As soon as a few of the fugitives reached the fort at Beledah a panic seized the Chinese, and they fled to Bau, where they made preparations to retire into Sambas. The rajah, who was hurrying up to the support of the bandhar, hearing of his success, despatched Mr. Johnson with the light division to harass the enemy, and the advance parties of his Sea Dayaks were on them immediately, but the Chinese being well provided with fire-arms were enabled to retire in tolerable order, from a few miles beyond Bau to the foot of the Gombang range, along the good path which, as I have before mentioned, they had constructed; but every now and then the active Dayaks made a rush from the thick brushwood which borders the path, and spread confusion and dismay, but the Chinese had every motive to act a manly part, as they had to defend above a thousand of their women and children who encumbered their disastrous flight. At the foot of the steep hill of Gombang they made a halt, for the usual path was found to be well stockaded, and a resolute body of Malays and Dayaks were there to dispute the way. It was a fearful position; behind them the pursuers were gathering in increasing strength, and unless they forced this passage within an hour they must all die or surrender. At last some one, it is said a Sambas Malay, suggested that there was an upper path, which, though very steep, was yet practicable; this was undefended, and the fugitives made towards it. The Sarawak Malays and Dayaks, too late seeing their error in neglecting to fortify this also, rushed up the edge of the hill, and drove back the foremost Chinese; their danger was extreme; at that moment, as if by inspiration, all the young Chinese girls rushed to the front and encouraged the men to advance, which they again did, and cheered by the voices of these brave girls who followed them close, clapping their hands, and calling to them by name to fight bravely, they won the brow of the hill, and cleared the path of their less numerous foes. They were but just in time, as the pursuers were pressing hotly on the rearguard, and the occasional volley of musketry told them that the well-armed Malays were upon them; but they were now comparatively safe, as they soon cleared the Sarawak borders, and, although a few pursued them, the main body of the Malays and Dayaks halted on the Gombang range.