in Borneo or Celebes, or wherever the chance seemed most favourable; and the object of the understanding was to improve the people, so as to render them wiser and happier in themselves, and better allies for Europeans. He had far-reaching convictions of the political and commercial benefits which England might derive from the elevation of the native character; and he had his own convictions as to how that elevation might best be achieved: but he went forth as free to follow the lead of events as any knight-errant who ever laid the rein on his steed’s neck in an unknown land, and merely watched to see whither he was carried.
His two main convictions as to what should be done with the Malays make the difference between his project and those of many predecessors. In this age of commerce, we propose a commercial establishment in new countries, and trading relations with their peoples. Brooke showed cause for his belief that a territorial establishment of some sort—wherever it might be, and however small—was indispensable to any actual union with the nations. Trading would be mere trading to the end of the chapter, if the foreigners had no participation in the more intimate interests of the people. Together with this must be taken the other point of doctrine, that the improvement of the natives must proceed from and advance in themselves, and not by means of colonisation by a superior race. Such colonisation depresses a native population: or, if it partially improves them, it is by altering their character, and making them imitators of the teachers who have intruded themselves. Brooke’s idea was of going to work in the opposite way—by strengthening and elevating the characteristics of the people; by encouraging their original powers and fundamental thoughts and distinctive feelings, under the operation of new knowledge. It is not to be wondered at if his father thought such notions very unpractical, and a poor reason for spending money on a vessel and crew, and precious time in paying visits to Malay tribes.
In 1838, the father was dead, and the son had laid out a portion of his inherited property in the purchase of the renowned Royalist—the yacht which bore through the Eastern seas the flags and colours which she had the privilege of carrying, like a man-of-war. Brooke’s first voyage in her was an experimental one, to prove the vessel and crew. As for himself, he was seen to be a born sailor as well as soldier. On the 7th of December, 1838, he sailed for Singapore, where he might learn what point to select for the opening of his enterprise.
His letters during this six months’ voyage show what was the activity of his mind—observing and recording phenomena in natural history, speculating in theology, learning the grammar of Eastern tongues, and proving his administrative powers in the management of his ship’s company. Hitherto his existence had been the poet’s dream—henceforth it was the poet’s life. For nearly twenty years we can follow its course, from his night-watching in the wilds of the ocean for the Southern Cross, and his passing visits to every shore where he might gain light for his great purposes, to his return home, a prince over a devoted people, and a conqueror in every conflict with calumny and persecution, but too much worn out for further action. It may be doubted whether a more beneficent, disinterested, and soul-stirring career was ever run by any great captain in the warfare of human life.
From Singapore we see him entering the Sarāwak river, on his way to Borneo Proper. It is amusing to think now that he had to explain to his own relations and friends where Sarāwak was—viz., “thirty-five miles in the interior of Borneo.” Here we first see the Santobong peak, with its crest of cliffs and straggling trees; and the wooded hills, and white beaches, fringed with casuarinas; and the wild hogs and grey pigeons; and the paddy-fields; and the cottages raised on piles and canopied with palms; and the mild and easy-going people, capable of reverence, and love, and thought, and discussion, but not very fond of work. “My people are gentlemen,” Brooke is fond of saying; and he found this out early, and experienced the advantage of it in leading them up to a higher social elevation.
We see him introducing himself to the rulers of these people, and soon attaching himself to them by his ever ready affections. We see him preparing for the first great step,—extinguishing the piracy which precluded any advance in civilisation, by destroying the fruits of industry, breaking up security and order, and encouraging bad passions. Here the born-soldier came out again,—as on several occasions since. We see the humane and thoughtful friend of depressed races pursuing war like a pastime,—chasing the pirates to their landing places, hunting them to their retreats, shooting and drowning men, sinking and burning boats,—in short, making a thorough clearance in each expedition; and yet we see that this is the same man, only doing a different part of his work. He is removing obstructions to his great object; and, in his spirit of fidelity, he makes the removal as complete as possible. Home-staying men, of a narrow and prosaic cast of mind, and a suspicious habit of temper, have not been able to conceive that one man could present two such different aspects: and, as the energy of his war-making was indisputable, they have assumed that this was the real thing in him, and the civilising object a sham. Taking for granted, all the while, that the usual recompense of enterprise, as they understand it, must be in his mind’s eye, they denounced him as pursuing the pirates for the sake of the head-money up to that time allowed by Government to the destroyers of pirates. To the satisfaction of all men, this barbarous practice of Government grants of head-money is done away; but Brooke’s name and fame could never be implicated with it, while it was notoriously true that he had spent his patrimony in the service of his Dyaks, and that he could at any time have enriched himself by permitting the Chinese, with their advantage of industry, to take their own way with the natives. By merely abstaining from interference, he might have levied great wealth in a short time. It is his sufficient defence from charges of mercenary ambition, that he steadily encouraged the Dyaks, and repressed the Chinese, while