"The arrival of Captain Page in his long-boat caused, as may well be
imagined, considerable sensation in the campong; and they reached
the sultan's house, thinking it the best place to seek shelter and
protection. In this, however, they were soon undeceived; for neither
the one nor the other was granted, but a message sent that they must
deliver up all their property into the sultan's hands, as otherwise
he was afraid they would be plundered by his people. Accordingly,
having possessed himself of their money, some jewels, their boat,
&c., he gave them a miserable shed to live in. Here they passed the
time, and were gradually robbed of every thing they had in the world,
even to the baby-linen which Mrs. Page had prepared for an expected
infant. Sometimes, indeed, when Captain Page refused to yield to the
sultan's demands, their provisions were stopped till they could no
longer hold out; and in this way they were compelled to sign bonds
for considerable sums, with the understanding that, till these were
procured and paid, they should be detained.
"In this sad situation Mrs. Page was confined of a daughter, on
the 31st of March; and this miserable life continued from the 4th
of January, 1841, to August of the same year. Their first ray of
hope was the Royalist coming to fetch them: the steamer followed,
and they were released.
"After a stay of two or three days, the steamer once more sailed;
though I would fain have persuaded Captain Congleton to search for
the piratical fleet, of which I had excellent information; but he
considered himself not authorized, or, in other words, he declined
the responsibility.
"As there was a chance that Mr. Gill and the De Souzas were either
at Sirhassan or Tambelan, the steamer decided to touch at the latter
place, and a native chuliah brig was directed to call at the former. I
afterward learned that the pirates were then at Sirhassan; but as
the brig knew nothing about Sirhassan, it is probable she never went
there. In the evening the Diana sailed, and I reached Sarawak about
two o'clock in the morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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