The confederacy has never risen
from this defeat, and for years the tribes composing it have returned to
the labors of peaceful life. Writing twelve months afterwards to a
friend, Rajah Brooke says: "Pray keep the 31st of July apart for a
special bumper, for during the last year not a single innocent life has
been taken by these pirates, nor a single prahu fallen into their
hands." Many a victory, famous in story, has accomplished less.
The next year a fleet of sixty-four prahus, manned by northern pirates,
and carrying 1224 guns, was destroyed by British gunboats in the Gulf of
Tonquin. This was followed by an attack of the Spaniards upon the haunts
of the Soloo pirates. A lull ensued. For three or four years almost
nothing was heard of freebooting; but it was a deceitful calm, not a
final cessation of the storm. The freebooting spirit was not taken out
of the blood of the Malay. Now piracy is said to be on the increase
again. Only three years since six Balanini pirates had the audacity to
sail into Sarawak Bay and commence depredations along its coasts. But
not one returned to tell the tale. The whole six were captured or
destroyed, and their crews killed or taken prisoners. The only permanent
remedy for the evil is just, settled, and efficient government, such as
has been established at Sarawak, destroying not simply the fleets, but
breaking up the piratical haunts, and with firm hand forcing their
people back into the habits and pursuits of civilized life.
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