The Chinese were very anxious to have matters settled, as with all their boasts they did not feel quite comfortable, and were anxious to secure the plunder they had obtained. They now called upon the gentlemen and the Malay chiefs present to swear fidelity to the kunsi, and under the fear of death they were obliged to go through the Chinese formula of taking oaths by killing fowls. Next day the rebels retired up country unmolested by the Malays, and a meeting was at once held at the datu bandhar’s house to discuss future proceedings; at first no one spoke, there was a gloom over the assembly, as the mass of the population was deserting the town, carrying off their women and children to Samarahan as a place of safety, when abang Patah, son to the datu tumanggong, addressed the assembly. He was a sturdy man, with a pleasant, cheerful countenance, and a warm friend to English rule, and his first words were,--“Are we going to submit to be governed by Chinese chiefs, or are we to remain faithful to our rajah? I am a man of few words, and I say I will never be governed by any but him, and to-night I commence war to the knife against his enemies.” This was the unanimous determination of the assembly, but they were divided as to the course to be pursued. Patah, however, cut the knot of the difficulty by manning a light canoe with a dozen Malays, and proceeding at once up the river, attacked and captured a Chinese boat, killing five of its defenders. In the meantime the women and children were all removed from the town, and some boats were armed and manned, but imperfectly, as the Chinese had taken away the contents of the arsenal, and the principal portion of the crews were engaged in conveying the fugitives to Samarahan. Patah’s bold act was well-meaning, but perhaps premature, as the Malays, being scattered, could not organize a resistance, and urgent entreaties were made to the rajah by well-meaning but injudicious friends, to return and head this movement. He complied, though he knew its futility, and arrived at Kuching to find the rest of the English flying, the town in the hands of the Chinese, and smoke rising in every direction from the burning Malay houses. It appeared when the news reached the Chinese that the Malays were preparing for resistance, they determined to return immediately and attack them before their preparations were completed. They divided their forces into two portions, as they were now recruited by several hundreds from the other gold workings, and had forced all the agriculturists at Sungei Tañgah to join them; in fact, their great cargo boats would not hold their numbers, so one-half marched down the road leading from the fields I have mentioned, near the little hill of Stapok, while the rest came by river.