a