A History of Sarawak under Its Two White Rajahs 1839-1908Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
A History of Sarawak under Its Two White Rajahs 1839-1908
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Charles, Rajah of Sarawak, 1829-1917; James, Rajah of Sarawak, 1803-1868; Sarawak (Malaysia) -- History
This was a mad and badly-concerted effort to carry through the
disorganised plot. It was a plot not only to overthrow the Sarawak
Government and murder all the English, but to massacre the Dutch in
Western Borneo as well. By industriously spreading false reports, Sherip
Masahor prepared the way for a rising of the natives against their
English and Dutch rulers, knowing that if successful at one point it
would become general. He was well aware how easy it would be to impose
upon the ignorant and sheepish people along the coast, and his bold
project was to despatch thither a specious and clever Bruni rogue, a
runaway of rank from Bruni, named Tunjang, who was to personate the
Pangiran Temanggong, the Prime Minister of Bruni, and no less a
personage than the late Sultan's son, and the heir to the throne, who
had now come from Bruni to exterminate all Europeans. He was to join the
Bandar Kasim at Sadong, and advance up that river, raising the people to
revolt during his progress, and to follow him. He was to cross over into
Netherlands Borneo, where he would find many disaffected against their
rulers ready to rally around him, and then proceed down the Kapuas and
attack Pontianak, whither the Datu Haji was to proceed from Singapore to
organise a second branch of the conspiracy, and to be ready to assist
him from within when he appeared off that place. They were then to
return and attack Kuching from the interior, whilst the Sherip made a
simultaneous attack from the sea.
The relation of events which followed we take from the Tuan Muda's
narrative[246] and from official records.
Early in January, Pangiran Matusin brought the Tuan Muda a letter sent
him by the impostor, Tunjang, purporting to be from the Pangiran
Temanggong, ordering him to proceed to Sadong and there to join this
prince, who was waiting for a numerous force, which was to number many
thousands. The Pangiran, the bearers of the letter had told him, was
exacting and authoritative, and his orders were being readily obeyed by
the people. Matusin supposed that the Temanggong had really come. The
letter was a clever forgery executed by the Sherip together with others,
which were subsequently sent to the datus and chiefs calling upon them
to assist in exterminating all Europeans. The Tuan Muda saw in this a
dangerous plot, and the hand of an impostor, and this was the view taken
by the members of council. At once strong parties were despatched to cut
off the evil-doer, whoever he was, and who, false as he might be, was
capable of doing incalculable harm amongst the simple-minded people
up-country, and had therefore to be dealt with promptly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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