Many pages of his journal are devoted to an account of this war; and a most curious story it is of cowardice, bravado, and inefficiency.  It was advance and retreat, boastful challenge and as boastful reply, marching and countermarching, day after day, and month after month.  “Like the heroes of old, the adverse parties spoke to each other:  ’We are coming, we are coming; lay aside your muskets and fight us with your swords’; and so the heroes ceased not to talk, but always forgot to fight";—­the sum of all their achievements being to lay waste the country, to interrupt honest industry, and to put in peril the lives of the unoffending.  Mr. Brooke soon tired of this farce.  Gathering a motley force, consisting of Malays, Dyaks, Chinese, and his own crew, he prepared for an assault.  Then, planting his cannon where they commanded the stronghold of the enemy, with a few well-directed volleys he brought its walls tumbling about their ears.  The insurgents, driven to the open country, and altogether amazed by this specimen of Saxon energy, surrendered at discretion.  At one blow a desolating war was ended.

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Peace being restored, Mr. Brooke did not insist on the literal fulfilment of the terms which Muda Hassim had in his extremity been so ready to proffer.  He chose to occupy a position of influence, rather than one of outward authority.  A contract was entered into by which he became Resident of Sarawak.  The conditions of the agreement were, that the Rajah on his part should repress piracy, protect legitimate commerce, and as far as possible remove from the Dyaks unjust burdens; while his ally, in return for these concessions, should open trade, sending a vessel to and fro between Singapore and Sarawak, exchanging foreign luxuries for native products, and more especially for antimony, of which article the Rajah had the monopoly.  In fulfilment of his part of the treaty, Mr. Brooke proceeded to Singapore, purchased a schooner, loaded her with an assorted cargo, returned to Sarawak, and at the earnest request of Muda Hassim landed and distributed his goods.

But auspicious as was the commencement of this alliance, soon grave causes of complaint arose.  On every point the deceitful Malay came short of his agreement.  Having obtained valuable property, he showed no alacrity in paying for it; weeks and months passed without bringing him apparently any nearer to a pecuniary settlement.  So far from repressing piracy, he encouraged it; and a fleet of one hundred and twenty prahus, with his tacit consent, actually put to sea.  When a crew of English seamen were enslaved and carried to Bruni, under the most frivolous pretexts he refused to intercede with the Sultan for these unfortunate men.  And so this strange friendship cooled.  It was no slight proof either of his courage or his humanity to despatch at this very time, as Mr. Brooke did, his yacht to Bruni, to attempt something in behalf of his enslaved countrymen, and to remain himself with only three men at Sarawak.  The yacht came back, however, having effected nothing.