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Government is a question between themselves; it can be of no good to the Government of Sarawak, and in no way concerns it. Sarawak is an independent native state ruled by an Englishman with the knowledge and sanction of the British Government and nation for fifteen years. The native state so ruled has, we contend, been acknowledged by the British Government, and if an objection should be now made to the ruler on the score of his allegiance, or any other, it might affect his right to the position, but it could not affect the right of the people of Sarawak to independence and self-government. The challenge has often been given, and the only consequence, supposing the proposition established, “that a British subject could not rule a foreign people consistently with his allegiance," would be personal to him. It would deprive him of the position or render a change of designation requisite.

As regards the state of Sarawak in relation to England, it cannot in any way touch it.

'Again, England has afforded the highest degree of encouragement to the Government of Sarawak by word and deed. She now evades her obligations, and leaves the native state without support; and a small native state, isolated as Sarawak now is, without countenance, without help, and without formal recognition or protection, cannot stand alone amid the advancement of European nations and the growing interests of commerce. Every native state must shortly adhere or belong to a European Power. It is no question of right but of necessity, for neighbouring states, one weak and the other strong, cannot exist in contact without the weaker being the friend or the foe of the stronger—a faithful ally, or the political adversary supported from without-as Sarawak once was. Without this support, the want of progress, the inability to resist the casualties to which all states are liable, the inefficient means, and the European neighbours, would gradually reduce the Government of Sarawak to the mere precarious existence of other native states, and she would cease in time to protect

the people or to advance their welfare, or to continue the blessing that she now is. Specific danger there is none at this moment, but the end is certain, and Sarawak cannot stand alone. The British Government has betrayed and cast her off-we are not to be longer deceived or kept in suspenseto her ruin. This is the question-what shall Sarawak do? and, whatever the answer may be, it is clear there is no longer any tie between the two Governments, and British subjects and British interests are not in question at all. The greatest evil which can happen to Sarawak is to be deluded by an inefficient protection given to British interests into a continuance of her present equivocal position—to submit longer to a sham. I would have ended it a year ago, but I have now placed it in Brooke's hands to manage, though the people will decide their future course. Brooke is in town; will you not

talk it over? But my opinion is, that if there be an unwarranted trust in England, mischief will come of it.

'Ever yours sincerely,

'J. BROOKE.'

ENGLAND—LAST RETURN TO THE EAST, 1861-62.

ON March 29, 1860, the Bishop arrived at home at Kensington by the overland route. He appeared suddenly with a long black beard, not then common with ecclesiastics, and with a great hug and expressions of delight at once gained the pardon of his hosts for appearing alone in advance of his wife and children.

He had been unlucky in leaving them, for he had been taken ill on his voyage with his old complaint, ending with a violent influenza, caught in the Red Sea. Writing to his usual correspondent from the steamship 'Pera,' en route for Malta, he described himself as 'a yellow-eyed, green-faced, wheezy old gentleman,' and recounted the serious inconveniences of the overland route through Egypt at that timenow things of the past. Three weeks later, from Marseilles he wrote that he was nearly all right, and, with the exception of an irritable throat,' felt 'a man again,' and had come on from Malta in spite of the advice of Dr. Stilon and the Bishop of Gibraltar, who thought him unwise to do so before April; and he added: 'Of course I got into another gale of wind, which on Friday night sent me out of my berth, and I struck my nose and eye on a marble washing-stand, so that I now have a great nose and vicious-looking black eye, which makes me appear more like a prize-fighter than a bishop. However, a few days will, I hope, mend that, and I shall come home

leisurely '—which he did, lingering at Avignon and Paris— 'that I may be presentable; for, as I am, I should not like to show in London.' When he did arrive he was very much himself again, and in excellent spirits.

On May 4 he was joined by his wife and children, but they had not been without adventures. In describing her voyage, she says: 'We proceeded very happily until we were within a day's steam of the island of St. Vincent, when the great crank of the steam-engine snapped in two, and then we had to sail. It took us ten days to beat up to the island, for the large screw steamer was never intended to be propelled by sails. We began to have gloomy forebodings of the time which must elapse before we could reach England sailing at that rate, when we saw, lying in the roads at St. Vincent, a very large West Indian steamer, on her way home. It was difficult to communicate with this ship, because she lay in quarantine with the yellow flag flying; and we did not know whether she had yellow fever on board or not. Our captain, however, called us all together and said: "I hoped to have found some provisions in this island to add to our stores, but I find there is nothing. It will be necessary," added Captain Greenfell, "that some of you should go home in the Magnolia,' West Indian steamer, for we have not food on board for all, and cannot expect to be less than another month reaching England under sail; therefore you must each of you decide to-night what you will do; and if you choose to go home in the 'Magnolia,' I will pay your passage. But I ought to tell you that probably there are cases of yellow fever on board that ship, for it is the time of year when it is rife at the South American stations." Here was a problem to solve in the night! Should I take my children on board a ship where there was probable infection, or should I subject my husband to harassing anxiety about us for a whole month? In the morning I decided to go home in the "Magnolia ;" and I was rewarded, when we climbed up into that great ship with 200

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passengers on board, by finding that there was not a single case of yellow fever or anything infectious. We had a delightful ten days' passage, stopping a few hours at Lisbon, but not allowed to land, and then straight to Southampton. My only regret was leaving Captain Greenfell, who had been so kind to the children all the way.'

Together with her own children she brought with her a half-caste Malay girl, Julia Steward, one of the earliest of their scholars in the home school, and whom she placed in the Irish Church Education School, Kildare Street, Dublin, to be trained as a schoolmistress. In 1861 the Bishop speaks of the pleasing accounts that they received of her progress. She returned to Sarawak with them and became schoolmistress there, and afterwards married and did well in life.

Until January 1862 the Bishop remained at home, and the interval was spent in recruiting his health, and doing a great deal of work 'on deputation' for the Gospel Propagation Society. His head-quarters were as usual with his brother-inlaw, but he made many visits with his family, to Ireland for some months to see his sister, to his early colleague Sir William Bowman, and especially to the ever-hospitable house at Bedgebury, where Lady Mildred and Mr. Beresford-Hope delighted to surround themselves with their friends, few more attached than Bishop and Mrs. McDougall.'

The Rajah was still at home, and to a great extent recovered from his attack of paralysis, and the old friendship appeared unabated. In July 1860, when he came to town, he dined and spent an evening at Kensington to meet the Bishop and Mrs. McDougall, and was as charming and sympathetic as ever; and in the same month Mr. St. John breakfasted at the same house on the Bishop's invitation. There had been differences between the Rajah and Captain Brooke, but in these it did not appear that the Bishop was in any way

It was during the visit to Ireland that their youngest child, Mildred Hope McDougall, was born.

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