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Captain Bethune and myself, with Commander Fanshawe and a party of Cruisers, returned from a five days' excursion among the Dyaks, having visited the Suntah, Stang, Sigo, and Sanpro tribes. It was a progress; at each tribe there was dancing, and a number of ceremonies.
"Suntah has been for a long time under the government of Seriff Sahib of Sadong, and through his paternal charge has dwindled away from four hundred to fifty or sixty families. The women I did not get; but I heard that the communication frightened him: for, of course, they deem I am backed by all the power of my country.
I will say nothing of my works at Suntah, except that they run away with my money, are badly conducted by my Chinese hadji, and, above all, that I have great reason to suspect the integrity and steadiness of this said hadji.
A meeting of prahus, and fight. Seriff Sahib's treatment of the Suntah Dyaks. Expedition against the Singè. Their invasion of the Sigos, and taking heads. The triumph over these trophies. Arms and modes of war. Hot and cold council-houses. Ceremonies in the installation of the Orang Kaya Steer Rajah. Meeting of various Dyak tribes. Hostile plans of Seriff Sahib, and their issue.
The Suntah Dyaks were and are alarmed to a pitiable degree; for they fear Seriff Sahib with good reason; and yet my being on the spot gave them no option of evading my demand. The Dyaks remain unsettled; but I am now in hopes of bringing them to the interior of the Quop, which is further within our own territory.
I have already mentioned his attack upon my Dyaks of Sanpro, and the second dispute about the Suntah Dyaks; in the first of these he came off with impunity; in the second I met him with success, and out-manoeuvered him, and wrested the Dyaks from him.
Shortly after the transactions at Suntah, a boat of Sakarran Dyaks came to Sarawak nominally to trade, but in reality to tamper with the fidelity of the Datus and others. They proposed to the Tumangong to join Seriff Sahib, stating that they were sent by him to try all the people here.
After a couple of hours' wandering, the latter part in a heavy storm of rain, we reached the boats; and I thence ascended to Suntah, where we were all glad to house ourselves, as the deluge continued. "27th.
"The Dyaks of the interior are improving and content, and gaining courage daily to complain of any wrong that may be offered them. "The tribes that continue unsettled are the Suntah and Singè: the affairs of the latter I will mention hereafter.
A small rill from the plenteous river would cheer this distant misery, and bestow the blessing of fertility on the now barren soil of these poor Dyaks. Oh, that I had the brass to beg to draw out a piteous tale so as to touch the heart!" Ascent of the left-hand river to the Stabad. Remarkable cave in the Tubbang. Diamond works at Suntah. Return. Infested by Dyak pirates.
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