" And
some years after, alluding to a charge of inconsistency, he said, "I did
not embrace my position _at once_; and indeed the position itself
altered very rapidly; and I am free to confess before the world that my
views of duty and responsibility were not so high at first as they have
since been." Without doubt his direct and primary purpose was
investigation. He took with him men of some scientific knowledge,
himself being no mean observer; and he proposed to prosecute, wherever
opportunity occurred, researches into the geography, natural history,
and commercial resources of these islands. If he had ulterior ends, as
yet they existed in his mind as fascinating dreams, rather than
well-defined plans.
* * * * *
After a tedious voyage of nearly six months, the Royalist reached
Singapore, June 1, 1839. While Mr. Brooke was engaged in refitting his
yacht, and anxiously revolving in his mind how he should obtain
permission to penetrate into the neighboring kingdom of Borneo, he
learned that Muda Hassim, uncle of the Sultan, and Rajah of Sarawak, the
northwestern province of Borneo, had displayed great humanity towards a
crew of shipwrecked Englishmen. On receiving this information he started
at once for Sarawak, hoping to get some hold upon the Rajah, and by such
help to pursue his researches.
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