The most remarkable thing connected with Sarawak is the change which has come over the aborigines; from all the accounts I could gather they were twenty-five years ago in a much more miserable condition than the Muruts and Bisayas in the neighbourhood of the capital. The country was in a state of complete anarchy, and Malays were fighting against Malays and Dayaks against Dayaks. Even before the civil war broke out the condition of the latter was miserable in the extreme; they were exposed to every exaction, their children were taken from them, their villages attacked and often sacked by the Seribas and Sakarang, and hunger approaching to famine added to their troubles. Even when Sir James Brooke succeeded to the government and peace was restored, it took years to eradicate the belief, founded on long established practice, that the Dayaks were persons to be plundered by every means. When it could not be done openly, it was carried on by a system of forced trade. Sir James Brooke’s attention was constantly directed to this subject, and he found that as long as the Malay chiefs were paid their salaries by receiving half the rice-tax, some of them had an excuse for continuing the old practice. I have mentioned the tours of inspection undertaken under his direction by his nephew, Captain Brooke; shortly after these were concluded a new system was introduced, and the chiefs had their salaries paid to them in money. Since which time few complaints have been made by the Dayaks. As far as material comfort adds to the happiness of man, the Dayaks have reason to be thankful: whatever they earn, they enjoy; a tax of four shillings on every family is the amount levied on them by government: after that is paid they are free from every exaction. Not only have they the produce of their industry, but the wealth derived from their forests of fruit-trees, a market for which can always be found among the Chinese and Malays. Many of the caves likewise produce the edible bird’s nest, which is another source of profit. The Malays, however, have benefited equally with the Dayaks by the change of system. Formerly the chiefs employed a crowd of relations and followers to collect their taxes and to oppress the aborigines; and, as at Brunei now, if the master asked for a bushel of rice, the man demanded two more for himself. The system had a debasing influence on all; no doubt many suffered a little by the change, but as a rule all these men turned to legitimate trade, as soon as they found that to oppress the Dayaks entailed fines and punishments. The impetus given was great, trading prahus were built, and voyages undertaken which their fathers had not thought of. Singapore, Java, the Malay Peninsula, and even a portion of Sumatra were visited. This brought wealth and increased activity, which was shown in the improved dwellings, the larger prahus, the gayer dresses, and the amount of gold ornaments that became common among their women.