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Updated: May 22, 2025
The following is a copy of the letter, to which was affixed the rajah's seal: "This friendly epistle, having its source in a pure mind, comes from Rajah Muda Hassim, next in succession to the royal throne of the kingdom of Borneo, and who now holds his court at the trading city of Sarawak, to our friend Henry Keppel, head captain of the war-frigate belonging to her Britannic Majesty, renowned throughout all countries who is valiant and discreet, and endowed with a mild and gentle nature: "This is to inform our friend that there are certain great pirates, of the people of Sarebus and Sakarran, in our neighborhood, seizing goods and murdering people on the high seas.
Ah me, how often in after life, in those successful days when the battle has been fought and won, when all seems outwardly to go well, how often is this reference made to the happy days in Keppel Street! It is not the prize that can make us happy; it is not even the winning of the prize, though for the one short half-hour of triumph that is pleasant enough.
The departure of the Dido left me sad and lonely, for Captain Keppel had been really my companion and friend; and he so thoroughly entered into my views for the suppression of piracy, and made them his own, that I may not expect any successor to act with the same vigour and the same decision. Gallant Didos! I would ask no further aid or protection than I received from you.
"That won't make no manner of difference. Why? Because it's a powerful drawback fo' a man to know he's in the wrong, just as it's a heap in yo' favor to know you're in the right." "My father's got a tickler; I seen it often," vouchsafed Henry. "It's a foot long, with a buck horn handle. Gee whiz! he keeps it keen; but he never uses it on no humans," said Keppel.
With his usual nerve and decision he withdrew his men from the forts, and sent to Seriff Sahib to inform him that he should suffer for his temerity. A letter I received from him is so characteristic, and gives so lively a description of these events, that I am tempted to print it. "Sarawak, 26th May, 1844. "My Dear Keppel,
One of the leaders of this expedition was Lieutenant Thomas Keppel, the brother of our favourite Captain Henry Keppel, and this circumstance gave it more interest to us; but T. Keppel has since left the service, and is now a Reverend, moored in a snug Creek, and has quite given over climbing up Peter-Bottes.
The character of lord Keppel, with persons not attached to any party, has usually been that of a man of much honesty and simplicity, without any remarkable abilities. It is a little extraordinary however, that, though forced by a combination of unfavourable circumstances into a public speaker, he is yet, even in that line, very far from contempt.
In short, to put it in the mildest terms, Lord Keppel was giving himself great airs, unworthy of his age, ungrateful to a degree, and ungraceful, as the cob said repeatedly; considering how he was fed, and bedded, and not a thing left undone for him. But his arrogance soon had to pay its own costs.
On Thursday, when I went to rehearse "Romeo and Juliet," I found that the unfortunate Mr. Keppel was, by general desire, taken out of Romeo, which my father was therefore called upon, for the first time, to act with me. I was vexed at this every way.
The excellent service performed by the gunboats under Commander Keppel and his subordinate officers of the Royal Navy is deserving of special mention.
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