The relatives of the Sultan of Linggin acted in the same way as the Bornean nobles, who really appear to be convinced that they have a right to treat the poorer natives as they please, and do not understand any other method, but Makota’s cruel nature delighted in it for its sake. He used to say, “I know that the system of government pursued in Sarawak is the right system, and that in the end we should obtain much more from them by treating them kindly; but I have been accustomed all my life to oppress them, and it affords me unmixed satisfaction to get even their cooking-pots from them;” and he chuckled over the remembrance.
As the Malays increase in wealth, they are gradually taking more to the fashion of making pilgrimages to Mecca, though the sufferings they undergo in the crowded ships are almost equal to those endured in the middle passage. Some of the Arab ships are so crammed, that each pilgrim is only allowed sufficient space for a small mat on the deck, and there he remains during the whole voyage, except when he cooks his meals. One year, of the twelve who started from Sarawak on the pilgrimage, but five returned, though now it is not so fatal, as our authorities in the east are preventing the over-crowding of those vessels which leave our ports.
They have a custom in Sarawak which is rather curious: to insure good hair to their girls, they throw gold dust on it, and then send the child out among the crowd, who with scissors endeavour to snip out the precious metal.
It has often been noticed that the Malay language is very concise, and as a proof, I have heard the following anecdote related. I have not yet seen it in print, though it may be. An English judge was condemning a man to death for a barbarous murder, and earnestly dwelling on the dreadful nature of the crime, he lengthened his discourse to twenty minutes. Then turning to the court interpreter he told him to translate what he had said into Malay. The official looked sternly at the prisoner, and addressed him thus: “The judge says you are a very wicked man; you have committed a great crime, therefore you must be hung. Sudah (I have done),” and then quietly retired to his place, to the astonishment of the judge, who could not comprehend how his learned and affecting discourse had been so briefly translated; he could only ejaculate, “Certainly the Malay is the most epigrammatic language.”
As I am concluding this chapter with miscellaneous remarks, I will tell a short anecdote told me by a Spaniard of a Balignini pirate. After the expedition from Manilla, in 1848, had captured the islands of Tonquil and Balignini, they removed most of the prisoners to an island to the north; among others, there was the wife and children of a well known buccaneer, who had been absent on a cruise during the attack, and returning home, found his house burnt and his family gone. He immediately went to Samboañgan and surrendered to the authorities, saying he was tired of the wandering life he had led, and was anxious to live as a quiet agriculturist with his wife. The governor trusting his story, sent him to the north, where he joined his family, and set to work with great energy cultivating the soil; the authorities kept a strict watch over him, knowing his enterprising character, but just before the rice harvest was ready to be gathered, they became less vigilant, as they thought no one would abandon the result of a year’s labour; but at dead of night, with a few companions to whom he had imparted his secret, he fled with his family to the shore, where, surprising a boat, he pulled off to his old haunts and reached them in safety.
I have already treated of the Land and Sea Dayaks, and will not dwell further on the subject, but give a short account of the Chinese on the North-west coast of Borneo.
CHAPTER XII.
THE CHINESE IN BORNEO.
Intercourse between China and the Northern Part of Borneo—References to the Chinese—Names of Places and Rivers—Sites of Gardens and Houses—One of the original Settlers—The Sultan’s Recollections—Chinese numerous in his Youth—Reasons for their Disappearing—Anecdote of a Murut Chief—Aborigines speaking Chinese—Mixed Breed—Good Husbands—Chinese at Batang Parak—At Madihit—Pepper Planters—Origin of the Borneans—Chinese Features observed also among the Aborigines—Careful Agriculture—A remnant of Chinese Teaching—Traditions of a Chinese Kingdom—Effect of Treaty with Brunei—Unsuccessful attempt to revive Pepper Planting—Chinese scattering on the North-west Coast—A Spark of Enlightenment—Attempt to prevent Intercourse between the Chinese and Aborigines—Decay of Junk Trade—Cochin Chinese—Conduct of the Chinese—Papar—Anecdote—Fatal Result of Insulting a Woman—Skirmish—Misrepresented in Labuan—Question of British Protection to the Chinese—Their Insolence—Anecdote—Unpleasant Position—A Check—Difficulty of obtaining Information—Cause of former Disputes—Insurrection of the Chinese of Brunei—Sarawak—Early efforts of the Chinese to establish themselves there—Lawless Malays—A Murder—Retaliation—Defeat of the Chinese—Arrival of Sir James Brooke—Mixed Breed in Sambas—Form Self-governing Communities—Defeat of the Dutch Forces—Subjugation of the Chinese—The Pamangkat Agriculturists—Flight into Sarawak—Change in the appearance of the Country—Mission School—Visit the Interior—Kunsis, or Gold Companies—Appearance of the Country—Method of Gold-working—The Reservoir—The Ditch—The Sluice—Wasteful method of working—Abundance of Gold—Impetus—Failure of first Agricultural Schemes—A great Flood—Troublesome Gold-workers—Successful Scheme—Disturbance in Sambas—Flight of Chinese—Illiberal Regulation—Tour through the Chinese Settlements—Agriculture—Siniawan—Chinese workings—Hot Spring—Gold at Piat in Quartz—Antimony Works—Extensive Reservoirs—Arrival of Chinese from Sambas—Denial by the Kunsi—Hard Work at the Gold Diggings—Scenery—Path to Sambas—Chinese Station—Numbers of the Chinese before the Insurrection.
The first thing that strikes an inquirer into the intercourse which was formerly carried on between China and the northern part of Borneo, is the prevalence of names referring to these strangers. They are called in Malay, Orang China; by the Land Dayaks of Sarawak, Orang Sina; and by the Borneans, Orang Kina, men of China; and north of the capital, we find Kina Benua, the Chinese land, in Labuan; Kina Balu, the Chinese widow, the name of the great mountain; Kina Batañgan, the Chinese river, on the north-east coast; and we have Kina Taki, the name of a stream at the foot of Kina Balu and Kina Bañgun, a name of a small river of the north north eastern coast. Around Brunei we continually come across terraces cut on the sides of the hills, where the pepper-plant was grown, particularly on the eminence below the Consulate: and the places where the Chinese had levelled the ground on which to build their houses are often to be met with; one of the most distinct was in my own garden. Their graves are also numerous, and may easily be traced on the slopes of the hills, though time has worn down their edges, and left but a slightly swelling mound.
My object is not to write a history of the Chinese intercourse with Borneo, but to notice what impress it has left on the manners and thoughts of the people, and what remembrances of them may still be gathered. At present there are scarcely any of the original settlers left. I only remember one very old man, who cultivated a garden a few miles above the town; and although he had lived there for sixty years, arriving as a child, he had not mastered the language of the country, and could only say that in old days the Chinese were numerous.