SARAWAK AFTER THE CHINESE INSURRECTION—THE MISSION SHIPTHE MALAY PLOT-THE SEAS AND RIVERS OF BORNEO.

ON their return to Sarawak in August 1857, they found the little English society increased by the presence of Captain Brooke and his wife, and some important events were awaiting them. In the first place, the Rev. W. Chambers and Miss Woolley were to be married. The wedding,' Mrs. McDougall writes, 'went off very nicely. The Rajah's party all came to church in full uniform, which gave a distinguished look to the assemblage. Mrs. Nicholetts, Mrs. Crookshank, and myself were the only ladies, and our children were bridesmaids. We had the usual morning service, and the marriage service after the lesson was read. The children sang very well, and Mr. Koch played with great spirit. After church the children had each a huge piece of cake, and we sat down eighteen to breakfast.'

On September 22 the Bishop writes to his brother-in-law, announcing the birth of an heir to the principality. We are all now pretty well, thank God, and shaking down into our old work and ways. I find a frightful lot of damages to repair, and it will take a year at least to set church and all to rights again. I have been rather heavily worked in the medical way lately. Besides other cases, I had, malgré moi, to attend two births in a fortnight. Rather queer for an episcopal dignitary, after four services on Sunday, to be taken away from his dinner and have a night of it with a troublesome case!

ones.

Mrs. Brooke and the baby are both now doing well, thank God. No sooner did the Chambers depart than the Gomez and Co. arrived-one child with the whooping-cough, which has kept me in a precious state of alarm about our own little We have also with us all the Grant family-Charley, wife, child, English maid, Newfoundland dogs (2), Skye terrier, and three cats, one cow and two calves. So you see our house is, as usual, in the Noah's Ark style. But it can't be helped; to be "given to hospitality" is as necessary here as as it was in St. Paul's time.' He then speaks of political matters. This Indian revolt and Chinese row make everything uncomfortable and unsettled throughout the East, and I often wish that I had my dear ones at home with you. We are apparently all quiet here now, but I am not quite easy. I fancy that I see a change in the people, and that there is not the same confidence in the Government that we used to have.'

He was found out This man went to now, at this par

After discussing the position of the mission towards the State at some length, he mentions a special cause for apprehension, which, it afterwards proved, was not unfounded. 'While we were in England the Rajah banished the principal Malay chief, the Datu Patinghi, for life. in a scheme to make himself supreme. Mecca, has become a bigoted Hadji, and ticular crisis, the Rajah having allowed himself to be talked over, he has returned, I fear for no good., . . I tell you this in your ear, because at times I fear that late changes have much diminished the value and importance of this place as the position of a bishop's see to act on Borneo and the Archipelago. Much as I prefer Sarawak as a place of residence, I feel more and more that Singapore ought to be the centre of the Church's missions for these parts, and the site of a missionary college and cathedral church. If, as it is anticipated out here, the Straits stations are turned over to the Queen's Government, my station ought to be Singapore, and the noble

church there now in erection, with the design of which I have had a great deal to do, ought to be my cathedral. The present free schools at Singapore, Penang, and Malacca would be excellent feeders for a missionary college, as they contain lads from all parts of the Archipelago, as well as from Siam and Burmah. Why should not our Church take up as large a field as the Roman Catholics, who are making the Straits their point d'appui for their missions, not only to the different parts of the Archipelago, but also for Siam and Cochin China? Late events have brought these views into my mind. The more I think of them, the more desirable I feel them to be for the Church's sake, and that it is my duty to put them before my superiors, as that which will tend most to spread the Gospel in these parts, and the best way of using up the Church's faithful servant, Francis Thomas.'

This is the first time that the Bishop expresses his views on the subject of the chief seat of the mission, and their justice is evidenced by their ultimate adoption. But the time was not yet for such an extensive change, which only became possible some years afterwards, on the transfer of the Straits to the Colonial Office, and subsequently to his resignation of the see of Labuan.

After the events mentioned in the last letter, Mrs. McDougall appears to have been seriously ill, overdone by the fatigue which accompanied them. She mentions her illness in a letter dated October 21, and, in part repeating the story told by her husband, adds: 'Before the Gomez left, their child had given both mine whooping-cough, which they have had badly for a month. There is baby now coughing violently. This put a climax to my fatigues, and it was not surprising that I should suffer. I only wonder I have got off so well. However, here I am, staying at home and writing to you instead of going to the grand christening party at the Brookes'. The baptism of the two cousins took place this afternoon, and a very pretty sight it was. The church was

decked with flowers and moss; all the English were there, and a great many Malays and Chinese, and the little church was full. Frank baptized the children-Lucy Blanche Cordelia Grant, and Francis Basil Brooke. Both the little ones were beautifully dressed, and looked very lovely. The Rajah and his two Charleys, and the Crookshanks and the Helms came home to us to dinner, and then they all went across, till midnight, I suppose. The children have been very busy all day putting up an illumination in the fort opposite the Brookes' house-a shield with the Sarawak cross in coloured lamps, and a rising star in the quartering: you will recognise the Bishop's seal, but it does nicely as an allegory on the birth and christening of our little heir-apparent. The steamer fired a salute for him as we finished service; and I now hear a din of crackers and guns, which are no doubt a compliment from the native town. It is, I hope, an auspicious beginning of his life. The party—which includes all ranks in the settlement is partly a farewell to our Rajah, who goes home to England by the steamer the day after to-morrow.'

Both mother and children must, however, have rapidly mended, for on November 5 the Bishop writes from Singapore, en route for Labuan, which place he seems to have thought it necessary to visit at least annually. Had he known that an attack of cholera would shortly visit Sarawak he would scarcely have left them, but speaking of their recovery he says: 'I think the change to Santubong will quite set them up.' It was hazardous to risk it, but she seems to have been content.

On December 5, 1857, she writes: 'I am at Santubong, at our cottage, "Sandrock Cottage." I gave it this name as it stands on the sands, surrounded by scattered rocks. Lovely sands they are, and the grass grows to their very edge. The river expands into the true sea just beyond, but opposite to us it is quite narrow, and a fine belt of casuarina trees, with Matang in all his majesty behind them, and further on the

blue Lundu Hills, prevent the monotony of a horizon touching the water, though we can see that also. It is long since I put a brush to paper, but here I cannot resist it, and so I shall make a series of sketches all round.' This house took three weeks to build; it is an exceedingly primitive affair, and cost us about sixty dollars. It has three rooms, no ceilings you see the inside of the roof from every part of the house; the walls are palm mats about seven or eight feet high, so that you cannot see into the next room, but of course you can hear everything; the floors are lantiles, and dance with every step; but I like the house very much, and shall stay here as long as I can, just going home for Christmas Day, the school feast, and Chinese Christians' entertainments, and to have my school people to dinner, and then return here till Frank comes home. He will like being here with me for a few days, but that will content him.' 'I brought down Mrs. Stahl and three Chinese boys, besides Julia, Polly, Thomas Dyak, my children's ayah, cook, and water-carrier.' 'Frank will not hear a word of or from us till he returns, which is hard measure for him, poor fellow, as he left us somewhat ailing; but Labuan is the end of the earth.' 'I should like, by the next opportunity, a supply of little tins of essence of meat; they are so very useful for the children.' 'As for the meats, they certainly kept us alive at Linga, but they are very nasty, and taste as if Noah had stored them in the Ark, and they had been soldered down ever since.' 'It is very ungrateful of me to abuse them, but I laughed when I saw what a quantity of "roast beef" you sent, no doubt out of consideration for Frank, whose face when he ate a modicum with his rice was something like Friar Tuck and his parched peas; but the essence of beef and mutton is a very packable commodity, and invaluable for us jungle folks.'

On their return to the mission-house they found the place, for the first time, visited by cholera, for on January 22, 1858, the Bishop being still away, Mrs. McDougall writes: 'We are