DESTRUCTION OF PIRATE FLEET,

BY COMMANDER FARQUHAR,

July, 1849.

The efforts of Sir James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, to establish a peaceable and commercial community on the coasts of Borneo, had been greatly impeded by the sanguinary onslaughts of bands of pirates, who massacred or led into captivity all who came in their way, burning their ships and villages, and committing the most horrible barbarities.

The season when those worst of barbarians, the pirates of the Indian seas, commence their operations having arrived, and their fleets being known to be at sea, an expedition was prepared to chastise them. The force consisted of Her Majesty's brigs 'Albatross' and 'Royalist,' H.E.I.C. steamer 'Nemesis,' and the steam-tender 'Ranee,' under the orders of Commander Farquhar. To these was joined a native flotilla under Rajah Brooke. The force took up a position across the mouth of the Sarebas River, the inhabitants of which district were known to have been marked out for massacre. In this position they remained until the evening of the 30th, when tidings were brought that the pirates had attacked Palo, and after threatening destruction to the inhabitants unless they supplied them with salt, had gone to a river named Si Maring, where they were then lying. On the evening of the 31st, the 'Ular,' one of the scout-boats, arrived with the intelligence that the pirate fleet was advancing in full force. In about 15 minutes all were in motion to meet them, the 'Nemesis' proceeding seaward to command them, and prevent their escape to sea. As soon as she was descried by the pirates, they made at once for the Kaluka River, where their progress was intercepted by the native boats, and those commanded by Lieutenants Welmshurst and Everest. The pirates then, as a dernier resort, made a dash to reach their own river, when they came in immediate contact with the men-of-war boats, and the action became general. It was now dark, and the great danger was that of firing into each other, or into the native allies. The pass-word selected was "Rajah," and the Malays screamed this out at the top of their voices when they thought any of the Europeans were near them. Commander Farquhar, who directed the operations, was in the midst of the mêlée, giving orders, and exhorting the crews of the various boats to be careful and not to fire into each other. Two large prahus were seen by the Commander escaping seaward, and the steam-tender was ordered to chase; the nearest one, having barely escaped one of her six-pounder rockets, made for the river, and met a pirate's doom. The 'Nemesis,' which had been dealing death and destruction to all around her, ran her down, and the scene which took place, as her crew, above 60 in number, came in contact with the paddle-wheels, was fearful. A large Congreve rocket from, the little steamer entered the prahu that had continued out to sea, and rendered her destruction complete. A signal was now made to close.

A rapid running fire was kept up along the margin of the bay, which, having gradually subsided at half-past 12 on the morning of the 1st July, Commander Farquhar ordered the boats of the various vessels in tow; and having sent the 'Ranee' with despatches to Sir James Brooke, then in some part of the Kaluka River, commenced the ascent of the Sarebas, to prevent the escape of the pirates by the Rembas branch. At daylight the bay was one mass of wreck; shields, spears, and portions of destroyed prahus extended as far as the eye could reach, whilst on the sandy spit which extends a considerable distance seaward, on the left bank of the Sarebas, were upwards of 70 prahus, which the natives were busy clearing of all valuables and destroying. The punishment inflicted on these fierce barbarians was most complete. Of 120 prahus which are said to have started on the expedition, and all of which were in the bay on the preceding evening, more than 80 were destroyed, and the loss of life on their side must have been immense—scarcely under 1,200 men. On the part of the British, saving a few slight casualties, all were unscathed. No more convincing proof of the inhuman disposition of the pirates need be cited than the fact, that the bodies of women were found on the beach decapitated and gashed from the shoulder to the foot. These are supposed to have been captives taken by the pirates in the expedition from which they were returning. The force having rejoined, sailed up the river, and destroyed a piratical town, some villages and war-prahus; they then passed up the Rejang River, and severely chastised the natives, who were known to be addicted to piracy. Some prisoners were secured, among whom was a child apparently of European origin. In other districts hostages were taken for the future peaceable demeanour of the inhabitants. It was hoped that this severe example would check their piratical habits effectually, and give an opportunity to the nascent civilization of those regions to develop itself. Nevertheless the occurrence gave rise to severe animadversions at home, and it was represented in some quarters as an unjustifiable massacre, dictated by motives personal to Sir James Brooke.